ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - Abby Leach, a Birmingham native, graduated from the University of Montevallo with a degree in Art, concentrating in clay.

As the first resident clay artist for The Clay Studio at the Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach, she is thrilled at the opportunity to establish a program to help educate people about the technical and unique possibilities clay has to offer.

“I am honored and super excited to be given this opportunity at the Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach and have great ideas for a productive, fun, and creative working studio,” she said. “I love living down here and getting to know the locals.

“The new clay studio is going to be great. I hope people will just stop by to see what’s going on anytime.”