Thursday, August 23, 2012

Cousins in Clay Mountains - Bakersville, NC Here we come

Bruce Gholson, Samantha Henneke, Michael Kline
We are on our way to the gorgeous mountains of North Carolina.  Michael Kline is hosting the 2nd annual Cousins in Clay Mountains this weekend at his place - Michael Kline Pottery - on Sat. and Sun. Aug. 25 and 26. Our honored Cousins are Mark Shapiro and Sam Taylor and they are on their way from Massachusetts to join us!  This is a very exciting weekend. Sam and Mark go way back with Michael, they took a pivotal workshop together with Michael Simon back in the early 90's. Michael and Mark shared a pottery studio for around 10 years up in Massachusetts before Michael moved to Penland to be an artist in residence.  Sam Taylor's Dogbar Pottery studio is in Mark's neighborhood. Truly a family reunion this weekend. 

On Sunday there will be a potters potluck at 12:00 noon. Please join us with a dish and enjoy pleasant conversation up on the mountain top.

Michael Kline Pottery
4062 Snow Creek Rd.
Bakersville, NC 28705
828-675-4097
Aug 25 and 26 Sat 10-5 and Sun 10-4 with Potters Potluck on Sun from 12-3


Michael Kline Plate

Sam Taylor Plate

Mark Shapiro Teapot

Bruce Gholson - Crab Low Bowl

Samantha Henneke - Sapphire Vase



Monday, August 20, 2012

Green Hill Art Center - "By Example" Exhibition

Samantha Henneke in front of Coleopatra- 24 Beetles, porcelain glazes paintings

The exhibition titled "By Example- North Carolina Potters and their Mentors" is on display at the Green Hill Art Center in Greensboro, North Carolina and will be on view until the end of the month- August 26, 2012.
Green Hill Art Center is located in downtown Greensboro across from the Center City Park, on 200 North Davie Street (336-333-7460).

I made "Coleopatra"(beetles not the queen), a wall of 24 glazed beetles. The back ground is a whitish crystalline glaze and the beetles are glazed with a variety of crystalline glaze colors and textures. This is the second installation of beetles as a grouping. The first set was hung in the Gregg Museum on NC State's campus in Raleigh back in 2007, and the beetles were glazed on a gold background.  I was excited about having the opportunity to make another beetle wall installation, the Green Hill Art Center has wonderful space, with a great mix of natural light and gallery lighting.
     Along with the wall of beetles, I threw tall vases that measured 15"-18" in height with image and textural decoration, and crystalline glazes, as well as a series of seven 11"x11" porcelain box shapes with fantasy narrative "A Girl in Red Dress with Dung Beetle". You can see all of the pieces that I have in this exhibition on our Bulldog Pottery Flickr page.

My chosen mentor is Val Cushing. Val was my pottery teacher when I went to Alfred University back in the mid 90's.  He influenced my pottery work as well as is the bed rock for my knowledge and love glazes and understanding of the materials. During one of my first glaze calculation classes he encouraged us to go to the library, I took this to heart and went there whenever I had time. I wandered up and down the Scholes Library aisles, grabbing handfuls of books, and sitting down to look, read, and ponder.

There is a By Example Exhibition Catalog that was printed to go along with the show.  

Ronan Peterson filmed 8 minutes of a gallery walk through and he posted it on You Tube By Example Exhibition.


Val Cushing pottery in the "By Example" Exhibition

Samantha Henneke in front of her  Girl in Red Dress and Dung Beetle series

Decorated glaze vases and "Coleopatra"

Poster of Val Cushing, Samantha's mentor at the By Example show in Greensboro, Green Hill Art Center


Saturday, August 18, 2012

"Cousins in Clay" Mountains at Michael Kline Pottery

"Cousins in Clay" Mountains 2012, August 25 and 26 - Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 10-4 at Michael Kline Pottery, Bakersville, North Carolina

Cousins in Clay
Next weekend on Saturday August 25 and Sunday August 26 we will be at Michael Kline Pottery in the beautiful cool scenic mountains of North Carolina.  Our guest clay cousins will be driving all the way down from Massachusetts. Mark Shapiro and Sam Taylor will bring their pottery for all of us to see and buy. This is a unique and special time to be able to meet Mark and Sam and pick out a piece of their work. We have spent a couple of weekends with Mark and Sam in recent years for Pot Hop and Jam home show in Washington D.C. and have enjoyed their pottery in our home for the past couple of years.

We hope to see you next weekend!
Follow Cousins in Clay on facebook

August 25 Saturday from 10am-5pm
August 26 Sunday from 10am-4pm with a special potters potluck lunch - join us and bring a dish from 12pm-3pm
Michael Kline Pottery 4062 Snow Creek Rd. Bakersville, NC 28705
828-675-4097

"Cousins in Clay" Mountains 2012, August 25 and 26 - Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 10-4 at Michael Kline Pottery, Bakersville, North Carolina
 

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Pots At Rest - The Clay Studio, Philadelphia

Bruce Gholson - Fossil Fish Pitcher - Seagrove, North Carolina
Bruce has been invited to be in an exhibition titled "Pots at Rest" at the The Clay Studio in Philadelphia.  Eight ceramists were chosen to exhibit their work and in turn these eight potters were asked to invite potters to place their work into the show.  Brian Jones, a potter living in Portland, Oregon, invited Bruce to be included in the functional pottery exhibit. 

The show opens on August 17th and will be on display until September 30, 2012.

Pots At Rest is part of a multi project called Made by Hand.
137-139 North Second Street 
Philadelphia PA 19106 
215.925.3453
Tues.-Sat. 11am-6pm, Sun. 12p-6p 

Bruce Gholson - Fossil Fish Mug - Seagrove, North Carolina

Bruce Gholson - Fossil Fish Mug - Seagrove, North Carolina

Bruce Gholson - Fossil Fish Covered Jar - Seagrove, North Carolina

Bruce Gholson - Fossil Fish Covered Jar (other side) - Seagrove, North Carolina