Carrboro ArtCenter hosts preview of 2009 Chatham Studio Tour

Learning to make pots has been an exciting journey for Chatham artist Lara O’Keefe. “My first employment as a potter was with Rob and Beth Mangum, of Weaverville NC’s Mangum Pottery. It was there that I learned a lot of studio fundamentals like how to mix glazes, wedge clay, and operate the kilns,” She begins. “After a few years there, mostly making slab-ware I was ready to learn how to make better pots on the wheel. It was my good fortune to be offered a job with just such a focus in Seagrove, NC where I began a three year apprenticeship at Jugtown Pottery working for Pam and Vernon Owens,” She continues. Having this rare opportunity to work at such a historic pottery with such well known teachers was instrumental for O’Keefe’s personal artistic development. Her final formative experience was at the Hewitt Pottery in Pittsboro, NC., working as apprentice for renowned artist Mark Hewitt. She gained a true appreciation for the traditional shapes and processes of North Carolina pottery and the seed was planted for the pottery that she established in Chatham County and debuts with this year’s Chatham Studio Tour.
Lara O’Keefe is just one of the 51 artists studios throughout Chatham County open to visitors from all over the region the first two weekends of December. The Chatham Studio Tour, a model for arts tourism, is organized and funded by the artists themselves. A preview of works by Chatham Artists Guild members for the 2009 Tour will be on display at the ArtCenter in Carrboro from November 18th to December 14.

“Our members work all year long, preparing artworks, educational demonstrations, and informational materials so that visitors can enjoy The Tour, and learn more about the creative process in the artists’ own environments,” explains Maggie Zwilling, Executive Director of the Chatham Artists Guild. “The Tour is also an important economic event for Chatham County. People stop at restaurants, gas stations and all kinds of businesses while they travel from studio to studio,” she adds.
A Tour brochure and map is available at many locations, including: Durham Arts Council, Durham; General Store Cafe, Pittsboro; Aria Spa, Chapel Hill; Arts Center, Carrboro; Artspace, Raleigh; the NC Arts Incubator in Siler City; and Alamance County Arts Council, Graham. Information about The Chatham Studio Tour is available online at: http://www.ChathamArtistsGuild.org.
In addition to Lara O’Keefe, wood furniture maker David Botts, iron and steel forger Peter Ross, oil and acrylics painter Deborah Sanks, illustrator Emma Skurnik, wood turner Michael Thompson and jeweler Mariah Wheeler are new artists participating in the 2009 Tour.
“The Chatham Studio Tour is a holiday tradition here in the heart of North Carolina,” notes Guild President Forrest Greenslade. We look forward to welcoming folks from all around into our studios and sharing with them the joy and excitement of creating art.”

Caption: Bowl by Lara O'Keefe

Chatham graduation project is exciting experience for high school senior

Northwood High student Nathan Creel was just one of the anxious rising seniors in Chatham County worried about the Graduation Project. Then, he became involved with Chatham County Together (http://chathamcountytogether.org/), a mentoring organization with 20 years of experience in matching struggling youngsters with caring adults. The team of Gwen Overturf and Marjorie Hudson has taken on recruiting and training mentors for the Graduation Project, a new requirement in Chatham County schools this year. Currently they have more than 60 students working with mentors toward successful completion of the project.

Nate Creel wanted to learn ceramic sculpture in his Graduation Project. The project presented a daunting task. He had to produce a product, a clay sculpture. He had to develop a portfolio documenting all his accomplishments. He had to write a paper on contemporary ceramic art. Creel felt overwhelmed. Chatham County Together introduced Creel and his father to local artist Dr. Forrest Greenslade, who had received training as a mentor. Greenslade is currently President of the Chatham Artists Guild (http://www.chathamartistsguild.org), the organization that hosts the Chatham Studio Tour the first two weekends each December.

Creel and Greenslade mapped out a plan and got to work in Greenslade’s studio in Fearrington Village. Under the mentor’s experienced eye, the student began sculpting a mustang charger, the Northwood logo. While they worked, the team listed to jazz on the radio, and discussed how modern clay sculpture developed from classic pottery, a North Carolina tradition.

During August before Creel began his senior year, they made field trips to several of the interesting art galleries in Pittsboro and Siler City. They toured the Pottery and Sculpture Department at Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) (http://ccccsculppottery.blogspot.com/), where Creel learned of future educational opportunities.

The Graduation Project requires each student and mentor to meet for 10 hours, but Nate and Forrest were having so much fun that they worked together for more than 60 hours. Creel crafted two ceramic horses. They were fired at CCCC, and he learned how to give them a tarnished bronze patina. Chatham County Together Coordinator Marjorie Hudson noted, "Nate's two horse sculptures are just beautiful! They show a deep well of talent and great sense of craft. For a first try, these are very sophisticated pieces! We think Nate has a great future in the arts, possibly as a career choice.”

Greenslade was so impressed with Creel’s work, that he submitted photos of his sculptures to the Carolina Design Craftsmen Guild for their High School exhibit. Creel’s piece, called “Charger Pride” was selected to be exhibited at their 2009 show the weekend after Thanksgiving at the NC Fairground.

The mentor/student pair shared what they had learned with juniors and their parents at Northwood High. Greenslade encouraged students to look forward with confidence to this exciting program. Creel recalled how much he had learned and how much fun he had working on his sculptures.

Coordinator Gwen Overturf concluded, “Nate and Forrest are just one of the pairs of students and mentors that Chatham County Together has put together this year. We are so proud of them, and of all the rest!"

Caption: Nathan Creel and his sculpture “Charger Pride”.

Emerging sculptor Ruth Brown is award winner in debut exhibit

The theme of the 21st annual Sculpture in the Garden Show at the North Carolina Botanical Garden ( http://ncbg.unc.edu/pages/29/ ) is Celebrating Life Forces – Earth, Air, Fire Water, Spirit. Central Carolina Community College Pottery and Sculpture Student Ruth Ella Brown won a Merit Award in her debut in a major show for her large ceramic sculpture Circle of Life: Susan. Kathy Buck, co-founder of the annual art exhibition said at the October 4th award ceremony exclaimed, “the winners’ works especially express this year’s theme.

“I am fascinated with the life patterns around me, people, animals, plants, everything, explains Ruth Brown. “In my sculpture, a Black-Eyed Susan reveals her entire life journey in the garden.” The sculptures that Brown creates are inspired from her everyday observations, along with an active imagination. “I feel a connection with the clay as I work, whether it’s sculpting a totem pole, or sculpting an animal, she adds. “Sculpting faces that have worn features showing their life journeys are my favorite. These creations have become a way to stay connected with folks whose lives have crossed mine. Clay is a medium that has unimaginable opportunities. Each time the clay comes alive in my hands with a new expression it is memorialized as art.”

Phillip Ashe, Director of the CCCC Sculpture Program, announced “We’re happy to see one of our students begin to achieve some recognition among the local arts community. Ruth has worked hard to develop her own individual style as a sculptor and this award will encourage her to continue refining and exhibiting her work.”

Of the 24 artists exhibiting in the North Carolina Botanical Garden Show, five have participated in either the Curriculum or Continuing Education Pottery and Sculpture Programs at CCCC. In addition to Ruth Brown, Margo Bennett, Forrest Greenslade, Zen Palkoski and Beverly Rouse showed sculpture in this year's event. The sculpture exhibit runs through November 15th.

The Professional Arts and Crafts Program (http://www.cccc.edu/curriculum/majors/sculpture/) in clay and metal sculpture has a unique design and location. The program, the only one of its kind in North Carolina, was developed to teach artistic skills in pottery, clay sculpture, and metal sculpture. The course work in the Sculpture Program concentrates on the development of skills in clay and metal. Emphasis is placed on hands-on training. Courses in design, pottery, metal and clay sculpture, and basic welding give students needed fundamentals in this creative art form. Additional classes provide students with training in metal casting, glaze formulation, kiln design and construction, and advanced artistic design. Students can become a part of an arts community when enrolled in the CCCC program. Located in an historic building in downtown Siler City, NC, the facilities are newly renovated and feature gas and electric kilns.

For more information contact Phillip Ashe or Sandra Martin (phone: (919) 742-4156, email: pgashe29@cccc.edu).

Caption: Circle of Life: Susan, a ceramic sculpture by Ruth Brown. Photo by NC Botanical Garden Staff

Take a walk on the far side at the Carolina Brewery

What happens when you mix the minds of Andy Warhol and Gary Larson? You get something like the art of Chatham’s own Roger Person. You can walk through that special place that is Person’s brain at the October/November exhibit at the Pittsboro Carolina Brewery. His recent dazzling selection of animals and pure forms will transport Brewery goers into a space far away and exciting. Meet Roger Person at an artist reception from 4 to 6 pm on Sunday, November 1st at the Brewery.

Roger Person considers himself a mixed media artist whose work often reflects his off-beat sense of humor. “I try to incorporate different materials in each piece that I create,” he explains. “I enjoy the challenge of designing large metal sculptures that are simple to build with standard materials and visually different from the materials I use.” For 25 years he worked in the engineering and construction business, and at one point, he ran a company specializing in building domestic elevators. Along the way, Person picked up a substantial knowledge of many materials and processes.

Another hallmark of Person’s art is vibrant color, influenced by Native American themes. “I had a winter home in Tucson, Arizona, where I studied the work of Native American artists. I began incorporating their themes and colors into glass work, and it evolved into much of my sculpture, paintings and prints,” he explains.

Roger Person will never forget the day in 1990, when he was standing on a ladder cutting a limb from a large tree. The branch released, knocking him from the ladder resulting in a crippling spinal cord injury. In that instant, this physically active engineer and adventurer was fated to life in a wheel chair. That instant also was the beginning of the career of an important artist (http://persontopersonart.com).

Over the years, Person lived a very physically active life. He was a horseback rider, skier, tennis player, sailor, golfer and runner. But, that all changed that day on the ladder.

As Person recovered, he began to work with stained glass, as his artist wife Linda was working on stained glass projects at the time. To satisfy his curiosity, Roger started incorporating ceramic sculpture into his glass projects which produced unusual glass pieces. Working from a wheelchair presented special challenges for an emerging artist. “I actually enjoyed figuring out how to accomplish complex fabrications from my wheelchair,” he remembers. “I wanted to turn large wooden bowls, so I designed a special lathe that accommodated working from a wheelchair.” No matter what art project he undertook, he did it with great enthusiasm. “We are only limited by our desires,” Person stresses. As time went by, Person developed a network of skilled crafts people who fabricated the elements of his large assemblages, always working according to his designs and engineering specs.

Forrest Greenslade, President of the Chatham Artists Guild, comments: “When you look at a painting, sculpture or print by Roger Person, you can’t help but be impressed by the humor expressed in every piece. Person explains that, “When I was in the hospital, I had to find a way to make things lighter for myself. I met a lot of disabled people there, and I wanted them to know that you can have a really fun life.” Person began working with Very Special Arts (VSA), an international, nonprofit organization founded by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts.

NC Potters to be featured in a Nationwide TV Broadcast

September 18, 2009

On Wednesday, October 7^th, at 8 pm, PBS TV, will air a nationwide broadcast of a brand new episode of the Peabody award-winning series, “Craft in America,” that features two well-known North Carolina potteries. “Craft in America” producer, Carol Sauvion, explains why. “North Carolina pottery has inspired and influenced potters from all over the world,” says Sauvion, “It is authentic, original, and powerful in its simplicity. By including Jugtown and the Hewitt pottery in its new episodes, the Craft in America series showcases their significant contribution to the history of craft in America.”

Jugtown potters, Vernon and Pam Owens, and their children Travis and Bayle, and Mark Hewitt in Pittsboro, are proud to represent the state’s pottery tradition in this stunning documentary that serves as a tremendous affirmation of North Carolina’s role in shaping the ceramic heritage of United States.

Both Pam Owens and Mark Hewitt are on the board of the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, and have helped organize a series of simultaneous “viewing parties” across the state on October 7 to coincide with the broadcast, and to raise funds for programming at NCPC.

These “viewing parties”, described as, “a collective group hug for all the potters and pottery lovers across the state,” demonstrate a remarkable show of support from North Carolina pottery guilds and patrons across the state. This support acknowledges the camaraderie among North Carolina potters, and validates the role that the North Carolina Pottery Center plays in promoting public awareness and appreciation of the history, heritage, and ongoing tradition of pottery making in North Carolina.

Eight pottery Guilds, from the coast to the mountains, are hosting “viewing parties” for their members and supporters, including the Coastal Carolina Clay Guild in Wilmington, the North Carolina Pottery Collectors Guild and the Triangle Pottery Guild (both in Raleigh), Durham Clayworks, Carolina Claymatters and Carolina Clay Connection in Charlotte, and the Potters of the Roan in Bakersville and Penland. There will also be a gathering at UNC-Asheville.

The Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary, NC is partnering with NCPC, Craft in America, and UNC-TV, to host a Gala Dinner, Dessert and Viewing Party.

In addition, there are seven parties being held at the homes of NCPC patrons in cities across the state – in Edenton, Fayetteville, Seagrove, Asheboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte, and Pittsboro.

Visit www.ncpotterycenter.com or phone 336-873-8430 for more information about attending one of these events. To contact Jugtown Pottery visit www.jugtownware.com or phone 910 464 3266, and to contact Mark Hewitt visit www.hewittpottery.com or phone 919 542 2371.

Captions: Left, Mark Hewitt Right Vernon and Pam Owens

Press Release
Paulette Badgett, Manager · paulette@atomic.net
233 East Avenue · PO Box 531 · Seagrove, NC 27341
(336) 873-8430 · www.ncpotterycenter.com

Chatham emerging artist takes honors at NC Gourd Festival

The theme of the 68th Gourd Festival exhibit at the NC Fairgrounds was "By the Seashore". Carol Kroll entered a large carved and painted gourd depicting the energy of the ocean. The exterior was done in deeply carved ripples, representative of the ocean's rhythmic waves or patterns one would see left behind in the sand. “I painted the interior in swirling shades of aqua, inviting the viewer to look inside, she explains. Kroll’s first entry in the Gourd Festival, in the novice division, won 1st place and the President's Award.

Carol Kroll started painting at a young age with a private teacher and continued taking art classes through her teens. She later attended Newark School of Fine And Industrial Art in New Jersey and graduated with a diploma in textile design. For most of her adult life, she held a successful career as a textile designer in the home furnishings industry. Then she needed to redirect her life.

“I worked as a designer close to 30 years,” recalls Kroll. “I loved my work and felt fortunate that I had a career I enjoyed and at which I was good. My company relocated me to Burlington NC, and then had a major restructuring, moving most of their operation to China. I soon discovered that textile companies all over the country were doing the same. Manufacturing and even design were outsourced. That is when I discovered Central Carolina Community College and the Sustainable Agriculture program.”

Kroll soon conceived the idea of combining gardening and design, creating beautiful sculpture using her home-grown gourds. ”I love growing things, but my first love, art, kept tugging at me. I wondered how I could combine them. "The carving and painting techniques I use evolve with each piece, and are as varied as the gourds themselves." Kroll is continuing her studies at CCCC, in the sculpture program; she is learning how to market her work through the marketing class.
"Creating fine art on gourds seems to come naturally, but marketing them is a whole different ballgame."

Tiny Glimpse of the 17th Annual Chatham Tour

Several members of the Chatham Artists Guild preview the 2009 Studio Tour at the PAF Gallery with a show of miniature artworks no larger than 12x12 inches. The Peggy A. Fullington Galleryis at the heart of a flourishing community of artist studios, galleries and eateries in down town Siler City. The PAF Gallery, at the NC Arts Incubator, is centrally located at 223 N. Chatham Avenue in the Historic Downtown District of Siler City, a short drive from the Triangle or Triad. An artists reception will be held at the Third Friday celebration on Friday, September 18th.
The Chatham Artists Guild is a non-profit organization of regionally and nationally recognized visual artists who live or have their studios in Chatham County. Each year, Guild members open their studios to the public through the Chatham Studio Tour. Visitors travel throughout lovely rural Chatham County to meet artists in their own work spaces, and share their ideas on art and the creative process. The 17th Annual Studio will be held December 5&6 and 2&13 2009.
The Guild artists featured in the PAF Preview are: Vidabeth Bensen, Anne Bigelow, Joyce Bryan, Shannon Bueker, Salinda Dahl, Martha Danek, Forrest Greenslade, Mark Hewitt, Julia Kennedy, Kathleen Ladd, Roberta Marasca, Gretchen Niver, Lara O’Keefe, Roger Person, Deborah Sanks, Bruce Saunders, Joan Sommers, Rita Spina, Annabelle Stein, DL Taylor, Michael Thompson, and Eddie White.
Weather your passion is sculpture, pottery, paintings, jewelry, wood, glass or fabric art, you will be delighted by the small wonders on exhibit at the PAF Gallery.
Caption: Petrified Forrest: Windswept, a relief painting by Forrest Greenslade