Meet the Makers

By Vanessa Infanzon

Southern Pines resident Ashley Tramontin opened Against the Grain Shoppe in 2019 to give local makers a platform to showcase their products.

“We’re a hub for local business owners,” Tramontin says. “The idea is to give small businesses a storefront and a place to grow their businesses.”

Southern Pines resident Ashley Tramontin opened Against the Grain Shoppe in 2019 to give local makers a platform to showcase their products. “We’re a hub for local business owners,” Tramontin says. “The idea is to give small businesses a storefront and a place to grow their businesses.”

The shop, in downtown Southern Pines, carries North Carolina-made home goods and gifts. Curated with care, the shelves are filled with bath and body products, ceramic pieces, jewelry, tea towels, stained glass, woodwork, and other kitchen and gift items. Tramontin recently started a pantry section featuring locally made chocolates, baking mixes, honey, pecans, and snacks.

Visitors to Southern Pines like to take something home with them, to remind them of their travels, says Tramontin. Many of the products within the shop are made by active military, coaches, doctors, professors, and veterans. Against the Grain also carries DIY paint kits for kids, created by a 9-year-old and jewelry, designed by a 13-year-old. “When you shop locally, the money stays in the community,” Tramontin says.

Against the Grain

220 NW Broad StreetS

outhern Pines

(910) 725-0148

Meet these Moore County makers:

Lorre Burt

Burt, a potter, infuses color into her decorative ceramic pieces and more functional work–mugs, bowls, plates, and platters. Find her fish, dogs and small horses at Against the Grain with touches of blues, teals, and turquoise. Adding red lips to her ceramic fish delights her.

Where I call home: West End

Talent: “I developed my talent by taking ceramics workshops from the best artists I could find, both in person and on-line, then using skills they taught to make pieces that make me happy.”

Inspiration: “I am a potter, and I only discovered this art about four years ago, in my 60s. I was living in Hawaii and drew my inspiration from the ocean and the wonderful fish and animals living in and around it. Now I live on a horse farm in North Carolina, and I’m inspired by the plants and animals that share my farm while I make pots in my old barn.

Favorite place in Moore County: “I love to walk and hike the nearby trails with my dog, a black Standard Poodle named Jett.”

Tim Christensen

Christensen is an associate professor and director of undergraduate advising at Eastern Carolina University in Greenville. His photographs of nature, rocks, and bugs are displayed on Against the Grain’s walls.

Where I call home: Southern Pines

Talent: “(I developed my talent) mostly through lots of play and a healthy relationship with failure, all through years of curiosity and exploration.”

Inspiration: “Once I see something new, the world becomes a richer place. Seeing the world differently is what I want to share with others.”

Best compliment: ‘“Bugs are actually cool!’ Much of my work focuses on the insects that share our world. Changing an EEW to a WOW is a real compliment.”

Favorite place in Moore County: “On the trails in Weymouth woods, looking at everything on the ground: insects, moss, leaves, pinecones.

Distinctions Furniture

James Watt developed his woodworking skills through a combination of education and work experience. He studied industrial technology with a concentration in furniture design and manufacturing at Appalachian State University. He was employed by large production facilities and boutique shops before starting his own business.

Where I call home: Southern Pines

Inspiration: “From visiting museums to visiting private homes, or on the sets of movies and television shows and even browsing the work of other crafts people online, I take notice of furniture more than most other people do.”

Favorite places in Moore County: SoPies for the best pizza and Southern Pines Growler Co. for the best selection of beers and ales on tap.

Diane Flanegan

Flanegan’s specialty is stained glass. She creates sun catchers, sculptures, and glass succulents. Her stained-glass cardinal, North Carolina’s state bird, is popular.

Where I call home: Pinehurst

Talent: “I took a class in stained glass 33 years ago; I was hooked.”

Inspiration: “I draw inspiration from other artists, from nature, and especially the ocean. I am a New Jersey beach girl, and the beach is my happy place.”

Peter Koepp

Koepp combines leather and wood to create a variety of coasters, cigar and whiskey trays, and gentleman’s trays – catch-all containers with divided sections for keys, wallet and phone. He is a retired Army veteran and continues to work part-time as a physician assistant in remote Alaska.

Where I call home: Pinehurst

Talent: “I grew up around building and making things, so wood and metal working skills were always being put to use. Talent comes from many mistakes.”

Inspiration: “Knowing the things I make using reclaimed materials have a previous life.”

Favorite place in Moore County: Pik-n-Pig BBQ in Carthage

Serenity Acres Vass

Kerstin Messina, a full-time firefighter, moved to Moore County from Germany in 2008. When her daughter started having bad reactions to a variety of chemicals used in many products, she learned how to make natural alternatives, starting with goat milk soaps.

Serenity Acres’ candles are made with 100% American grown soy wax with a natural cotton wick and phthalate-free fragrances.

Where I call home: Vass

Talent: “I developed my talent through a process of trial and error, conducting rigorous testing and formulating. Every product I create is crafted from scratch, using my own unique recipes and formulas.”

Inspiration: “Each scent is carefully crafted to transport people to different experiences and evoke specific emotions. Whether it’s the aroma of a rainy day at home, the vibrant scent of a spring day in Moore County, or the refreshing fragrance of a sunny day at the beach, my candles aim to capture these moments and create a sense of joy and nostalgia for my customers.”

Best compliment: “Customers are amazed by how authentic the scents are.”

Favorite place in Moore County: “Strolling through downtown Southern Pines, checking out the many local stores and restaurants.”

Find products made by these makers in Against the Grain Shoppe in Southern Pines.

Vanessa Infanzon moved from New York to North Carolina for college and never left. When she’s not writing, she’s paddle boarding on a river. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

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