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October Issue 2004
Nature-Inspired Pottery on View at NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, NC
As the colors of fall slowly emerge in North
Carolina, the pumpkin oranges, mustard yellows, evening blues,
and gleaming ambers of nature are echoed in a spectacular new
exhibit at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences' Nature Art Gallery
in Raleigh, NC. From Oct. 1 through Nov. 28, 2004, enjoy the art
of Bulldog Pottery's Bruce Gholson and Samantha Henneke.
Bulldog Pottery is located in Seagrove, NC. The rural environment
surrounding their studio inspires these North Carolina potters.
According to the artists, "Samantha may look at a flower
petal or Bruce at a leaf or a tree trunk as a starting point,
but the shape is allowed to change and develop during the process
of forming the clay into an object." Both artists use their
daily walks or time in the garden to seek out inspiration in the
forms and colors of the natural world. Ideas for individual pieces
evolve while working with ceramic material and observing the interplay
among glaze, clay, and fire.
Gholson and Henneke primarily work in white clays because it gives
them bright hues and a broad spectrum of color possibilities.
Their one-of-a-kind, handthrown pieces use uniquely formulated
glazes to bring a special luster to the pottery. Both artists
have a strong foundation in glazes, and experiment with different
surfaces. One surface they are particularly excited about is molybdenum
crystalline glaze. Gholson and Henneke have found a successful
formula for the glaze and have tweaked it in different ways to
achieve matte and spotted crystal variations.
"It's exciting to bring Bulldog Pottery to the Gallery,"
says Museum Store manager and Nature Art Gallery director Pat
Bazany. "I discovered them while on a buying trip to Seagrove
several years ago. As I asked other potters to tell me whose work
they admired, the name Bulldog Pottery kept coming up. When I
saw their pieces for myself, I understood the excitement. Their
work is truly special and stands out. Bulldog Pottery is breaking
new ground in terms of their techniques and their artistic skill."
The Nature Art Gallery, inside the Museum Store, hosts new exhibitions
predominantly by Southern artists six times a year. All exhibited
art is for sale.
For a complete schedule of Nature Art Gallery exhibits, please visit or call the Museum Store at 919/733-7450, ext. 369 or at (www.naturalsciences.org). For more information on Bulldog Pottery, visit (www.bulldogpottery.com).
Carolina Arts is published monthly by Shoestring Publishing Company, a subsidiary of PSMG, Inc. Copyright© 2004 by PSMG, Inc., which published Charleston Arts from July 1987 - Dec. 1994 and South Carolina Arts from Jan. 1995 - Dec. 1996. It also publishes Carolina Arts Online, Copyright© 2004 by PSMG, Inc. All rights reserved by PSMG, Inc. or by the authors of articles. Reproduction or use without written permission is strictly prohibited. Carolina Arts is available throughout North & South Carolina.