Chatham Artists

NC Museum of Art move strategist to judge Chatham Opening Show

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:37:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:21:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:07:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:57:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:59:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:45:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:23:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:55:00 +0000

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

CA Gallery Satellite Exhibit

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:44:00 +0000

CA Gallery Satellite Exhibit Opening & Reception @ Briar Chapel, Saturday, September 26th, 4 - 6 pm

Enjoy a special reception for the first ever Briar Chapel/ChathamArts Gallery Satellite Exhibit featuring the work of NYC artist and award winning illustrator, Murry Handler. (Mr. Handler now resides in Fearrington Village)

You'll enjoy wine & culinary delights while mingling with other artists and visitors. Attendees will enjoy an exclusive exhibit at one of the Briar Chapel model green-built homes while Mr. Handler discusses his work. One lucky guest will take home a limited edition print of Handler's "Girl with Butterfly" giclee print, among his most prestigious pieces.

Location: Briar Chapel Information Center, 16 Windy Knoll Circle, Chapel Hill 27516

Spread the word, and please RSVP to: 919.951.0707.

ChathamArts 100-Mile Sustainable Cinema Series,

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:33:00 +0000

ChathamArts 100-Mile Sustainable Cinema Series, Now Showing:
September 29th, 7:30 pm - Josh Gibson's "The Siamese Connection" @ Fearrington Barn

In his documentary, "The Siamese Connection," Durham filmmaker Josh Gibson documents the lives of Cheng and Eng Bunker, the conjoined twins who became world famous as part of P.T. Barnum's circus and eventually settled in North Carolina.

This feature-length documentary explores the living history of these conjoined twins from Thailand, who settled in the North Carolina foothills during the Antebellum South, married two local sisters and raised 21 children. Using a collage of scenes from Thailand to Mount Airy, NC, we discover that these men still exist vividly in the contemporary imagination and have the power to act as potent metaphors for basic human experiences in both life and art. As their history unfolds through document, lyrical reenactments and artists' depictions, we uncover Chang and Eng's legacy through the course of the Bunker family reunion and explore this startling portrait of race, sexual taboo and body politics that defies popular preconceptions about 19th century rural southern life. Evidence of Chang and Eng's relations with the local citizens, their own wives, and their many slaves greatly challenge widely-held notions of Southern racial inequality and aversion to physical "otherness".

Official Selection: Fullframe Documentary Film Festival, Riverrun Film Festival, Carolina FIlm and Video Festival, Cucalorus Film Festival, Rome International Film Festival, Athens International Film Festival, England International Film Festival, Asian Pacific Film Festival

The 100-Mile Sustainable Cinema series features documentaries and independent films involving producers, directors, subjects and/or locations within 100 miles of Pittsboro. Proceeds benefit ChathamArts, which promotes and presents the arts through monthly cultural programs & events, artists residencies in the schools and community, gallery exhibits, and other community building efforts.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students for films at the Fearrington Barn.

Cash Bar, Candy, and Popcorn Available.

For additional information contact ChathamArts, 919-542-0394, _www.chathamarts.org_ (http://www.chathamarts.org).

A Walk in the Country

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:49:00 +0000

The August/September Art Exhibit at the Carolina Brewery and Grill in Pittsboro is joyous exploration of today’s Chatham County country life. Phyllis Burns, Shannon Bueker and Cherie Westmoreland craft charming animals and pastoral scenes in clay and canvas. Please join the Chatham Artists Guild in a Meet the Artists Reception on Sunday, September 6th from 4 to 6 PM.

Phyllis H. Burns, a native of Chatham County, NC, grew up on the small self-sufficient farms of her grandparents. She was exposed to nature in ways few people see today. Her love for animals and plants influenced her art and her desire to show the public the beauty of what we take for granted.

The old white farmhouse that has been in the Burns family for generations is where she and her husband raised their three children. Phyllis was educated as a veterinary technician and spent her early years as a housewife and mother. Later she worked as an apprentice at Stone Crow Pottery. Her interest in painting, always in the background, finally surfaced. She left her job as a potter; began studying on her own and taking workshops. She says, “I have lived in Chatham County all my life and many generations of my family are deeply rooted in this county. Creativity is an activity that has dominated my life. It is my hope to stir a beautiful or sweet memory that will help you remember how precious our planet is.”

Shannon Bueker grew up the fifth of six children, spending most of her childhood in San Antonio, Texas. She explains, “I have always drawn. I won my first competition in the fourth grade and have been taking art classes and making things ever since. I earned my BFA in 1987 from the University of Texas at Austin. My greatest challenge there was sculpture, my greatest relaxation painting, and my greatest joy life drawing.” “Anatomy is fascinating to me and animal anatomy more so because it is so accessible and unhidden. I think animals are just beautiful. My childhood sketchbooks are filled with drawings of the grown-up me as a zookeeper or artist surrounded by animals. So my path has always felt pretty clear.” She continues

Narrative is showing up in Bueker’s work lately. Her most recent works look like there is a story going on. “I want more interaction between the players in the composition. My interest continues to be with color, line and gesture. Gesture is the backbone of my approach. I am fascinated by and challenged to see how much shape and power I can express with the simplest of lines and strokes.” She notes.

Cherie Westmoreland, after graduating from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelors degree in studio art (printmaking and drawing), worked in the Artists-in-the-Schools Programs for the South Carolina Arts Commission. In the late 1970s, Westmoreland was a participating artist in Center Gallery in Carrboro and taught classes for Durham Technical Institute and the Carrboro Arts Center. From 1981 she has been a book designer, currently at Duke University Press.

“I began experimenting with clay in 1996, creating handbuilt sculptures, faces, tiles, bowls, pots, and wall art for indoor and garden display (recurrent imagery includes: birds, particularly crows, vines, ferns, and fish). My work also includes laser print photographic transfers fired onto clay.”
Her current work includes tiles, pots, and sculptures, primarily hand-built stoneware fired in an electric kiln. “My work is very organic in form and surface, I love texture. Faces, vines, crows, and ferns appear often in my work.”

Mark Hewitt Pottery's Summer Kiln Opening goes Local!

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:03:00 +0000

Preview: Friday August 28, 4-7pm
Saturday, August 29, 9am - 5pm
Sunday, August 30, 12 noon - 5pm
and
Saturday, September 5, 9am - 5pm
Sunday, September 6, 12 noon - 5pm

The upcoming Kiln Opening at the Mark Hewitt Pottery, just east of Pittsboro, NC, features pots decorated with a new, luminescent, granite glaze, made from our own local "Chapel Hill gravel". One of renowned potter Mark Hewitt's talents is mining and refining local materials to create his own clay body and glazes. This recent load of nearly 2000 pots, fired in Hewitt's huge wood-fired kiln, will be on view at the pottery for two weekends at the end of August and early September. Hewitt has been mining local clays for over 25 years to use in making his pottery, but using Chapel Hill gravel in his glazes is a new departure. “I have a new ball mill that tumbles the gravel into a fine powder which I then use as a glaze material," explains Hewitt. "Everyone knows the tan colored gravel on pathways around the area, but not many people know how beautiful it is when you melt it at 2400 degrees Fahrenheit.” As usual the Kiln Opening will offer a full range of pottery, small and large, including mugs, bowls, jars, bud vases, planters, pitchers, and more...with hundreds of pots priced below $30. All the pots in this firing are stamped “77”, the identifying mark of this seventy-seventh firing of the salt kiln.

The Hewitt Pottery Kiln Openings are always popular events. The preview on Friday evening, August 28th, from 4pm-7pm is a chance to view all the new pots, see fellow pottery lovers, and enjoy the refreshments provided. The Kiln Opening continues on Saturday, August 29th, 9am - 5pm, and Sunday, August 30th, from 12 noon - 5pm. The shelves are replenished for a second weekend, Saturday, September 5th, 9am - 5pm and Sunday, September 6th, from 12 noon - 5pm.

Later this fall, on October 7th, Hewitt will be featured in a nationwide broadcast of a new episode of the PBS TV series, "Craft in America.” Several “viewing parties” are being held around the state that evening to benefit the North Carolina Pottery Center located in Seagrove, NC..

A master potter, teacher, and author, Mark Hewitt is also one of the featured artists of the Chatham Studio Tour which is held the first two weekends of December. Born in Stoke-on-Trent, England, Mark is the son and grandson of directors of Spode, the fine china manufacturer. In 1983 he and his wife, Carol found an old farm at the end of a dirt road near Pittsboro and set up their pottery. Mark built a very large wood kiln and began making the distinctive functional pots for which he is known, specializing in very large planters and jars, along with finely-made smaller items. He blends Southern folk pottery traditions with African, Asian, and European influences, to create his own contemporary style. "I moved here for the clay", Hewitt remarks. "Where there is a lot of red clay, there are pockets of gray or cream-colored clays, which I use to create a stoneware clay body." Good clay, wood to fire the kiln, people with an eye for fine pottery, and close proximity to Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill made choosing Chatham County a wise decision.

For more information about these events, or to schedule a visit to the pottery at some other time, you can call or emailing 919-542-2371 or mark@hewittpottery.com. Directions and images of the new pots can be found at www.hewittpottery.com.

Petrified Forrest

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:33:00 +0000

Friends of the Pittsboro Memorial Library is pleased to present “Petrified Forrest” by Chatham artist, Forrest Greenslade. Best known for his whimsical animal sculptures and paintings, his new series presents an excursion into the mind of a much more serious artist. Greenslade’s highly stylized, sculptural treescapes are created in modeling paste and tarnished metals on canvas.They depict remembrances on canvas of special woodland places. The exhibit runs through Sept. in the Reeves Gallery at The Pittsboro Memorial Library.

Forrest Greenslade, educated as a molecular biologist, spent his working life as a scientist and organizational executive. Serious business has now been replaced by ventures into creative, playful expression. Greenslade offers an explanation, “Strange creatures began to inhabit my mind, and manifested themselves in art”. He creates art that feels to many as rather naïve, even childlike. Playing, it seems is what Forrest does best. Whether his creativity leads to whimsical sculptures, which he calls “ Forrest Dwellers” or takes him on a journey to a “Petrified Forrest”, his work shares common threads. They display the delight and playfulness of creating art, his unique scientific experimentation of materials (metal, concrete, clay or canvas receive innovative coatings and patinas producing color, texture) and Greenslade’s life-long love of nature and nature-inspired mythology.

His studio is open by appointment and during the Chatham County Studio Tour. For more information visit his web site at http://www.forrestgreenslade.com.

For questions/information about the exhibit or if you are an artist interested in displaying your artwork please contact Leslie Palmer at LesPalmer@aol.com. 919-929-9268 For more information about Friends of the Pittsboro Memorial Library visit www.pittsborolibraryfriends.org.

Central Carolina Community College Offers Unique Creative Writing Program

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:07:00 +0000

Do you have stories to tell or poems to speak? Have you always wanted to try writing? Are you writing now, but need support and feedback? Are you an experienced writer who would like to try a new genre or take your writing to a new level? Beginning and experienced writers will be welcome at the new Creative Writing Program to be offered by Central Carolina Community College’s Continuing Education Division on the Pittsboro Campus, starting in August 2009.

The only program of its kind in the state, CCCC’s fall offerings include eight-to-ten week courses in non-fiction, poetry, autobiography, fiction, and writing for children, as well as Saturday workshops on writing screenplays, mysteries, getting published, and journaling. Published writers who are experienced instructors will be teaching the classes and workshops.

Classes will qualify for Continuing Education Units. Details are available on the CCCC website www.cccc.edu/creativewriting For information or to enroll in a class or workshop, call Monica Howell, 919.542.6495 x223. Registration begins August 5.

*********************************************************************

Fall Schedule 2009 Weekly CLASSES

The classes planned for the fall are listed below. Spring class info will be available in December.

General Non-Fiction Writing. Aug 26, Wed, 7-9 PM, 10 weeks. Emily Boyle will introduce participants to various genres of non-fiction writing: interviews, memoir, travel, science, business, sports, and humor writing.

Writing for Children and Young Adults Aug 27, Thursday, 7-9 PM, 8 weeks. Stephanie Green will review the publishing climate and craft skills you need to write publishable books for children. Participants will write and critique their work in class.

Write Your Life Story Sept 9, Wednesday, 9:30 - 11:30 AM, 10 weeks. Karen Pullen will provide a step-by-step process for you to create a written record of your life, a wonderful way to share your unique and priceless experiences.

Beginning Fiction Sept 14, Monday, 6:30 - 9 PM, 8 weeks. Through writing exercises, group work, and critiquing led by Anne Barnhill, participants will become familiar with the elements of fiction and complete a short story.

Journal: Self-Healing Seed Bed Sept 14, Monday, 7-9 PM, 8 weeks. Judy Hogan will show how keeping a journal helps us write more fluently and preserves a life record, while clarifying our inner life and stimulating other creative work.

Poetry Writing Workshop Sept 15, Tuesday, 6:30-9:30 PM, 10 weeks. This class, led by Tom Dow, will improve your writing, editing and critiquing skills. Through reading, writing, and discussing poetry, you’ll write more dynamic poems.

Fall Schedule 2009 Saturday WORKSHOPS.

Get Out There, Get Published October 3, 1 - 5 PM. Maureen Sherbondy will introduce the business side of publishing: how and where to send work, electronic vs. print journals, contests, what to expect when work is accepted.

Intro to Creative Journaling October 10, 9 AM - 5 PM. Through prompts and creative writing exercises, Megan Cutter will show how to use journaling to generate topics, bypass writer's block, and achieve personal growth.

Screenwriting October 24, 9 AM - 5 PM. Participants will learn from Tommy Jenkins the fundamentals of telling a good story in screenplay format.

Mystery Writing Nov 14, 9 AM - 4 PM. Brenda Witchger will discuss turning ideas into plot, creating a memorable protagonist, establishing the setting, playing fair with the reader and the basics of story arc.

Siler City Third Friday Art Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:23:00 +0000

Central Carolina Community College faculty artists do not have lazy summers! Come see what they can do to please the eye! Again, the CCCC Sculpture student gallery, located at 138 N. Chatham Avenue, will be open during the Third Friday Art Walk in downtown Siler City from 6:00 to 9:00, Friday, July 17. This show is by Sculpture and Pottery faculty, the folks who inspire students to produce the excellent art work you’ve seen here before. View the sculpture of Phillip Ashe, wood sculpture by Aaron Smith, photography by Sebastian Frances, illustrations by Emma Skurnick, and pottery by Joyce Bryan, Jennifer Siegel, Raymond Edwards, and Darlene Brady.

During the Art Walk, which is sponsored by the North Carolina Arts Incubator, 20 galleries, shops, and eateries will be open. There will be live music on stage in the court yard by “Bluesville”.

Enjoy a leisurely summer evening in historic downtown Siler City.

Caption: Crank Assembly, a sculpture by Phillip Ashe, head of the CCCC Ceramic and Metal Sculpture Program.

A Celebration of a life in art

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:50:00 +0000

The Chatham Artists Guild presents a special show at the Carolina Brewery for June and July, a celebration of the life of Jacqueline Hammer, a longtime participant in the Chatham Studio Tour. Jackie lived for many years in Fearrington Village with her writer husband Robert. Her works, along with those of several of her fellow Guild artists who live and work in Fearrington, adorn the walls of the Pittsboro brewery and restaurant on highway 15/501 near the Lowes home improvement store. There will be a reception honoring Jackie on Sunday, July 12th from 4 to 6 PM. Join her Fearrington artist friends and colleagues for an enjoyable time of art and refreshment. Fearrington artists Vidabeth Bensen, Anne Bigelow, Forrest Greenslade, Claire Levitt, Roy Lindholm, Leslie Palmer, Deborah Sanks, Joan Sommers and Rita Spina will be present to meet with Brewery goers and share remembrances of Jackie’s life and work.
From the time that Hammer grew up in the Bronx New York, she was dedicated to her art. Educated at Columbia Art School, she was classically trained in oils, lithography and pottery. She worked commercially, doing line drawings for ads in newspapers like the Boston Globe. She had an expansive career of exploration and sharing her joy of artistic expression. Her son Gilbert recalls, “In 1967 during the time of the Greek revolution, mom spent a month in Greece, collaborating and taking in new ideas from a local artist.” He notes, “Mom preferred abstract design and embraced non-traditional expression. She always translated her own emotions into her work, and stayed away from anything derivative of popular artistic trends.”
Her daughter Leslie remembers, “Mom always had a studio of her own, and was connected with the arts community. People were continually visiting to see her work and learning from her. “She always involved me in her art. She was my teacher as well as my mom. Later, my son worked with her in the studio. Mom loved sharing her art with others.”
Fellow Fearrington artist, Rita Spina notes, “Jackie became my mentor when my life's dream of becoming an artist was beginning. My husband and I retired in Fearrington 20 years ago. Several artists got together here to read THE ARTIST'S WAY. I became a part of this group and some of us eventually became known as the Collection. We had our first show at Fearrington’s Gathering Place. From the time that Jackie and I met, she encouraged my artistic endeavors, and over the years told me to do what I love to do and keep the messages in my head and experiment in every way -- and to close off the world. Her words were always (and still are) in the back of my head. She also told me that as soon as I sold my first piece of work, I would recognize myself as a professional. And she was right on target. Jackie still stands at my shoulder as I ponder what comes next and I close everything else out and the work begins.”

Another friend and Fearrington artist Vidabeth Bensen adds, “In 1997, Jackie, Rita Spina, Fran Schultzberg, and I traveled to Japan. Jackie told me that her lifelong dream was to visit Japan. I am so glad we were able to fulfill that dream and share it with her.” Son Gilbert stresses, “she found the Japanese sense of minimalism within their culture and design to be an important aspect running through her work.”

The Collection helped start what today is the Chatham County Studio Tour (2009 is The Tour’s 17th year) and led to the development of the Chatham Artists Guild (www.chathamartistsguild.org). The Guild is a non-profit organization of regionally and nationally recognized visual artists. Each year, Guild members open their studios to the public through the Chatham Open 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.

Carolina Brewery (www.carolinabrewery.com) a locally-owned brewery and restaurant, has drawn international attention for its handcrafted beers and traditional bar fare in its Chapel Hill and new Pittsboro locations.

Caption: Jacqueline Hammer, 1922–2009
Jackie’s family would like any donations in her memory to be made to the Chatham Artists Guild or the UNC Hospitals.

Novel paintings debut at Central Carolina Community College Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:55:00 +0000

CCCC metal and ceramic sculpture student and concrete sculpture teacher Forrest Greenslade introduces a new series of relief paintings called Petrified Forrest in the College’s Siler City Gallery. Philip Ashe, Director of the Sculpture Program says, Forrest’s paintings using modeling paste and tarnished metal coatings are a little reminiscent of Van Gogh in their sculptural surfaces and use of light.” The series depicts stylized woodland scenes. “This is a departure from my wacky animal sculptures and paintings,” notes Greenslade. “I wanted to capture the sculptural beauty of the trees all around us in a format that can decoratively enhance our homes.”

The CCCC Gallery will be a featured venue in Siler City’s Third Friday Art Walk on June 19th, 6 to 9 PM. Other activities for the night will be Julia Kennedy’s Color Shift opening at the PAF Gallery, Fruit of the Vine at the NCAI Gallery, and Siler City Merchant’s Association Birch Alley Art. Music in the Courtyard will be by Bill and Libby Hicks.

The CCCC Gallery will highlight pottery and sculpture by CCCC Exhibit Design students in the June 19th show. Ruth Brown will exhibit whimsical clay sculptures. Brown’s sculptures are inspired from her everyday observations, with a few abstract designs thrown in. “Sculpting faces that have worn features showing their life journeys has become a way to stay connected with folks whose life lines cross mine.”. Holly Felice will show new clay sculptures. Felice considers herself a mixed media artist. “I want to learn everything about using wood, metal, clay, or glass – whatever material tells the best story,” she explains. Ruth Morgans will feature wheel thrown pots that are often altered, paddled or stamped and occasionally hand built. She uses earth toned, layered glazes and slips that respond serendipitously to atmospheric firing. She notes, “It is my goal as a potter to express the surprising convergence of functional, funky and elegant, while utilizing the capacity of clay to accommodate extraordinary machinations, prods, and pulls. Deborah Motter will show new sculptural pieces. She ponders, “How much will the clay let me manipulate it, and what patinas are the most expressive of the shape beneath?” Carol Kroll has just completed an exciting sculpture fabricated from a home grown gourd. She explains, “I love growing things, but my first love, art, keeps tugging at me.” Trish Welsh has produced new functional pottery. She stresses, “I want the pots to work well and look beautiful with the food on the table. I am inspired by the textures and patterns found in my daily life like sand on the beach, bark on the trees and ferns uncurling in the spring.”

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 or smart025@cccc.edu.

Caption: Petrified Forrest: Sycamore Sunrise a relief painting by Forrest Greenslade

DRAG yourself down to the General Store for an outrageous Burrito Bash

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Sat, 16 May 2009 10:33:00 +0000

"Get in touch with your feminine side," laughs Maggie Zwilling, Executive Director of the Chatham Artists Guild. The Guild is teaming up with the Abundance Foundation to host a Burrito Bash at downtown Pittsboro's popular General Store Cafe on Tuesday, June 2nd from 6 to 9 PM. Tami Schwerin, Executive Director of the Foundation, quips, "Mix things up a little with an evening of fun, surprises and art in support of our important organizations. "We’re gathering all the Drag Queens & Kings (and those who aspire to be) to benefit the arts community and sustainability movement in our area."

Tickets are $12 each when purchased ahead or $15 at the door. Buy advance tickets online at: http://theabundancefoundation.org/drag-burrito-bash/ or call 919-533-5181. Forrest Greenslade, President of the The Guild notes, "In addition to The GSC's famous burritos, the evening will feature dinner music by fellow artist and guitarist Joey Howell and friends." "We will have a silent and live auction, and of course a live Drag Queen show not to be missed."

The purpose of the *Abundance Foundation* (http://theabundancefoundation.org/) purpose is to increase the public awareness of sustainable energy usage and local food consumption. The corporation’s goal is to create programs that can model how human beings can harness, use, and benefit from renewable energy sources as well as support the increase of local, sustainable farms.

The *Chatham Artists Guild* (www.chathamartistsguild.org <http://www.chathamartistsguild.org>) is a non-profit organization of regionally and nationally recognized visual artists. Each year, Guild members open their studios to the public through the Chatham Open 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 *General Store Café* (http://www.thegeneralstorecafe.com) is at the center of Chatham cultural activities, displaying its art, and featuring its musicians. It is open 6 days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and serves Sunday brunch. With articles in the Bon Appétit and Southern Living Magazine as well as numerous newspapers throughout the Triangle area, the café has become a favorite community gathering place as well as a destination for a lot of new folks.

Spring Sampler

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Celebrate a beautiful Carolina spring Sunday afternoon with an "art bouquet" at the Carolina Brewery. We will hold an artists' reception for several leading artists of the Chatham Artists Guild on Sunday, May 3rd from 4 to 6 PM. Come, have a brew and some nice bar snacks, and talk with painters, photographers, sculptors and other Guild artists. The Chatham Carolina Brewery is on Route 15/501 just North of Pittsboro

Featured chatham artist Joey Howell tells this story:

Chatham County has a long, rich tradition of hospitality to wildlife. The first European explorers who came here found a verdant place teeming with animals of all sorts. Blessed with three rivers and abundant open space, our county is home to several species that live only here. Even today, while out-of-control development, toxic waste and climate change threaten our commonwealth, wild Life refuses to abandon its traditional toehold on this land.

Last year, in early spring, we noticed a fox hanging around our yard. It grew quite accustomed to us, standing its ground and barking sharply at us if we got too close. At some point we realized it was actually a pair of foxes. We loved our “pet” foxes and relished the daily encounters. In mid June, I came out to my studio early on a Saturday morning, looked out the sliding glass door in the back, and there on the steps was a fox kit! Barely three feet from me. It looked up at me through the glass without the slightest trace of apprehension. I glanced to the side and saw another! And then another! Slowly, quietly, I crept back and grabbed my camera. I managed to snap half a dozen pictures before -of course- the battery ran out, mother fox pacing nervously all the while at the periphery of the yard. By the time I replaced the battery they had vanished. I never saw them again. And so they had launched out from the confines of their den nearby. Our neighbors reported seeing the babies accompanying their mama now on her regular forays to their compost piles.

This is the little kit that was boldly checking out my studio. I like to hope that this spring I will see this same fox again, with its own litter of kits. That would be a really cool tradition to establish.

Pottery Dilemma Solved

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:08:00 +0000

How did world-renown potter, Mark Hewitt, of Pittsboro, NC decide which of his two huge wood-fired kilns to fill and fire this winter and spring to supply enough pots for his May Kiln Opening and upcoming shows in Rocky Mount and Highlands, NC, and Pittsfield, MA? Each can hold more than 1500 pots, and with the enthusiastic help of apprentices Joseph Sand and Alex Matisse, they set an all-time record and decided to fill and fire them both!

The newer three-chambered kiln, designed to fire alkaline glazed pottery, produced an array of shiny, dark green and rich amber two gallon lidded jars and robust pitchers, tall beer steins, over 100 mugs and tumblers, teapots, tiered vases, large platters and, of course, several of Hewitt’s signature massive “big pots”. This time they are tall Obelisks, vases and jars, standing nearly over 60” tall.

The reliable, sleek, salt-fired groundhog-style kiln, now at its 76^th firing, was filled with planters of all sizes, plates, bowls, lamp bases, more pitchers and mugs and more “big pots”.

Hewitt Pottery Kiln Openings, held three times a year, are cultural and social events. Collectors, designers, customers, family and friends reunite to share stories of previous kiln loads, dine on homemade refreshments, and add a few more pots to their kitchens, gardens and collections. Newcomers discover why Mark Hewitt is a highly respected household name in the pottery world.
The Spring Kiln Opening will be held on Saturdays, May 2nd and 9th from 9-5pm and Sundays, May 3rd and 10th from noon-5pm. For a preview of all the new pots (no sales at this time) stop by on Friday May 1st between 4 and 7pm. More information and directions to the Hewitt Pottery, (an easy drive from anywhere in the Triangle) can be found at www.hewittpottery.com , or by calling 919-542-2371.

Mark Hewitt is a member of the Chatham Artists Guild (www.chathamartistsguild.org), the organization that presents the Chatham Studio Tour the first two weekends each December.

Kudzu lives in Chatham County

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:44:00 +0000

PITTSBORO - A beloved cartoon character - and all his colorful
townsfolk - come to life when “Kudzu, A Southern Musical” opens at
Chatham Mills April 24.
Central Carolina Community College theater production students and
community members fill the stage with the ups-and-downs of small
Southern town life in a tuneful, happy show that has delighted audiences
worldwide.
The musical grew out of the “Kudzu” cartoon strip, created by
editorial cartoonist Doug Marlette in 1981. Collaboration with Jack
Herrick and Bland Simpson, of the Red Clay Ramblers, transformed the
cartoon into a tuneful musical comedy.
The musical captures the angst, tenderness, and humor in the life of
18-year-old Kudzu Dubose, who aspires to be a writer. Kudzu lives in the
town of Bypass, so named because the state ran a new highway past the
town but forgot to give it an exit; so the world bypasses Bypass.
“We picked this show because of its local connections and because
it's good fun, something people will want in these tough times,” said
Ellen Bland, director and Central Carolina C.C. theater instructor.
The show, its characters and music go straight to the heart of
Southerners and those that love the slow-paced life in the small, rural
towns that dot the South. Such towns are disappearing under suburbia,
but “Kudzu, A Southern Musical,” captures the bone-deep feelings for
their community that many of the characters, particularly Kudzu, don’t
realize they have until they might lose it.
Life in Bypass takes a surprising turn when leading citizen Big Bubba
Tadsworth, played by Mike Broadley, tries to sell land in the tiny town
to a Japanese company that wants to build “the world’s largest plant
to manufacture American flags.” In a surprise plot twist, Kudzu,
played by Layton Sheppard, turns out to be the owner of the land.
Will a young man bored with the dullness of his small Southern town
sell its soul to build a factory? Or will he realize how special it is
and how special he is as part of it? The answer comes, surrounded by
both the poignancy and joy of discovering how precious “home” is.
Tickets for “Kudzu, A Southern Musical” are $12 and are available
at CCCC’s Chatham County Campus, 764 West St., Pittsboro, (919)
542-6495, or online at www.brownpapertickets.com . Chatham Mills is
located at 480 Hillsborough St., Pittsboro. Show times are 8 p.m. Friday
and Saturday, April 24-25, and Friday, May 1; 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2;
and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 26 and May 3. The show is produced by
arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., and Chatham Mills Development
Corp.

--

Emerging artists exhibit new works at Central Carolina Community College

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:35:00 +0000

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. Kroll is one of the emerging artists showing their work at Emergence a show at the CCCC Gallery in Siler City beginning with the Third Friday Art Walk on April 17th. Meet them at a reception from 6 to 9 PM. Emergence runs through May 15th.

“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 the design were outsourced. That is when I discovered CCCC 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 sculpture program at CCCC is helping me do just that. I am sculpting the gourds I grow and through the Exhibit Design class, I am learning how to get the exposure I need. I hope to continue my studies in the sculpting program to learn about marketing my work. Who knows where it could lead, I am still emerging.”

“What sets the CCCC Ceramic and Metal Sculpture program apart from other professional arts and crafts programs is the inclusion of entrepreneurial instruction that will assist in the planning, operation, and marketing of a professional craft studio and gallery,” asserts Phillip Ashe, the program’s director. “This program was created in response to the expanding interest in pottery, sculpture, and professional arts in the central region of North Carolina. Our students in the Exhibit Design class are learning to display their work professionally. This show is like their final exam.”

Holly Felice notes, “The CCCC program is a great way to jump-start an arts career. I gained both the technical skills and the marketing know how to live as an artist. The teachers give each student a lot of personal attention.”Felice is a joyful young woman, known to whistle and sing while creating her unique sculptures. However, she is stone serious about two things – her art and recycling cast off objects. “I love working with scrap, wondering what it can be. It’s inspiring rather than intimidating, because I can experiment without fear of wasting some expensive art material. Felice considers herself a mixed media artist. “I want to learn everything about using wood, metal, clay, or glass – whatever material tells the best story,” she explains.

Fellow sculptor Sharyn Walker has a degree in Graphic Design. After working for several years as a two-dimensional artist, she took a CCCC class in Welding for Artists, and fell in love at once with three dimensional art, and working with metal. Her background in design is a strong part of every sculpture she creates.. “My love for animals and nature are usually reflected in my art, whether it is a rabbit, dragonfly or a flower sculpture made out of old tractor or automobile parts, found from a scrap yard. Creating art out of something once vitally useful, but later discarded, gives her a sense of satisfaction in holding on to things the way they used to be.”

Ceramic artist Faith Flowers says, “I am in love with clay! There is just no other way to put it. When I am throwing at the wheel, hand-building a piece, or altering a thrown piece; I slip into my own little world. I feel centered - that all is right as I work on a piece.” Flowers was a trained commercial Interior Designer, with many years of experience. “After taking a six-year break, in which I became a Mom – twice! - I started taking structured, serious clay classes at CCCC and have never looked back. I know from this point on, I will always remain in the clay. It is where I feel at home and alive. It is a part of me, and I am a part of each of my pieces.”

For Trish Welsh, making pots started as a way to relax from the stresses of her work as a clinical social worker because the process required both my physical and mental energy, “I was able to focus on learning to throw without the distraction of work. Eventually I traded psychotherapy for pottery and began taking classes, first at Claymakers studio and then enrolling in the pottery and sculpture program at CCCC.” Welsh’s interest has been primarily in making functional ware and fits well with her love for food and cooking. “I want the pots to function well and look beautiful with the food on the table. I am inspired by the textures and patterns found in my daily life like sand on the beach, bark on the trees and ferns uncurling in the spring.”

Deborah Motter explains, “Push, pull, squish, flatten and round back up into a ball; I love the malleability of clay.” From childhood, Motter has been creatively engaged with many media. Now stoneware and porcelain happily exist in her artistic world. They get carved, plodded, pinched, patted, and even thrown into realistic portraits, fantasy pieces or various pottery objects. “How much will the clay let me manipulate it, and what patinas are the most expressive of the shape beneath? These are questions I enjoy exploring endlessly.”

Ruth Morgans makes wheel thrown pots that are often altered, paddled or stamped and
occasionally hand built. She uses earth toned, layered glazes and slips that respond serendipitously to atmospheric firing. She notes, ”It is my goal as a potter to express the surprising convergence of functional, funky and elegant while utilizing the capacity of clay to accommodate extraordinary machinations, prods, and pulls. Ultimately, I want people to have pots in their homes that they find beautiful and that can be used in their everyday lives.”

Ruth Ella Brown recalls, “Six years ago I took a pottery class, and immediately fell in love with clay and the unimaginable creative opportunities the medium provides. I have since studied sculpture at universities, and have taken workshops to gain techniques to transform a large block of clay into an object of art or an original display.” Brown’s sculptures are inspired from her everyday observations, with a few abstract designs thrown in. “Sculpting faces that have worn features showing their life journeys has become a way to stay connected with folks whose life lines cross mine.”

Strange creatures inhabit the mind of Dr. Forrest Greenslade. His whimsical sculptures, which he calls Forrest DwellersSM, are derived from a life-long love of nature and mythology. Greenslade’s work is highly stylized, bounding on cartoonish. His sculptures are enhanced with innovative coatings and patinas producing color, texture and an illusion of movement. “I want people to experience motion and emotion in my art,” Greenslade asserts, “so my faces are seldom symmetrical and my figures just can’t stand still.” Greenslade’s use of materials is eclectic. “Because of my scientific training, I tend to be experimental in my choice of media,” he explains. “I use metal, concrete, clay, acrylics, wood, found objects.” Greenslade stresses, “I gain greatly from the CCCC program, the teachers provide both technical and conceptual guidance, and the feedback and camaraderie of fellow students is a joy.”

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 (phone: (919) 742-4156, email: pgashe29@cccc.edu).

Caption: Sculpture created using a gourd by Carol Kroll

Chatham County emerging artist debuts at Scrapel Hill Art

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:49:00 +0000

Holly Felice is a joyful young woman, known to whistle and sing while creating her unique sculptures. However, she is stone serious about two things – her art and the environment. “I am so excited about the Scrapel Hill show and contest,” she exclaims. “I love working with scrap, wondering what it can be. It’s inspiring rather than intimidating, because I can experiment without fear of wasting some expensive art material.
Scrapel Hill Art (http://www.scrapelhillart.com/) at the University Mall (http://www.universitymallnc.com/) from April through June, is an inaugural Chapel Hill public arts project, where the best local artists create works of art to help educate and promote the value of recycling. The idea evolved from the Mall management’s interest in art and sustainability. They want to expand this idea to other centers in their portfolio, but believe that Chapel Hill is the best venue for the inaugural event. They had learned about a similar event taking place near San Francisco, called “Scrapture”. They turned to Jeffrey York, the Art Administrator for the Town of Chapel Hill for guidance, and he came up with the unique name, “Scrapel Hill”.
Holly Felice is one of 16 area artists participating in the Scrapel Hill Art exhibit and contest. Felice considers herself a mixed media artist. “I want to learn everything about using wood, metal, clay, or glass – whatever material tells the best story,” she explains.

Felice is developing her multifaceted sculpture career at Central Carolina Community College (http://www.cccc.edu/curriculum/majors/sculpture/). “What sets the CCCC program apart from other professional arts and crafts programs is the inclusion of entrepreneurial instruction that will assist in the planning, operation, and marketing of a professional craft studio and gallery,” asserts Phillip Ashe, the program’s director. “This program was created in response to the expanding interest in pottery, sculpture, and professional arts in the central region of North Carolina.” Felice adds, “The CCCC program is a great way to jump start an arts career. I gained both the technical skills and the marketing know how to live as an artist. The teachers give each student a lot of personal attention. They actually helped me with the Scrapel Hill project.” Metal Sculpture teacher Kevin Eichner drew Felice’s attention to the opportunity that Scrapel Hill Art would offer her, and Design teacher Emma Scurnick advised her on the submission.

Felice is producing her sculptural submission under Eichner’s tutelage at his Moncure Mechanism of Art (MMOA) in southern Chatham County. She describes, “I am making a Scrap Metal Medusa using re-bar that I found at a grocery store demolition site. Using the re-bar, I am forging snakes that will seem to be slithering over a female torso. Medusa's form is defined by the negative space left by the stylized snakes fabricated from scrap. The concept – People only know what they see. Sometimes only the surface defines the whole.” MMOA is envisioned by renowned sculptor Eichner as a vehicle for emerging artists like Felice to advance both technically and conceptually. "Holly possesses a refreshing confidence and ambition that allows her to take great strides in broadening and strengthening her creative talents and technical abilities," Eichner explains.

Felice’s family was always conscious of the environment, but she took it to another level. Her mother Roxanne recalls, “The cable company would not run cable into our subdivision because low population density in the area reduced their profits, so we had satellite TV installed. My husband and son-in-law were all ready to watch their favorite sports channel, but one tree blocked the reception of that satellite. There was discussion about possibly cutting the tree down when our tree-hugging art student threatened to live in the tree if necessary to save it. Needless to say, the tree is still there.”

“I am more comfortable with plants and animals than with people," Felice says. Her Scrapel Hill project reflects her dual passions – art and the environment.

"I look forward with great anticipation to the Scrapel Hill Art show at University Mall. I am always fascinated by artists' creativity in transforming cast off materials into objects of beauty or controversy,” says Forrest Greenslade, President of the Chatham Artists Guild. “I can't wait to see the show and cast my vote."

For more information on the Central Carolina Community College Ceramic and Metal Sculpture Program contact Phillip Ashe (pgashe29@cccc.edu); on Scrapel Hill Art contact Garry Meldrum (garry@businessvaluecreation.com); on MMOA contact Kevin Eichner (eichner@themmoa.net).

Caption: Holly Felice working on her Medusa at the MMOA in Moncure, NC. Photo by Forrest Greenslade

Margaret Maron Keynote for New CCCC Creative Writing Program

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:44:00 +0000

Central Carolina Community College will introduce a new Creative Writing program during a public event Sunday, April 26, from 1pm to 4pm. The keynote speaker will be national best-selling mystery writer Margaret Maron. The audience will have the opportunity to break into small discussion groups to provide feedback on topics for the new program. Sponsored by McIntyre’s Fine Books at Fearrington, the kickoff event will be held in the Multipurpose Room, Building 2, at the CCCC Pittsboro Campus.

Scheduled to begin in Fall 2009, the new Creative Writing program will offer courses in various genres of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Several weekly courses and one-day workshops will be offered each fall and spring semester. “We are very pleased to offer a Creative Writing Program here at our Chatham County Campus,” said Carl Thompson, Director of Continuing Education for the Chatham County campuses of CCCC. “Our goal is to provide programming that enhances the skills of our citizens, while bringing a level of enjoyment as well. This particular endeavor should satisfy both requirements. We anticipate that this program will be one of the first in this region, and we look forward to serving not only the needs of Chatham County citizens but those of the region.”

Ms. Maron’s keynote topic for the Creative Writing Program kickoff event will be, “My Writing Life”. She is the author of twenty-four novels and two collections of short stories. Winner of the 2008 North Carolina Award for Literature and several major awards for mystery writing, Ms. Maron’s works have been translated into 15 languages. A native Tar Heel, she still lives on her family’s century-old farm a few miles southeast of Raleigh. The farm served as the setting for Bootlegger’s Daughter, which is in the 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century as selected by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. McIntyre’s will have Ms. Maron’s books available for sale during the April kickoff event at CCCC.

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If you would like more information on these courses, please call Maggie Zwilling at 919.542.6594, ext. 228 or Carl Thompson, ext. 224.

Mark Hewitt Featured at Catawba Valley Pottery Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Forrest Greenslade) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:34:00 +0000

Three years ago celebrated Chatham County potter, Mark Hewitt (http://www.hewittpottery.com/), built a new big kiln to fire alkaline glazes. He already had one kiln the size of a school bus, used for firing salt-glaze, but he likes alkaline-glazed pots so much he felt compelled to build a new kiln. “I guess it was because I love the color green,” says the English-born Hewitt.

The fruits of his most recent firing will be for sale at this year’s Catawba Valley Pottery Festival, March 27 and 28 at the Hickory Convention Center. It’s the first time Hewitt, 53, has attended the festival, and he will also be the Guest Speaker, his talk entitled, “A Few of My Favorite Things about North Carolina Pottery.” The Catawba Valley Pottery Festival is well-known as one of the region’s best loved pottery festivals, drawing pottery enthusiasts and collectors from near and far. Hewitt comments that, “Regional pottery traditions are very rare, they are a little like wild flowers that only grow in certain special soils and climates. A unique set of economic, historic, and cultural conditions have allowed the pottery tradition in the Catawba Valley to survive from the in the early 19th century until now. It’s quite miraculous.”

Recently in his Chatham studio, Hewitt talked about his first visit to Lincoln County in 1981, before he and his wife settled in Pittsboro, NC, in 1983. When they visited Burlon Craig, Hewitt was immediately drawn to Craig’s time-tested methods, “Not many potters used local clays and fired in wood-burning kilns back then,” Hewitt explains. “Most studio potters were, and still are, trained to get clay from a supplier, not from the ground.” Hewitt’s own apprenticeship, thirty years ago, to legendary potter Michael Cardew back in England, taught him about using local materials, so he felt quite at home standing on Craig’s clay pile, dug from the nearby “Rhodes Clay Hole,” and crawling into his groundhog kiln. “I felt comfortable there, it all made sense. I was used to doing it all from scratch, and here was a rare place where the old methods were still being used,” he said.

He remembers that first visit, standing in the doorway of Craig’s workshop, quietly watching Craig turning large jars one long afternoon, and when Hewitt finally announced that he and his wife had to leave, Craig looked up and said, with a twinkle in his eye, “So, what’s your hurry?” Says Hewitt, fondly, “I knew I could live in a place like that.”

“Twenty five years later Hewitt’s reputation has grown,” notes Forrest Greenslade, Chatham Artists Guild President. In addition to his fine quality work, he has written extensively about NC pottery, and in 2005 he co-curated with Nancy Sweezy, former Director of Jugtown Pottery, the exhibition, “The Potter’s Eye: Art and Tradition in North Carolina Pottery,” at the North Carolina Museum of Art, in Raleigh. His work is eagerly sought by collectors at his three annual kiln opening sales at his home near Pittsboro, people line up early in the morning to seek out his treasures. His larger pots are to be found at the Smithsonian, the High Museum in Atlanta, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, but his pots remain affordable. “Many of my pots are priced at less that $50, and I’ll be bringing plenty of my apprentices’ sweet little vases and cups that are less than $10.” His current apprentices, Joseph Sand and Alex Matisse will be traveling to Hickory, as will two former apprentices of Hewitt’s, Matt Jones and Daniel Johnston, who regularly sell at the Catawba Valley Pottery Festival, along with many other fine potters and antique dealers from across the region.

“I love alkaline glazed pots,” says Hewitt, “It’s taken me a while to figure out how to make them, but the alkaline glaze tradition means a lot to me and I’m excited to make my contribution to it. Bringing my new Chatham County alkaline glazed pots to the Catawba Valley is a little like “taking coal to Newcastle”. I’m bringing some pretty good-looking pots, and there may even be a few diamonds hidden in the coal.”

Caption: Mark Hewitt at his kiln. More photos available.

Chatham Artists Guild
artstour@blast.com
http://www.chathamartistsguild.org/