Planning for the 4th Annual Celebration of Seagrove Potters is well underway and the participating artists are all busily working on special pieces for the Celebration weekend, as well as on collaborative pieces to be auctioned at the Friday night Gala, on Nov. 18, 2011, from 6-9pm, including a catered reception and live music. The Celebration then opens on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, from 9am-6pm, and a second, silent auction will take place on Saturday from 1-3pm. The event continues on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011, from 10am-4pm.
Of course all this takes place at historic Luck’s Cannery, located at 798 NC Hwy 705 (the Pottery Highway) in Seagrove, NC.
Admission to the Saturday & Sunday Show is $5, with children 12 and under are free. Tickets to the Friday night Gala is $40 in advance. Gala tickets and more info available at (www.CelebrationofSeagrovePotters.com).
Last year’s event was another resounding success, drawing over 400 people to the Friday evening Gala and over 5,000 folks from NC and multiple states to the unique festival weekend. Each year the event has generated a total measurable financial impact of over $485,000.
Collaborative work by Jugtown Pottery and JLK Jewlery
The Celebration is distinctive; it is a showcase of the pottery artists of Seagrove, an area that covers the three county corner region of Randolph, Moore and Montgomery counties. Over 100 Seagrove potters, from 62 shops, are participating this year. Participating shops are: Avery, Ben Owen, Blue Hen, Blue Stone, Bulldog, Cadwell-Hohl, Chad Brown, Chris Luther, Country Pots, Cross Creek, Crystal King, Daniel Johnston, David Stuempfle, Dean & Martin, Dirt Works, Dixieland, Donna Craven, Dover, Eck McCanless, Fat Beagle, Firestone, From the Ground Up, Gingerbread House, Great White Oak Gallery, Hatfield, Hickory Hill, Humble Mill, JLK Jewelry, Johnston & Gentithes, Jugtown, Keith Martindale, King’s, Koepnick, Kovack, Lantern Hill, Latham’s, Luck’s Ware, McCanless, McKay, Michele Hastings & Jeff Brown, Nelda French, Nichols, Old Gap, Ole Fish House, Original Owens, Patrick Rowe, Pebbles, Pottery by Frank Neef, Potts, Ray, Riggs, Rockhouse, Seagrove Stoneware, Studio Touya, The Hutch, Thomas, Tom Gray, Triple C, Turn & Burn, Uwharrie Crystalline, Whynot, and Windsong.
Collaborative work by Michal Mahan and Will McCanless
The Celebration of Seagrove Potters will again be held indoors at the historic Luck’s Cannery, on NC 705, Pottery Highway, one half mile south of the traffic light in Seagrove. The Celebration potters admire and continue the spirit of the original Luck’s Cannery – people of the Seagrove area working together to provide a future for their community. The festival offers shoppers a one-stop, indoor-shopping opportunity to purchase authentic Seagrove pottery. The show offers the chance to meet the Seagrove artists, to learn about and purchase their work, all under one roof. There is excitement in every booth, where the exhibits embrace a striking variety of forms and functions.
Seagrove is the largest working community of potters and clay artists in the country, and offers something for everyone. The event offers not only the authenticity of Seagrove pottery, but also the opportunity to participate in historical and educational demonstrations. Children have a special area dedicated to them, where they can try their hand in clay and also purchase specially “Kid Priced” pieces of pottery. A donation from the proceeds of the children’s area is given to the arts programs of our local elementary schools.
The event kicks off with the opening night Gala. Guests can peruse and purchase from the booths, while enjoying food and beverages, live jazz music and enjoy the opportunity to view and bid on collaborative, one-of-a-kind pottery pieces.
The planning and implementation of the Celebration of Seagrove Potters festival has become a strong example of community and teamwork. Many committees work together to bring this professional and creative event to life. Local companies and organizations, such as The Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau, First Bank, Randolph Hospital, Randolph Electric Membership Corporation, Randolph Telephone Membership Corporation, The North Carolina Zoological Society, Asheboro Magazine, Life 103.1,Carolina Arts, Our State Magazine, Flowers on Main, StarWorks, and Wet Dog Glass have already provided sponsorship and there are many opportunities still available to partner with additional sponsors who recognize the unique prospects provided by the distinctive demographics of the Celebration attendees. Contact Rhonda McCanless for additional sponsor information at 336/873-7412 or e-mail to (professional_page@rtmc.net).
Volunteers serve as the backbone of the festival. We strive to provide Celebration attendees the finest experience possible, warmly welcoming them to spend a leisurely time browsing and shopping, seeing the process, developing and renewing relationships with the potters of Seagrove. This would not be possible without the immense dedication of our volunteers, including members from the Asheboro City Council, The Randolph Arts Guild, auctioneers, educators, pottery lovers and collectors. We are always looking for ways to build on this essential team. Volunteers have the opportunity to work on many aspects of the festival, including the auctions, artist relations, gala preview event, production, special projects and more. Contact Bonnie Burns by e-mail at (volunteers@celebrationofseagrovepotters.com), (redhare@rtmc.net) or call 336/953-5491.
Seagrove pottery has long been known for its collectability and the Seagrove name is recognized worldwide. Located in the central piedmont, the town of Seagrove is at the intersection of NC Business Highway 220 and NC Highway 705, which in 2002 was designated as Pottery Highway because it runs through the heart of pottery country. Seagrove potters are located throughout the countryside, all around these two major roads, and are all easily accessible from them. The shops are diverse and interesting, and all worthy of a visit and most will be open throughout the Celebration weekend. The Celebration of Seagrove Potters merged with SAPA, (Seagrove Area Potters Association) a local non-profit marketing entity that promotes, publicizes and markets the Seagrove community of potters in August of 2008.
For up-to-date information and photos on the upcoming Celebration visit (www.CelebrationOfSeagrovePotters.com) and for more on potters of the Seagrove community and other local events visit (www.DiscoverSeagrove.com). Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook at Celebration of Seagrove Potters.