A Day in the Life: Daphney Gaebler, Purple Glaze

By Jackie Lawrence

With a cup of Starbucks coffee in hand and a smile on her face, Daphney Gaebler, 53 years old, pulls in at Purple Glaze at 3303 South Peoria Avenue ready to set up shop for the day.

Gaebler works part-time at Purple Glaze, fulfilling many responsibilities throughout the day. At 10 a.m. on any given Sunday, she unloads the kiln that has fired overnight and prepares tables for painters arriving at 11 a.m.

“Lots of interesting people come in and that’s a wonderful part of the job,” Gaebler said of working at Purple Glaze.

In particular, she describes a wedding party she worked with as one of her coolest experiences on the job. “The bride wore a veil and the groom wore a top hat,” Gaebler said, “It was a very fun and festive group of people to work with.”

On the downside, Gaebler described a young child’s birthday party as one of the worst experiences while working at Purple Glaze. The children were left alone by their parents, wreaking havoc by breaking clay pieces at the studio.

“I have quite a bit of patience for kids, but I do expect parents to supervise,” Gaebler said.

Throughout the day at the studio, Gaebler helps people of all ages choose a piece of pottery and color of glaze. As customers find a seat at one of the glass tables, Gaebler sets them up with a cup of water and paintbrushes and explains the proper technique of painting their piece.

“I’ve met some of the greatest people which come back regularly,” Gaebler said of her greatest enjoyment working at Purple Glaze, “I develop a reputation with the people and I enjoy being around them.”

When Gaebler is not walking about the studio assisting people, she sits behind the front counter overlooking the place with a laid-back demeanor. There is another side to Gaebler yet to be discovered.

Apart from working at Purple Glaze, Gaebler lives in mid-town Tulsa and works as a school teacher, as well as spending much time on Brookside.

“When the weather is nice, I like to ride with my boyfriend on his motorcycle to Crow’s Creek,” Gaebler said of one of her favorite places on Brookside, “And when the weather is cooler, we enjoy sitting by the fireplace there.”

It is about 3:30 on Sunday afternoon as a rush of children crowd the studio to celebrate the 3rd birthday of their friend. Gaebler greets the parents and designates a small table to set the birthday cake and presents.

“I just smile when I see the excitement the children have about completing their pottery,” Gaebler said while overseeing the party, “It’s the same passion I have about my pieces.”

Gaebler has painted all of the dishes in her house with a flower theme. Her favorite color of glaze to use is #181, an olive green hue.

She painted at Purple Glaze for a year prior to working at the studio.
“I needed a part-time job and the owner needed help so it worked out well,” Gaebler said.

The sun is setting around 6p.m. as Gaebler begins to shut down the studio. She finishes last-minute cleaning of the tables and loads the final pieces into the kiln.

Most customers and fellow co-workers would agree: Gaebler genuinely enjoys her time at Purple Glaze and does her best at making it an pleasant environment for everyone.