Here’s the real news:

Michael Mahan and his son, Levi, will be making new tree pots, large pots and shino-glazed pots from clay they dig on their land and firing them in their wood kiln for this year’s R.D. Mahan Kiln Opening and Turkey Roast, Oct. 1, 2011, from 9am-5pm, at their studio in Seagrove, NC.

Soul Pots

Plan to come to the studio – From the Ground Up- hungry for pots and food as Michael’s wife Mary will be making Irish scones (with fresh cream and jam) in the morning, Michael will be making his freshly roasted organic coffee and Levi will likely add a dish of some sort using his culinary skills. Turkey will be served for lunch. Last year, it was roasted on the grill. The previous year, it was deep-fried.

Why the R.D. Mahan name? “I wanted to create an annual commemoration of my father, so we call the kiln opening the R.D. Mahan Kiln Opening and Turkey Roast. This is our third year. It seems appropriate to pay homage to him as it is he who gave me the determination and drive to manifest my dreams”.

Works by Levi Mahan

Michael Mahan has been making decorative and functional pottery in the Seagrove area since 1985. He lives and works in Westmoore, seven miles south of Seagrove at his pottery, From the Ground Up. He owned and operated Wild Rose Pottery in Whynot until 1998 when he moved to Westmoore to renovate a barn and outbuildings on the site where Moore County traditional potter W.J. Stewart worked in the 1890s.

Mahan came to Seagrove as a newspaper reporter. Soon he was taking classes and changed careers to pottery. His youngest son, Levi, is currently an apprentice with him and his daughter Chelsea is also a potter.

Shino-glazed bowls (lower right bowl glazed with alberta slip glaze)

Mahan processes some clay from his property and uses mainly North Carolina sourced clays and materials for his clay and glazes. He combines ancient and modern firing techniques to achieve pieces that reveal the unique relationship between clay and fire. Michael’s latest work involves trees. He continues to create functional dinnerware using his trademark southwestern and ash glazes.

Tree Pot

From the Ground Up is located at 172 Crestwood Road in Robbins, NC. To see his latest work, check out Michael’s blog at (www.FromTheGroundUpPots.blogspot.com).

For further info call the pottery at 910/464-6228, e-mail to (mahanpots@rtmc.net) or visit (http://fromthegrounduppots.com). Also on Facebook.

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We ran this article in our May 2011 issue of Carolina Arts, but we’ve learned that everyone doesn’t bother with publications these days. Many people’s attention span is just too short for publications. They like blog entries, Facebook status updates or even tweets.

But, I wanted to make sure people interested in pottery would see this – one way or another. I’m hoping I can make another trip to Seagrove (hold the tornadoes this time – please), but it’s a rough time of the month for us to be gone – unless we’ve finished our June issue early. We’ll have our fingers crossed.

Last year I missed meeting up with Peter Lenzo, who was on his way to the 2nd Clay Cousins, as a visitor, and I had to get back home by that time of the day. We probably passed each other on Hwy. 220. I really admire Lenzo and his work. We have a couple of his crazy head pieces – which are pretty strange. But, I like strange – as do a lot of other folks. And, of course there’s always Max – the bulldog who just keeps on ticking.

I also enjoy talking with Michael Kline, and it’s always a plus when you get all these good and talented folks together. I might even be able to go over to Whynot Pottery and get some cake and see the new exhibit at the NC Pottery Center.

A lot of our friends are beginning to figure out that there must be something going on in Seagrove to keep drawing us back. When they ask – I just smile and say – it’s OK. But they know me and they figure I’m holding something back.

Hey, haven’t I been telling folks to go to Seagrove for years now. Duh!

Here’s that article:

Work by Jack Troy

Come meet the “Clay Cousins” who are devoted to making pottery as a way of life. On May 28, from 9am-4pm and May 29, from 10am-4pm, Seagrove, NC, potters Bruce Gholson and Samantha Henneke of Bulldog Pottery hold their 3rd annual “Cousins in Clay” event. Once again they will bring a line up of renowned potters to their rural pottery community of Seagrove in central North Carolina. Three nationally known studio art potters, Jack Troy, Michael Kline, and Peter Lenzo will bring their ceramic art to Bulldog Pottery for the special two day event. This will be a wonderful opportunity to meet with the artists and add to your pottery collection or begin one. Bulldog Pottery is located five miles south of Seagrove’s single stop light on Alternate Highway 220.

Creative energy is clearly unlimited for Pennsylvanian potter Jack Troy, who weaves his productive life around his passion for ceramics. He began teaching young artists in 1967 at Juniata College, has taught over 185 workshops, written 2 books about clay, a book of original poems titled Calling the Planet Home, published over 60 articles and book reviews, all while producing a constant stream of pottery at his Pennsylvania studio. Troy gives homage to our state of North Carolina in his Wood-fired Stoneware and Porcelain book (1995), by saying, “If North America has a pottery state it must be North Carolina”.

Work by Samantha Henneke

Like a writer creating his autobiography, South Carolinian artist Peter Lenzo sculpts head vessels that are symbolic representations of his personal story.  Intrigued by the 19th century southern pottery face jug tradition, Lenzo has created self-portrait face jugs that are clearly unique to his own personal interpretation of this long-standing southern folk art tradition.

Work by Michael Kline

Michael Kline, a studio potter from the mountains of North Carolina, creates inspired traditional forms that are graced with his elegant floral brushwork giving a botanical theme to his wood-fired pottery jugs and jar forms. Sometimes his pots are covered with a honey amber color glaze that is as appetizing as maple syrup. Kline will be presenting brushwork demonstrations on both Saturday (2pm) and Sunday (1:30pm) during the event.

Bruce Gholson and Samantha Henneke have created a collaborative environment at their Bulldog Pottery studio that provides them the support to express their independent voices, more than they would be able to achieve individually. Their art pottery has become known for an eclectic mix of form, imagery, texture, pattern, and graceful design all integrated by their rich and distinctive glazes.

Work by Bruce Gholson

Both Bulldog Pottery and Michael Kline share their personal journeys of the day-to-day life of being full time studio potters through their clay blogs. Join them to find out what is happening next in their studio at Micheal Kline’s “Sawdust and Dirt” blog (www.michaelklinepottery.blogspot.com) and Bruce and Samantha’s blog, “Around and About with Bulldog Pottery” (www.bulldogpottery.blogspot.com).

Come out for the day or spend the weekend in the “Seagrove pottery community”, where three North Carolina rural Piedmont counties come together: Randolph (known for the NC Zoo), Moore (known for Pinehurst Golf), and Montgomery (known for the beautiful Uwharrie Mountains). Bulldog Pottery’s “Cousins in Clay” brings together a rich diversity of contemporary ceramics for this two day event. “Cousins in Clay” is a kinship based on shared appreciation for the pursuit of excellence within the diverse language of clay. Visit their website (www.cousinsinclay.com) for more details and information on accommodations in the area or call 336/302-3469.

Where did the “Cousins in Clay” name come from?

The event’s name, ‘Cousins in Clay”, is attributed to fellow potter Michael Kline who referred euphemistically on his blog Sawdust and Dirt to a “visit to his clay cousins in Seagrove”, Bruce and Samantha decided to invite Michael to participate in their first Bulldog Pottery Studio Art sale, and titled it “Cousins in Clay”.  This is now an annual event.

For further information call Bulldog at 910/428-9728 or visit (www.bulldogpottery.com).

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Friday we were on the road all day and as it turns out we were in Charleston, SC, all day Saturday taking care of some computer problems. Two days away from the computers means two days of piled up e-mail, phone messages and deadlines on some ads for approval. I’m referring to that catch-up work as the British and there are no weekends off here at Carolina Arts. But, I wanted people to know the delay has no hidden meaning and is no sign of a major bomb being dropped like – our new Governor replacing the entire board of SCETV with yes men and yes women who will do the job she couldn’t get the SC Legislature to do for her. Look out SC Arts Commission – you may be next!

So, in a few days we’ll have Part One ready.

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It’s been a while since we added a new blog to our list, but this one seemed to have a lot in common with what Carolina Arts is going through – sort of a rebirth.

Kelly Thiel, a Charleston, SC, area artist has just started a re-branding of her business. Kelly Thiel Pottery & Sculpture is officially now Kelly Thiel Studio.

Re-branding – what a nice name for starting over, but it’s not really like starting over – it’s more like taking a right turn when you’ve been turning left all your life.

Recently I just “Friended” or “Liked” her Facebook page and I learned about her changes. It was nice to see how someone else was dealing with change. And, I think there is something to be learned in watching her progress. There’s a lot of change in the air – something we’re all having to learn to live with these days.

Thiel’s blog can be found at this link (http://www.kellythielpottery.blogspot.com/), her website is here (http://www.kellythielpottery.com/) and of course she’s on Facebook – you can now find her on my page and many others.

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Thank you.

Nightswimming by Doug McAbee at (http://hermitshead.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-carolina-arts.html).

Whynot Pottery Blog by Meredith Heywood at (http://whynotpotteryblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/carolina-arts-unleashed.html).

One more thing – It’s snowing in Bonneau – again!

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It would be nice to see some of that here in SC. Wouldn’t it be nice if the SC Arts Commission or the state of SC would open an artisan center in Charleston, SC, during the run of the Spoleto Festival USA each year – showcasing our artists to that audience? At least that is cheaper than building an artisan center.

You can read the article in CharlestonCurrents.com at this link.

You can read my last entry on this issue at this link.

Here’s the article that was in The Richmond Register.

Here’s the newspaper article:

Artisan Center to open store at WEG – September 20, 2010

BEREA — For the first time, visitors will be able to shop at a Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea store in Lexington. The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea will showcase the creative works of over 400 of its Kentucky artisans in a satellite store created for The Kentucky Experience complex at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park from Sept. 25 through Oct. 10.

Housed inside the Kentucky Proud Product Pavilion, which is one of three buildings that make up The Kentucky Experience complex, this satellite store will be a smaller version of the center’s main facility off I-75 in Berea, but will look and feel very much the same.

Showcased in the store will be a wide range of Kentucky artisan works including pottery, jewelry, woodworking, baskets and fiber art; two-dimensional art such as paintings, prints, photography and note cards; books by Kentucky authors, beauty products and home furnishings and a selection of Kentucky music and Kentucky Proud food products.

The Kentucky Artisan Center Satellite Store will include over 2,000 products created by 400 Kentucky artisans from over 140 Kentucky communities in more than 85 counties. The store will be open daily from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. except for Sept. 25, when it will be open until 10 p.m., Oct. 5 when it will close at 5:30 p.m. and Oct.10 when it will close at 5 p.m. This store is one of many areas the public can visit with a General Admission ticket.

The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea also is presenting at this location, demonstrations and book signings by Kentucky artisans, and the Kentucky Proud program is presenting food samplings daily. These events are scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Kentucky Proud Product Pavilion.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to introduce Kentuckians and visitors from around the world to the creative works being made by the state’s talented artisans,” said Victoria Faoro, Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea Executive Director. “We hope that people attending the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will visit the Kentucky Experience complex to enjoy all that Kentucky has to offer, and shop in the Artisan Center at Berea’s Satellite Store in the Kentucky Proud Product Pavilion— to take home wonderful Kentucky artisan-made products.”

Throughout the games, the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea will also be open regular hours at its Berea location at 975 Walnut Meadow Road, just off I-75 at exit 77. The center’s exhibits, shopping and travel information areas are open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and the café is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. The center features works by more than 650 artisans from 100 counties across the commonwealth.

For information, call 859/985-5448 or visit the center’s website at (www.kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov).

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You can read about this exhibit at this link to a previous posting.

It’s been some time since I have been to the Campbell House Galleries – about 7 or 8 years. It was one of those areas of the Carolinas we had to drop from our area of coverage for the printed paper and delivery of the paper – due to a lack of support.  So in this case – out of coverage – out of mind.

Carolina Arts was a media sponsor of this exhibit, so it just seemed natural that I would go see what we were promoting – even if I didn’t already want to see the exhibit. After all, how many times do you get to view pottery works by 50 potters from throughout the Carolinas, the US, and around the world. My guess is not often in a few hours drive from Bonneau, SC, and in this case I just had to make a 50 mile detour.

The trip to the Galleries was a little fuzzy at times, but before long familiar roadways and landmarks became clear. Not that much had changed. Many of the art galleries where I used to drop off papers were still there. And, the Arts Council has good signage out to mark the way to its facility.

So here I was viewing this exhibit on the Monday after the opening. As always, delivery of the paper comes first.

I have to admit that I didn’t get to enjoy the exhibit as if I was going there on a cultural adventure one afternoon. After four days of 12 to 16 hours of driving a car around the Carolinas at night – a final stop to view an exhibit is hardly what I would call a leisurely visit. I felt rushed by my own internal clock counting the seconds away before I finally reached home to crash. And, at this point I was still a good 3 to 4 hours away from that moment.

But, like a butterfly in a field of flowers I fluttered from one group of pottery to the next amazed at how much more interesting the next group of pottery could be – as if I’ve never seen a display of pottery before. The display was excellent and the diversity in styles, forms, and techniques was never-ending. I think I went through the entire display at least twice – a few times discovering new wonders overlooked at first glance.

I would had done anything to have had eight hours of sleep and to be there with Heywood, the show’s organizer and curator, to explain all or at least to answer my endless list of questions that were popping up.

If only I had the life that some people think I do as editor and publisher of a visual arts newspaper – seeing all the shows, attending all the openings, drinking till late hours of the night discussing issues with artists, and hob-knobing with art administrators. But, then who could get any work done doing that – I’d have to work at a state arts agency for that kind of life, but I jest. They must do some work sometime.

I took some pictures, but they’re not very good and they’re not like being there in front of the actual works. All they can do is give you a glimpse at what the exhibit looked like. I don’t even want to single any works out as it would be fruitless to highlight any while it is the group as a whole that makes this exhibit so wonderful. It’s the connections all these potters have to each other through their informal blogging network – spread throughout the world. They are all brothers and sisters in clay and blogs.

In the words of Meredith Heywood of Whynot Pottery in Seagrove, NC, “It is hoped that the exhibit will give a glimpse into the unique community of 50 working potters who are separated by distance, but brought together through the common language of clay and the written word in a digital world. These potters share their lives, skills, thoughts, triumphs and defeats through an on-line medium called a blog or web log.”

If you like pottery – go see this show, If you want to see how small the world can really be with today’s technology – go see this show and check out the blog book on display with the exhibit. If you just want to go see a well organized visual art exhibit – here’s a good choice. And, if you’ve got the time – Southern Pines can be interesting to discover too.

Oh, and I almost forgot. If you want to add some unique additions to your pottery collection – you’d better hurry – there were already a lot of red dots on tags – the Monday after the opening.

You can make your own connection with these bloggers by visiting Heywood’s blog at (http://whynotpotteryblog.blogspot.com/). At the top of her blog page is a link to the other 50 blogs. Of course, after this month, that link might not be there, but the blogging will go on and on.

How can you take the recommendation of someone who represents a media sponsor of an exhibit? All I can tell you is – the resources of Carolina Arts are limited – very limited – we can’t just do this for anything like some publications do to be a good community partner. We’re very selective.

For further information call the Arts Council of Moore County at  910/692-4356 or visit (www.mooreart.org).

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Work by Angela Walford of Adelaide, Australia

I’m sure Meredith has ended many a day in the last months thinking – “Why didn’t I just stick to my day job?” But thank your lucky stars that there are people like Heywood in this world – they bring us the little extras in life which many times makes the difference. The difference that inspires someone else to do something extra. The difference that makes someone go the extra mile – the difference between do and didn’t.

So what did she do? Well, Meredith Heywood made the pottery “world” a little smaller and brought a taste of it to the Carolinas. And, all you have to do to experience it is go see the exhibit in Southern Pines, and if you can’t do that – at least explore the link mentioned at the bottom of this blog entry.

Works by Emily Murphy of Minneapolis, MN

But if you really want to participate you can click the link to go to the Arts Council of Moore County’s Clay and Blog Online Gallery – where you can buy pottery by participating artists.

Here’s an article we offered in the Oct. 2010 issue of Carolina Arts, plus a few photos of some of the pottery with a link to the potter’s blog.

Arts Council of Moore County in Southern Pines, NC, Offers Exhibit of Blogging Potters

Work by Hitomi Shibata of Seagrove, NC

The Arts Council of Moore County in Southern Pines, NC, will present the exhibit, Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story, featuring works by clay artists from throughout the world, on view at the Campbell House Galleries, from Oct. 1 – 29, 2010.

The exhibition was organized and curated by Meredith Heywood of Whynot Pottery in Seagrove, NC. It is hoped that the exhibit will give a glimpse into the unique community of 50 working potters who are separated by distance, but brought together through the common language of clay and the written word in a digital world. These potters share their lives, skills, thoughts, triumphs and defeats through an on-line medium called a blog or web log.

Works by Hollis Engley of E. Falmouth, MA

Heywood offering the following about how this show came about. “Two years ago I was planning a show with a friend who is a collector. We had planned to pull together a show from the prospective of the maker, buyer and collector. My friend’s life became very busy and we had a fire at our pottery studio. For me during the ups and downs and trials of the fire, I found great strength through writing about what we were going through on my blog. But what pulled it all together for me were the comments which came back from the readers. The positive reinforcement that I needed was out there. I was not alone. I was also touched at how sharing the potters were. They were willing to share what they have learned and encourage other potters to step out and try new things.”

Work by Jim Gottuso of Louisville, KY

“I found that different potters blog for different reasons. The blogs run from very personal to very business- like, but none of them are without that personal element. The blogs are like daily or weekly diaries into the life of a potter. Some make me laugh and some make me think. But what I found was a real connection between me and what was being written.”

Work by Michael Mahan of Seagrove, NC

The idea to organize an exhibit featuring works by these blogging potters evolved and before Heywood knew it, the blog connections had spread from Seagrove throughout the US, into Canada and Europe – going as far away as Australia.

Works by Tracey Broome of Chapel Hill, NC

The exhibition includes works by the following artists and bloggers: Blanie Avery, Seagrove, NC; Tim Ayers, Lewisville, NC; Zygote Blum, Stockton, CA; Tracey Broome, Chapel Hill, NC; Kyle Carpenter, Asheville, NC; Meagan Chaney, Ocala, FL; Joe & Christy Cole,Mineral Point, WI; Barbara Edwards, Berkeley, CA; Hollis Engley, E. Falmouth, MA; Carole Epp, Saskatoon, Canada; Dan Finnegan; Fredericksburg, VA; Doug Fitch, Devon, United Kingdom; Bruce Gholson & Samantha Henneke, Seagrove, NC; Jim Gottuso, Louisville, KY; Tom Gray, Seagrove, NC; Peter Gregory, Otago, New Zeagland; Patricia Griffin, Cambria, CA; Mark & Meredith Heywood, Seagrove, NC; Kari Weaver Hopkins, Burnsville, NC; Paul Jessop, Ilminster, United Kingdom; Michael Kline, Bakersville, NC; Po-Wen Liu, Greensboro, NC; Chris Luther, Seagrove, NC; Michael Mahan, Seagrove, NC; Renee Margocee, Charleston, WV; Jeff Martin, Boone, NC; Hannah McAndrew, Castle Douglas, United Kingdom; Jennifer Mecca, York, SC; Pru Morrison, Brisbane, Australia; Emily Murphy, Minneapolis, MN; Ron Philbeck, Shelby, NC; Brandon Phillips, Abilene, TX; Gary Rith, Ithaca, NY; Mel Robson, Brisbane, Australia; Cindy Shake, Anchorage, AK; Kitty Shepherd, Granada, Spain; Hitomi & Takuro Shibata, Seagrove, NC; Judy Shreve, Johns Creek, GA; Annie Singletary, Black Mountain, NC; Alex & Nancy Solla, Trumansburg, NY; Linda Starr, Lecanto, FL; Joy Tanner, Bakersville, NC; Judi Tavill, Rumson, NJ; Julia Wilkins, Mountain West, UT; and Angela Walford, Adelaide, Australia.

You can make your own connection with these bloggers by visiting Heywood’s blog at (http://whynotpotteryblog.blogspot.com/). At the top of her blog page is a link to the other 50 blogs.

For further information check our NC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Arts Council at  910/692-4356 or visit (www.mooreart.org).

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Why do we need a new site? Like with all things, it started with just a few press releases that came after our deadlines – too late for publication in the printer paper and too late to post on the website. Once people found that this was a second life for their late actions – more releases came – some too important to just ignore. If you give people an inch they’ll take a mile and before long things just got out of hand. Luckily, only a few people take advantage, but then others get confused about when to send info.

Our mission at Carolina Arts is to bring the most news we can about the Carolina visual art community in a timely fashion so readers can make plans to attend some of these exhibits and events, but we can’t run a 24/7 news wire service. We just don’t have the resources and time to do that – at least not while we are still producing a printed paper that has to be physically delivered throughout North and South Carolina.

So, we hope Carolina Arts News will provide that service as best we can and Carolina Arts Unleashed can get back to what it was set up to be – an outlet for my views on what’s going on out there. But, for a little bit more – we will still be bringing you news about pottery events here.

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This fact is no surprise to those who have known me throughout my visit to South Carolina. And, after 36 years, there are some who wish I would go back to Michigan – something I hope to do this year. It will be nice to visit a state that may be hurting more than South Carolina for once.

Well, what has gone on during the last year as far as Carolina Arts Unleashed goes? I have posted more entries this year including many press releases which missed our deadlines or which were so timely they needed instant exposure. I’m planning on starting a separate blog just for those instances – so that Carolina Arts Unleashed can get back to just commentary, exhibit reviews, and previews of upcoming events taking place in the Carolina visual art community – by me.

I tried leaving the “Comments On” switch for one of my entries about donating art to charity auctions – which drew a few comments from people who actually read my comments, but like I expected – most comments offered were disguised links to sites selling all kinds of things – many were flattering to me or the site in hopes I would leave them up. But, it turned out to just be more work for me in administering the blog. I don’t have time for that.

Like I’ve said from the start and in between – if you would like to make a comment about something I’ve said – send it in an e-mail to (info@carolinaarts.com) and I’ll post it on the blog – if you’re not a potty mouth and the comments pertain to what I’m talking about. I’ll even go so far as to say that if someone wanted to have access to our readers on a subject which pertains to the visual art community in the Carolinas – about a subject I haven’t hit on – be my guest. All reasonable requests will be considered – unless you’re just wanting to call me a loud-mouthed idiot. Remember – it’s my blog. If you’re just wanting to plug something or sell something – send in a press release like everyone else.

I’ve tried this year to use more logos and photos to break up all the words, so I hope my entries are more inviting and less daunting as people look at the length of some of the entries. But some things take a lot of words to get through. But, I’m not going to do that this time.

So, thanks to all you readers out there, I hope I post something you feel is worth reading in the future so that you really don’t feel like you’re wasting your life away at Carolina Arts Unleashed. And, don’t forget about Carolina Arts Online – our expanded web version of Carolina Arts – our printed paper.

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