NC Museum of Art move strategist to judge Chatham Opening Show

Art-lovers are feeling a great void these days. Our North Carolina Museum of Art is closed while the world class collection is moved to the new 127,000-square-foot state of art facility. Dan Gottlieb, the museum's Director of Planning and Design, is one of the people shepherding this delicate operation.

According to a New York Times article, the “behind-the-scenes designs [make] it possible to safely transfer invaluable pieces from one building to another as part of the expansion that will cost $73.1 million in public money and $5.5 million in private funds. The work includes a tunnel that connects the two buildings and a hidden, roll-up door that will allow art the size of the massive museum walls to be moved into the new building.”

Dan Gottlieb will take time from this herculean task to serve as judge for the Opening Reception of the 17th Annual Chatham Studio Tour at the Pittsboro Campus of Central Carolina Community College on Friday December 4th from 7 to 9 PM. Gottlieb will judge artworks from more than 50 regionally and nationally recognized artists who live and work in North Carolina’s Chatham County. Members of the Chatham Artists Guild, these painters, sculptors, photographers, potters, and artists working in a variety of media open their studios across scenic rural Chatham County to give visitors from all around the area a first-hand experience with the creative process.

Guild President Forrest Greenslade asserts, “We really appreciate Dan Gottlieb bringing his depth of art world experience to our Opening Reception.” The free reception is open to the public and features one sample work from each artist on The Tour, as well as elegant refreshments created by glass artist and well known “foody” Gretchen Niver. “This is a fantastic party, and the best way for folks to plan their schedules for visiting our artists’ studios all over Chatham County.” Greenslade continues.

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 and Alamance County Arts Council, Graham; NC Arts Incubator, Siler City. Information about The Chatham Studio Tour is available online at: http://www.ChathamArtistsGuild.org.

“Our members work all year long, preparing artworks, educational demonstrations, and informational materials so that visitors can enjoy The Tour, and learn more about creating art 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.

Seven artist are new to The Tour this year. Emma Skurnick has created nature illustrations for American Scientist Magazine, Brooklyn Botanical Garden, North Carolina Aquariums, and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. She teaches illustration and design courses at Central Carolina Community College, the ArtsCenter and North Carolina Botanical Garden. In addition to Skurnick, wood furniture maker David Botts, stoneware potter Lara O’Keefe, iron and steel forger Peter Ross, oil and acrylics painter Deborah Sanks, 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,” concludes 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: Illustration by Emma Skurnick

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.”

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”.