Archive for the ‘NC Pottery Center’ Category

NC Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, is Awarded $32,497 from the NC Arts Council

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Here’s the press release we received at Carolina Arts:

Seagrove, NC – The NC Pottery Center (NCPC) in Randolph County has been awarded $32,497 from the NC Arts Council for State Arts Resources and the Traditional Arts Programs in Schools (TAPS).

The funds will be used to support several major exhibitions curated by guest artists during the grant cycle, and the Traditional Arts Programs in the local elementary school.

Linda Carnes-McNaughton, president of the NCPC board of directors said, “State funds allow Randolph County to provide quality arts programming for students and adults, while sustaining our local economy.  Last year, the NC Pottery Center provided programming for more than 11,500 citizens, including adults, youth, and children from all over North Carolina as many were day-travelers to the area. Visitors from all 50 states were represented, and visitors came from 27 foreign countries”.

A highlight of our programming is the Traditional Arts Programs in the local Seagrove Elementary School (TAPS), for fifth grade students. The two sessions taught by fifth generation potter Sid Luck of Luck’s Ware, are scheduled for fall 2010 and spring 2011. The ten-week pottery program is so popular with students, it requires registration and a random drawing for participation.

“The support of our grants program by the General Assembly during these economically challenging times demonstrates the role the arts play in our economy and our quality of life,” said Mary B. Regan, executive director of the NC Arts Council.  “Nonprofit arts organizations employ workers, stimulate commerce, generate tax revenues and help communities retain their vibrancy.”

More than 13.6 million people participated in NC Arts Council-funded projects last year in schools, senior centers, concert halls and community centers. Nearly 4.3 million of these were children and youth.

The NC Arts Council awards grant money each year to provide diverse arts experiences for citizens in all 100 counties of North Carolina. In fiscal year 2010-11, the Arts Council is expected to distribute $7,4 million in state and federal grant funds to arts organizations, schools and other nonprofit organizations that sponsor arts programs.

Exhibitions at the NC Pottery Center are made possible through the generosity of our membership, the Mary and Elliott Wood Foundation and the Goodnight Educational Foundation. These projects are supported by the NC Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The mission of the North Carolina Pottery Center is to promote public awareness of and appreciation for the history, heritage, and ongoing tradition of pottery making in North Carolina.

The current exhibit is, Pottery from the Coastal Carolina Clay Guild, on view through Nov. 13, 2010. The Coastal Carolina Clay Guild was founded in 2007 by a group of Wilmington, NC, potters with the purpose of sharing ideas and promoting the art and craft of pottery in our community. The Guild has grown to 100 members who reside in the eastern regions of North and South Carolina and are a diverse group consisting of full time, part time, and student potters.

The Center is located at 233 East Avenue in Seagrove, NC. Hours of operation are Tue. – Sat., 10am – 4pm.

For more information, please call 336/873-8430 or go to (www.ncpotterycenter.org).

North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, Announces 11th Annual Benefit Auction Results!

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

I received this info at Carolina Arts about the fundraiser which took place at the NC Pottery Center in April. As you read this and start thinking – I should have been there, you can still be there by sending in a nice check to support the NC Pottery Center. They can even take your money online at this link.

Here’s the press release:

The North Carolina Pottery Center in partnership with Leland Little Auction and Estate Sales, Ltd. is pleased to announce that we have raised $24,800 at the 11th Annual Benefit Auction “Going, Going, Gone To Pots!” held Sunday afternoon, April 25, 2010, at the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC. The auction featured over one hundred fifty pieces of fine contemporary and historical North Carolina pottery.

The evening was made possible through the generosity of North Carolina potters and collectors, Signature Sponsors included: Community One Bank, First Bank, and Leland Little Auction and Estate Sales, Ltd., along with Gold Sponsors included: Progress Energy, Insurance Associates of the Triad, Total Communications, the Umstead Hotel and Spa, Sodexho, and Pugh Funeral Home.

Our Silver Sponsors included: Cabot Cheese, Seagrove Stoneware Inn, Eco Ornaments, Duck Smith House, Village Printing, Rock Ola Cafe, Klaussner Foundation, Kirk McNaughton and Linda Carnes-McNaughton, Energizer Battery, Asheboro, and the NC Zoological Society. Our volunteers were many and they made this a wonderful event. The Auction Committee comprised of the NCPC Board members, the NCPC staff and Bonnie Burns and Dick and Joanne Peterson put in many hours planning and fund raising.

During the Auction Preview hour Bluegrass music was featured by Matthew Nance and friends and attendees enjoyed a light buffet.

Exhibitions are made possible through the generosity of our membership, the North Carolina Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Mary and Elliott Wood Foundation, and the Goodnight Educational Foundation. Thank you!

Back to me.

If you’re going through that area or are interested in learning about NC pottery, visit the Center. They are currently presenting the exhibition, The Pottery of Buncombe County, A Historical and Contemporary Overview, featuring two separate, but related exhibitions, on view through July 31, 2010. You can read about the exhibits and see some images at this link.

The mission of the North Carolina Pottery Center is to promote public awareness of and appreciation for the history, heritage, and ongoing tradition of pottery making in North Carolina. The Center is located at 233 East Avenue in Seagrove, NC. Hours of operation are Tue – Sat 10 am – 4 pm.

For more information, please call 336/873-8430 or visit (www.ncpotterycenter.org).

North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, Features Pottery of Buncombe County

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

I’m jumping the gun again on our June issue of Carolina Arts, but I wanted readers to know about this exhibit as soon as possible – especially since works by the contemporary artists being featured are for sale. The exhibit started May 7, but if you didn’t read about it until after our June issue hits the streets – you would be way behind other collectors. Now we can’t have that for our loyal readers.

BTW – the true meaning of the phrase “contemporary artists” in this case is artists who are still alive. The word “contemporary” doesn’t always mean – cutting edge, funky or even avant-garde. But many of the contemporary artists in this exhibit may be producing non-traditional pottery. Now, if I only had a description for non-traditional. Well, you could always go see for yourself.

Here’s the press release:

The North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, is presenting The Pottery of Buncombe County, A Historical and Contemporary Overview, featuring two separate, but related exhibitions, on view through July 31, 2010.

The Contemporary Pottery Overview of Buncombe County, curated by Brian McCarthy of Asheville, NC, a  longtime major supporter of the NC Pottery Center is featured in Galleries I and II.  Contemporary wares by thirty-nine potters from the Buncome County, Asheville area includes works by: Troy Amastar, Maria Andrate-Troya, Kristen Benyo-Schoonover, Eileen Black, Charlie Brown, Kyle Carpenter, Chiwa Clark, Josh Copus, Julie Covington, Lee Davis, Holly deSaillan, Steven Forbes-deSoule, Paul Frehe, Diana Gillispie, Hank Goodman, Michael Hoffman, Jennifer Hoolihan, Freeman Jones, Matthew Jones, Maggie Jones, Gabriel Kline, Eric Knoche, Tyrone Larson, Julie Larson, Cynthia Lee, Rodney Leftwich, Leah Leitson, Rob Mangum, Beth Moring, Karen Newgard, Les Powell, John Ransmeier, Emily Reason, Cassie Ryalls, Akira Satake, Joey Sheehan, Heather Tinnero, Kathy Triplett, and Fran Welch.


Work by Kyle Carpenter


Work by Steven Forbes deSoule

The works by these contemporary artists are available for sale during the exhibition.

The Historical Pottery Overview of Buncombe County, curated by Steve Lott of the Buncombe County area is showcased in Gallery III. This exhibit features historical Buncombe County forms from early masters like Oscar Bachelder, Davis Brown, Javan Brown, Thomas Case, David Donkel, George Donkel, Albert Fulbright, Jeter Lankford, Cash Penland, William Marion Penland, Joseph Sylvester Penland, Lee Smith Pottery, Walter B. Stephen, Edward Stone, John Henry Stone, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Throckmorton, and Benjamin Trull.


Historical work from Pisgah Forest


Historical work from Pisgah Forest

These exhibitions are being sponsored by Harriett Herring.

Exhibitions at the North Carolina Pottery Center are also made possible through the generosity of our membership, the North Carolina Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mary and Elliott Wood Foundation and the Goodnight Educational Foundation.

The Center is located in Seagrove, in the heart of the state. Its mission is to interpret the history and on-going tradition of North Carolina pottery making. Beginning with American Indian pottery and followed by the work of European settlers, production has continued uninterrupted for centuries. Interpretive exhibits and programs are featured, and the Center provides information to visitors about the nearly 100 potteries located in the Seagrove area.

For further information check our NC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Center at 336/873-8430 or visit (www.ncpotterycenter.org).

North Carolina Pottery Center 11th Annual Auction Takes Place in Seagrove, NC – April 25, 2010

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

Well, I hope no regular reader of Carolina Arts Unleashed needs to be reminded that the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, is keeping the doors open by fundraising events as funding from local, regional, state or national government sources is not cutting it. Without these fundraisers and the support of those people who participate in these fundraisers – those doors would be closed.

So, it’s important to support these events – if you’re a pottery lover, history lover, art lover, or just a person who appreciates the fact that thousands of years ago some creative folks discovered a way to turn – what most thought was just dirt – into vessels which: kept people from having to walk to the stream, river or lake every time they were thirsty, made it possible to store fluids and foods for a period of time, and made it possible to eat food on a surface which kept the junk of the world out of our food.

It’s called pottery. Some of you still use some of these products – everything isn’t made of plastic – yet. And, I for one, hope that day never comes.

So, my pitch is for as many of you that can – go to this event, spend lots of money and if you can’t go – bid by phone. If you can’t afford to do either, see if you can become a member. And, if you’re one of those folks with the bothersome problem of having so much money you just can’t think of enough ways to reduce your tax burden – write the NC Pottery Center a big check and if that doesn’t help your situation out enough – write one to Carolina Arts too. We’re here to help you good folks.

One final note – you can preview the auction offerings on Friday, Apr. 23, 2010, from 10am -5pm and Sunday, Apr. 25, 2010, before the auction starts.

Here’s their pitch:

The North Carolina Pottery Center, partnering with Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd (LLAES), is pleased to announce, the 11th annual, Going, Going, Gone to Pots!, fundraising auction on April 25, 2010. In addition to an outstanding selection of contemporary and vintage pottery, the auction will offer pottery related items, such as books, posters and photographs. These items will be available for viewing on three web sites; (www.auctionzip.com), (www.ncpotterycenter.com) and (www.llauctions.com), which will offer national exposure of the items, artists and the North Carolina Pottery Center. The new expanded preview period, which opens later this month, also provides an option facilitated by LLAES, Ltd., for absentee and advance telephone bidding for persons unable to attend the live auction.

The North Carolina Pottery Center’s Board of Directors and the auction/fundraising committee, encourages and appreciates the public support that enables us to maintain our mission of promoting public awareness and appreciation of the history, heritage, and ongoing tradition of pottery making in North Carolina. We cordially invite you to participate in this vital and necessary fund-raising event. Your support allows us to ensure the continued success and viability of the North Carolina Pottery Center.

Along with our partner, Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, the following sponsors have generously committed their support to the North Carolina Pottery Center’s auction: Total Communication, Community One Bank, the Pinehurst/Southern Pines/Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Umstead Hotel, Energizer, Pugh Funeral Home, Insurance Associates of the Triad, Cabot Cheese, the Duck Smith House B&B, The North Carolina Zoological Society, Total Wine, Westmoore Family Restaurant, with others joining daily.

The Auction is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, April 25, 2010. The auction begins at 5pm, but the doors of the NC Pottery Center will open at 3:30pm with a preview, appetizers and local, traditional bluegrass music. There is no admission and everyone is welcome!

The North Carolina Pottery Center offers educational opportunities to statewide schools and individuals, changing historical and contemporary exhibitions, demonstrations, and information about statewide potters. The NCPC is a private nonprofit entity, funded primarily through memberships, grants, fundraisers, admissions, and appropriations.

The NC Pottery Center is open Tuesdays – Saturdays 10am to 4pm, ADMISSION (excluding free special events): $2- adults, $1 – students (9th through 12th grades), free – children through 8th grade, and free – NCPC members. The Center is handicap accessible. Groups and tours welcomed.

For further information and details call 336/873-8430, e-mail to (info@ncpotterycenter.org) or visit (www.NCPotteryCenter.org).

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New Photos from the NC Pottery Center of Catawba Valley Pottery

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

We have received some photos of some of the older pots on view in the exhibit, Fire in the Valley: Catawba Valley Pottery Then and Now, which is on view at the NC Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, through Jan. 30, 2010. I originally made the entry on Dec. 2, 2009, you can go back by scrolling down the page, but you can also get there by clicking this link. These images will give readers a better picture of the entire exhibit, but it’s still better if you go see it yourself.

Thanks to the NC Pottery Center for sending us these images.

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13th annual Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival Takes Place Mar. 27, 2010 in Hickory, NC

Friday, December 4th, 2009

Well, as I mentioned in an earlier blog entry I picked up a flyer about this pottery festival at the Whynot Pottery booth at the 2009 Celebration of Seagrove Potters in Seagrove, NC. It was just another example of how these potters network. Promoting one festival at another and besides it will also benefit the NC Pottery Center – something of interest to all Carolina potters and me. And once again it shows how far reaching the Pottery Center is – here they are involved in an event all the way up in Hickory.

NC Legislators – don’t pay attention to anything the Bobbsey Twins of the pottery world tell you – check out the facts on the NC Pottery Center. You’ll be surprised at what’s the truth.

So, after I got home from Seagrove I checked out the website for the 13th annual Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival, which was actually the website for the Catawba County Historical Association, where I found this press release.

The 13th annual Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival will be held on Saturday, March 27, 2010, at the Hickory Metro Convention Center, I-40, Exit 125 in Hickory, NC, from 9am until 5pm.

The Festival is a fundraising event for two non-profit institutions, the Catawba County Historical Association and the North Carolina Pottery Center. Tickets are $6 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under and are available at the door. Ticket holders will be entered into a drawing for door prizes.

Friday night, March 26, 2010 is the Preview Party from 7-10pm. A southern-style supper, live entertainment, and the early buying opportunity make this a popular event. Advance tickets are required and must be purchased by March 19, 2010. Tickets are $40. No Preview Party tickets will be sold at the door. Please call 828/324-7294 for purchase information.

Do you have a piece of pottery of unknown background? Representatives from the North Carolina Pottery Collectors’ Guild will be available to offer expert opinions on the possible background and history of individual collectors’ pieces.

In addition to the 110 pottery and antique vendors from all over the Southeast, this year’s festival will feature a pottery exhibit prepared by Dr. Terry Zug, retired University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor and author of Turners and Burners: The Folk Potters of North Carolina.

The speaker this year is Stephen C. Compton, a native of Alamance County, NC. Compton holds an A.B. in anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, M.Div. from Duke University, and D. Min. from Emory University and currently is the district superintendent for the Sanford District of The United Methodist Church. He formerly served as president of the board of directors for the North Carolina Pottery Center and was a founding member and first president of the North Carolina Pottery Collectors’ Guild.

An avid collector of North Carolina pottery for nearly twenty years, Compton has assembled a group of about 1,000 pieces of pottery dating from the 18th century to the present, including utilitarian earthenware, stoneware, and art pottery. Objects from his collection have been displayed in numerous exhibits and publications. Publication of a book edited by him, North Carolina Earthenware: Origin of a Ceramic Tradition, is pending.

For further information on the Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival (http://www.catawbahistory.org/catawba_valley_pottery_and_antiques_festival.php), please contact 828/322-3943 or 828/324-7294.

For advance tickets to the Friday Night Preview Party ($40 per – required by Mar. 19, 2010) send check or money order to: CVPAF, PO Box 2583, Hickory, NC 28603

This announcement might seem a little ahead of time, but it never hurts to plan ahead and many Yankees (I’m originally from Michigan) who read this will be looking for any excuse to head south after a couple of months of winter weather. And, I’m sure we’ll have more details to offer about this festival as we get closer to the date of its happening.

Plus, I’m always looking for ways to show that Carolina Arts has an expanded vision of the overall pottery community in the Carolinas. Get the hint you other potters and pottery areas? You feed us the info – we spread it around.

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NC Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, Offers Exhibit on Catawba Valley Pottery

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Bloggers Note: We have received some images of the older pots in this exhibit, sent to us by the NC Pottery Center (Thanks!). We hope you enjoy them – they make this entry a whole lot better.

On my way to the Celebration of Seagrove Potters Gale Preview in Seagrove, NC, which was held on Nov. 20, 2009, I stopped in at the NC Pottery Center to see the exhibition, Fire in the Valley: Catawba Valley Pottery Then and Now, which will be on view through Jan. 30, 2010.

I can’t imagine a trip to Seagrove or even a trip near Seagrove without a stop at the NC Pottery Center – unless I have already seen the exhibit they are presenting and even then, I can still think of a reason to stop by – just to make sure it is still there.

In 2008, many people came together to help keep the doors of the NC Pottery Center open in the face of financial doom, and fundraisers have keep the doors open during 2009. It will take continual efforts by supporters to keep those doors open into the future. You can make donations on the Center’s website, take out a membership there, and even order one of the many fine books about NC pottery from their Museum Shop. The battle to save the NC Pottery Center is not over – keep the money coming.

But above all – go there and see what a wonderful resource center it is in presenting the story of North Carolina’s pottery heritage – which continues today.

This is not an exhibit review. I’m a long way from being able to review any pottery exhibitions. I’m not sure I’ll ever get there, but I’m learning more and more about pottery all the time. This entry is meant to get you to go see this exhibit and for many of you – to go visit the NC Pottery Center.

I’ll start with an excerpt from an article presented in Carolina Arts in our Dec. 09 issue about this exhibit: For most North Carolinians, the Seagrove, NC, area is the Mecca of pottery production, the place that most embodies historical continuity and native artistry. But just 100 miles due west of Seagrove is the Catawba Valley, the site of North Carolina’s other great pottery tradition. During the 18th century, numerous families, most of German origin, settled what are now Lincoln and Catawba Counties in the western Piedmont. The Catawba River encircles this region, and its South Fork, which meanders through the heart of both counties, has provided superb clays for the potters’ wheels. (See a complete article about this exhibit at Carolina Arts.)


Daniel Seagle c. 1830


Works by Michael Ball

What we have here is an exhibition of the old – some pieces dating back to the 1830’s and the new – works being made by contemporary potters in the Catawba Valley today. In an informal setting, you might not be able to identify the old from the new – except for subtle hints – the traditions of this area are strong even in today’s potters. You could probably place pots made in three different centuries next to each other and the average viewer couldn’t tell the difference – not to say that each individual potter didn’t have their own style. And, there are examples which show that these potters could step away from tradition at times – to express themselves in different ways. (The older pots were under plexiglass, making it hard to photograph.)


Isaac Lefevers c 1850


David Hartzog c 1850

Many might think viewing parts of this exhibit that these are just a bunch of – plain old pots – like the kind I was used to seeing on my grandparents farm back in Michigan – some collecting rain water for watering plants or filled with umbrellas or walking canes near a door. Pots that are no longer used for their original functions, but nonetheless have lasted longer than modern containers. These pots were mostly made for function too.


Works by Kim Ellington

The central figure in making this exhibit possible in showing the Then and Now of Catawba Valley pottery is Burlon Craig, who was born in 1914 and lived to the age of 88, before he died in 2002.

In the 1980’s, Burlong Craig was almost the last of the Catawba Valley potters, but he taught or more exact – let others observe him and the techniques involved in producing the areas style of pottery – leading to a whole new generation of Catawba Valley potters including: Michael Ball, Kim Ellington, Walter Fleming, Luke Heafner, Jeff Young, and Bob Hilton. All have works in this exhibit.


“Clown Face” by Jeff Young

The contemporary works presented in this exhibit by this next generation of potters might not seem so contemporary compared to pottery made today – especially seen by me that evening at the Celebration of Seagrove Potters Gala Preview. But in comparison to the works shown in the historical part of this exhibit – there are many signs of how these potters have expressed themselves differently, yet some pieces are the same shapes, but with a little fancier pattern of glazes. The Catawba Valley traditions are still held strong. There are even a few examples where Burlong Craig worked outside the box of tradition.

Although my tastes in pottery lean toward color and texture – I could see the merits to having some simpler – more traditional pieces. The more you looked at some of these works the more elegant they looked.


“Handled Rundlet” by Michael Ball

Of course like any exhibition on any subject – the limitations of space and the public’s attention span limits telling the whole story. Getting a fuller, richer, picture of the Catawba Valley pottery of North Carolina is up to you. You need to visit the potteries operating there, attend a local festival, read books that have been written about the area and its potters, and visit websites offering other information.


John Goodman c. mid 19th century

One such website is Catawba Valley Pottery of North Carolina. This website was created to serve as an informational and educational tool concerning Catawba Valley Folk-Art Potters and their wares. You can read a history of Catawba Valley Pottery at this link.

The 13th annual Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival will be held on Saturday, March 27, 2010, at the Hickory Metro Convention Center, I-40, Exit 125 in Hickory, NC, from 9am until 5pm. The Festival is a fundraising event for two non-profit institutions, the Catawba County Historical Association and the North Carolina Pottery Center.

And, info about the Burlon Craig Pottery Festival can be found at this link.

If any of this interest you I hope you’ll make the effort to go see this exhibit and check out the NC Pottery Center as well as potteries in Seagrove. But, I hope you’ll also think about making a trip to the Catawba Valley too. We want you to enjoy the pottery of both Carolinas – all of it.

In closing, I’d like to voice my opinion, once more, that we in South Carolina would be so lucky to have such a facility as the NC Pottery Center in SC – not just to show off our state’s pottery heritage, but to show off any areas of the visual arts. I hope that one day soon the citizens of NC and its leaders in the NC Legislature realize what they have and take measures to preserve it well into the future. The story of NC’s pottery legacy is still in the growing process – there will be a lot more to tell in the future.

And, there are a lot of people all over the world who are interested in that story. I know by the amount of folks who have been following my blog entries about Seagrove, NC pottery and its potters.

Fire in the Valley: Catawba Valley Pottery Then and Now will be on view through Jan. 30, 2010.

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2nd Annual Celebration of Seagrove Potters Takes Place Nov. 20 – 22, 2009, in Seagrove, NC – #2

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

(This is a corrected version – 11/14/09.) OK, this is the second notice about the upcoming Celebration of Seagrove Potters taking place in Seagrove, NC, Nov. 20 – 22, 2009. Will it be the last? I wouldn’t bet on that.

I’m not here to give you details – we have loads of details in other postings about this event and Seagrove. Just click on the colored words and you’ll find all the info you could possibly want about the potters of Seagrove.

The Celebration is unique in that it is a showcase of the artists of Seagrove, an area that covers the three county corner region of Randolph, Moore and Montgomery counties in North Carolina. Over 85 of the Seagrove potters that earn their living making pottery in the local Seagrove community will be participating in this annual event. Seagrove pottery has long been known for its collectibility and the Seagrove name is recognized worldwide.


Fred Johnston

Now, here’s a little secret. There’s another pottery festival taking place in Seagrove – at the very same time as the Celebration of Seagrove Potters. Can you believe it? Two pottery festivals in Seagrove featuring Seagrove potters. Wait a minute! Let me do some math. I know there are about 100 potteries in the greater Seagrove area and 85 of them (I made the mistake here of thinking the 85 potters represented 85 potteries – when it’s closer to 60 potteries) will be at the Celebration of Seagrove Potters. That means, at best, only 15 potters from the Seagrove area can be at that other pottery festival (again, since it was potters and not potteries – up to 40 potteries could be at this other festival) – unless some are doing both. Where are all the other potters coming from at that other festival?


Bruce Gholson

I went and checked out that other festival – they listed 75 participating potteries and 19 participating craftsmen. There were no links offered to give further info about these potteries or craftsmen – nothing about where they are from. I mean when you call yourself the Seagrove Pottery Festival – you should have more than a possible 15% of potters from Seagrove – shouldn’t you? I’m just saying…(Well, because of the first mistake this figure should be closer to 40 potteries from Seagrove.)

Hey, I’m a fair kind of guy. If you don’t find everything you could possibly want and afford at the Celebration of Seagrove Potters – skip right on over to that other festival and have at it – especially if you’re looking for Seagrove pottery. You’ve got a 15% (more like 40%) chance of finding some.


Carol Gentithes

But, if you’re not sure what’s Seagrove pottery and what’s not – make a stop at the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove – they are a resource for info on Seagrove and North Carolina pottery.

It’s a good thing there is such a place where you can learn such info, but you know what – there are some folks who organize pottery festivals in Seagrove who would like to close the doors of the Pottery Center. Why? Maybe they don’t want people to be well informed about pottery? I don’t know. I just can’t figure out their reasons – it baffles me. But that’s a whole different story I’m saving for a late night campfire surrounded by a bunch of young pottery students. It will scare the heck out of them.

If you didn’t find enough info about Seagrove and its potters in all these links offered – visit (www.CelebrationOfSeagrovePotters.com) to learn more about the festival and potters and find more links there to the individual Seagrove pottery pages.

And, as always – even when it’s About Seagrove Pottery at Carolina Arts – we’re also into what’s Not About Seagrove Pottery. But, if you want Seagrove pottery – what better place to find it than in Seagrove at the 2nd Annual Celebration of Seagrove Potters. Am I right or what? (We will accept no votes for the what category.)

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NC Potters to be Featured in a Nationwide TV Broadcast

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

After our elation over the University of Michigan football victory over the Irish (don’t even mention that Carolina Panthers’ game) and frustrations over messed up Beatles’ CDs – it’s back to the business of bringing you news about the visual art community in the Carolinas.

It seems that the pottery community in Seagrove, NC, including the North Carolina Pottery Center, is much more significant – statewide and nationwide – than a few individuals would like the NC Legislature to know. Cream will always rise to the top no matter how much you stir the pot. Of course if you stir it too much – you get butter. And, who doesn’t like butter? Butterrrr.

On Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, 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, NC, 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.


Vernon and Pam Owens

Both Pam Owens and Mark Hewitt are on the board of the North Carolina Pottery Center (NCPC) in Seagrove, NC, and have helped organize a series of simultaneous “viewing parties” across the state on Oct. 7, 2009, to coincide with the broadcast, and to raise funds for programming at NCPC.


Mark Hewitt

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, NC, the North Carolina Pottery Collectors Guild and the Triangle Pottery Guild (both in Raleigh, NC), Durham Clayworks, Carolina Claymatters and Carolina Clay Connection in Charlotte, NC, and the Potters of the Roan in Bakersville, NC, and Penland, NC. There will also be a gathering at UNC-Asheville in Asheville, NC.

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.

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NC Pottery Center Offers Summer Fundraiser – June 20, 2009

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

The doors of the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, were kept open due to the efforts of many last year, but – and I hate to be the one to tell you this – the Center is not yet saved, and the cavalry in the form of the NC Arts Council, a.k.a. the State of North Carolina – is nowhere in sight.

The State of North Carolina is not in the same shape it was a few years back when the plan to take over operations of the Pottery Center was first hatched. And, it may be several years before the State gets back to where it was before the bottom dropped out. So, Plan B is in effect – fundraising to keep the doors open.

There are still a few who would like to see the doors of the Pottery Center closed. For what reason – I can’t understand. From the perspective of someone who lives in South Carolina, we would love to have such a facility for any part of the arts here.

So here’s a press release about the fundraiser.

The North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, has planned an exciting, educational and free day for the public on Saturday, June 20, 2009, from 10am-4pm. Visitors from near and far, young and old are invited to spend the day at the Center to be entertained and educated about the history, heritage and ongoing tradition of pottery making in North Carolina, one of the state’s most well-loved and treasured art forms.

The “Pots from the Attic” Fundraiser runs all day and features a collection of over 200 highly unique pieces. Shapes and sizes vary from crocks to candle holders to sugar bowls and Rebecca pitchers as well as marked souvenir pots from the past tourist trade. A majority of pots were donated from the collection of Dr. Everette James. NCPC board member, Pam Owens from Jugtown commented, “I know I speak for the whole NCPC Board in expressing our gratitude to Everette James for the donation of his historic, and well known pottery collection from the Saint James Place Museum in Roberson, NC. There are many wonderful study pieces in the “Pots from the Attic” Fundraiser. We look forward to a full and interesting day of events on June 20.”

Mark Hewitt, accomplished Pittsboro, NC, potter and VP of the NCPC describes the collection like this. “In many ways pots are like people, we give them human associations by describing their feet, bellies, necks, and lips. Pots, like people, are also fragile. Over the course of a lifetime, we all get chipped and banged about, but carry on, somehow tougher for our experiences. Likewise the pots in this sale have been slightly damaged, but they still retain their core beauty, somehow made more real by their flaws. The pots in the sale have been well-loved. There are examples of all types of North Carolina pottery, from utilitarian to art ware, small pieces and large. The sale includes many hidden treasures, rare stamps, and familiar gems.”  The range of pots includes those from Cole Pottery in Sanford, Jugtown, Ben Owen-Master Potter and North State among many others. This is a great opportunity to begin or add to an existing collection in a very affordable way.  All pots are priced to sell.

There will also be live Celtic Music inside the main building from 1:30 – 3:30pm with Michael Mahan and Will McCanless.

In tandem, a reception and book signing of The Living Tradition: North Carolina Potters Speak takes place from 2-4pm. The recently released book includes intimate interviews with 23 of North Carolina’s most distinguished potters. With illuminating interviews conducted by Michelle Francis and Charles “Terry” Zug III, resplendent photography by Rob Amberg, editing by Denny Hubbard Mecham, and publishing by Goosepen Studio & Press, this is the culmination of a documentary project by the North Carolina Pottery Center to promote and preserve North Carolina’s unique pottery making history. The funding for this distinctive project was made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museums and Library Sciences, a national organization. Featured artists from the book attending the reception include; Ben Owen III, Pam and Vernon Owens, Hal and Eleanor Pugh, Caroleen Sanders, Mark Hewitt and interviewer Terry Zug. Refreshments will be served. All proceeds from The Living Tradition and the “Pots from the Attic” Fundraiser directly benefit the North Carolina Pottery Center. Sample pages can be viewed at (www.NCPotteryCenter.com).

A full day can easily be spent at the Center with individuals and families free this Saturday to take in the significance of the permanent historical section, beginning with the Native American pottery exhibit and artifacts, through the tools and functional pots of the agricultural era, to the movement toward art pottery and to the more contemporary pots of today. Two large display cases hold samples of approximately 85% of the local Seagrove community potters. The Center rotates exhibits every 3 to 4 months and the current exhibit is Dan Finch and the Dan Finch Studio Potters on view through Aug. 1, 2009. Visitors are welcome to pack a picnic lunch to enjoy on the outdoor tables underneath the grove of 100-year-old oak trees, and wander the charming rural grounds. Here one can explore the outside groundhog kiln and double chambered wood-firing kiln designed and built by potters Ruggles and Rankin (also featured in The Living Traditions book) during a teaching event.

Day-long demonstrations are held on Saturdays in the Center’s Educational Building by local potter Chad Brown. He is a 5th generation potter; his great-great grandfather was William Henry Chriscoe, a portion of whose original log cabin pottery studio now resides in the Smithsonian Museum. Brown is an up-and-coming potter to watch on the Seagrove scene, having worked as a journeyman potter for numerous studios and assisting many local potters with their wood firings. His decision to pursue his own pottery full-time this year was rewarded last month when he received the “The Award of Excellence” at The Arts in the Park show in Blowing Rock, NC. Sid Luck of Luck’s Ware, coordinator of the 2008-09 TAPS (Traditional Arts Program for Students) said, “I was most fortunate to have Chad as an assistant in the TAPS program this year. He is an excellent potter, has a great rapport with students and is very dependable.” TAPS is an afterschool collaboration between the NC Arts Council, the NC Pottery Center, and Seagrove Elementary School. Its purpose is to provide public school students with the knowledge and practices of the Seagrove traditional pottery culture. Mark Hewitt remarked, “Chad Brown has quietly established his presence as one of the most talented younger potters in Seagrove. We all enjoy Chad’s humor and good nature, and know how much he contributes to the NCPC with his patient, insightful demonstrations and his warm, generous personality. His beautiful pots reflect who he is.”

Opened in 1998 in Seagrove, the NCPC mission is to promote public awareness of North Carolina’s remarkable pottery heritage. The Center welcomes and informs visitors to the Seagrove area, enriching their experience through exhibitions and educational programs, and promoting potters working today across the state. The NCPC is a private nonprofit entity, funded primarily through memberships, grants, admissions, and appropriations. The Center’s hours are Tue.-Sat., 10am to 4pm, Admission (excluding free special events) is $2 – adults, $1 – students 9th through 12th grades, Free – children through 8th grade, free – NCPC members. Handicap accessible. Groups and tours welcomed. For further information and details call 336/873-8430, e-mail (to ncpc@atomic.net) or visit (www.NCPotteryCenter.com).

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