Feature Articles


April Issue 2002

Nationally Known North Carolina Pottery Lights the Fire at Sanford, NC, Pottery Festival, May 4 & 5

More than 60 potters from across the Carolinas will feature their nationally known work at the Sanford Pottery Festival in Sanford, NC. Pottery sales, exhibits, appraisals, lectures and demonstrations will take place the weekend of May 4-5 at the Dennis A. Wicker Convention Center, a climate controlled facility with acres of free parking.

"The Festival will feature the best selection of NC pottery ever assembled under one big roof," said festival founder Don Hudson, owner of D.K. Clay Pottery in Sanford. Sanford is the county seat of Lee County and is located 30 minutes south of Raleigh on US 1 and a short drive from Chapel Hill, Fayetteville and Greensboro.

Styles on exhibit at the festival include traditional pottery from Seagrove, face jugs and animals shapes in the Catawba Valley tradition and contemporary refined art forms made by urban potters. Also featured will be the work of pottery pioneer A.R. Cole, a Lee County visionary who helped move pottery from a purely utilitarian craft to one stressing aesthetics. Some of his historic work will be on sale at the festival.

The event also includes educational lectures, an exhibit of historical pottery supported by the NC Museum of History, free appraisal service for privately owned pottery and a demonstration of how Raku pottery is fired.

Hudson said, "We're making sure the festival helps inspire kids to continue the rich tradition of NC pottery through local school art programs. Pottery classes will be taught in Lee County schools prior to the festival.

The whole town of Sanford gets in the festival act with live music at Depot Park, Artisans in downtown shops, recreational activities, dedication of the Endor Iron Furnace, Antique Tractor and Implement Show and other food and music events.
For more information check our NC Institutional Gallery listings or go to the web at (www.sanfordpottery.com).

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