Planning for the 2nd Annual Celebration of Seagrove Potters is underway and the participating artists are all busily working on special pieces for the Celebration, as well as on collaborative pieces to be auctioned on Friday night, Nov. 20, 2009. Last year’s event, the inaugural Celebration was a resounding success drawing over 400 people to the Friday night Gala and 5000 from NC and many surrounding states to the two day sales event. The event generated a total measurable financial impact of $452,967, including $3,400 to the Potters Relief Fund, $1,250 to local school art departments, $600 to the Seagrove Library and $51,917 of expenditures to local businesses, details are available at (http://celebrationofseagrovepotters.blogspot.com).
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. Over 85 of the Seagrove potters that earn their living making pottery in the local Seagrove community will be participating in the annual event. Seagrove pottery has long been known for it collectability and the Seagrove name is recognized worldwide.
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 will again be held indoors at the historic Luck’s Cannery, on NC 705, Pottery Highway, located a half mile south of the traffic light in Seagrove. The Celebration potters admire and plan to continue the spirit of the original Luck’s Cannery-people of the Seagrove area working together to provide a future for their community.
The Celebration of Seagrove Potters will open on Friday evening, Nov. 20, 2009, at 6pm with a Gala Preview Party. Meet the artists and enjoy the opening night festivities of this fabulous event as visitors have the first opportunity to browse and purchase from the thousands of pieces, sip a favorite beverage and enjoy hors d’oeuvres, while listening to the jazz band Lost Marbles. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to preview a select collection of unique collaborative pieces. This highly successful venture, teaming Seagrove artists, to produce highly collectible one-of-a-kind pieces was very popular last year. This artwork will be auctioned at 8pm on Friday evening. Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance. They may be purchased on-line at (www.CelebrationOfSeagrovePotters.com).
Saturday, Nov. 21 the show is open from 9am-6pm and from 10am-4pm on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009. A second fundraising auction will be held at 4pm, Saturday. Food and beverage vendors will be set up including 3 Kings Barbeque, Blue Diner Grille, and Pacific Rim Noodle House among others. A special Kids area (only kids allowed in to buy Seagrove pottery at kids prices!) will raise funds to be donated to the Seagrove and Westmoore schools art departments, demonstrations and educational opportunities will be available, and more.
The following Seagrove potteries and artists will be participating: Avery Pottery & Tileworks, Ben Owen Pottery, Bluestone Pottery, Bulldog Pottery, Cagle Road Pottery, Caldwell-Hohl Artworks, Chad Brown Pottery, Chris Luther Pottery, Country Pots, Cross Creek Pottery, Crystal King Pottery, David Stuempfle Pottery, Dean & Martin Pottery, Dirtworks, Dixieland Pottery, Donna Craven, Pottery, Dover Pottery, Fireshadow Pottery, From the Ground Up, Gingerbread House Pottery, Great White Oak Gallery, Hatfield Pottery, Humble Mill Pottery, Jake’s Pottery, JLK Jewelry at Jugtown, Johnston & Gentithes Art Pottery, Jugtown Pottery, King’s Pottery, Kovack Pottery, Lantern Hill Pottery, Latham’s Pottery, Living Water Pottery, Luck’s Ware, McCanless Pottery, McKay Pottery, Nichols Pottery, Old Gap Pottery, Ole Fish House Pottery, “Original” Owens Pottery, Pat Newby, Pebbles Pottery, Potts Pottery, Ray Pottery, Riggs Pottery, Rockhouse Pottery, Seagrove Stoneware, Studio Touya, The English Potter, Thomas Pottery, Tom Gray Pottery, Tripple C Pottery, Turn & Burn, Uwharrie Crystalline, Whynot Pottery, Windsong Pottery, and Zehmer Pottery. (Further info about most of these potteries can be found at Carolina Arts Online in our NC Commercail Gallery listings under Seagrove.)
The Celebration of Seagrove Potters festival has received strong support from potters and the community at large. Special thanks to our 2009 Sponsors: Amicks Superstore, Asheboro Elastics, Autocraft, Community One, Embarq Corporation, First Bank, Insurance Associates of the Triad, Life 103.1, NC Zoological Society, Progress Energy, Pugh Funeral Home, Randloph Arts Guild, Randolph County TDA, Our State magazine, Carolina Arts, Richard and Susan Garkalns, Upton Accounting and Village Printing with more coming on board each week.
Visit (www.CelebrationOfSeagrovePotters.com) to learn more about the festival and potters and find links to the individual pottery pages.