North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, Names Lindsey Lambert as Center’s New Director

The board of directors of the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, are pleased to announce the hiring of Lindsey Lambert as the center’s new executive director. He will officially start at the beginning of June.

Lambert is the former director of the Brock Historical Museum and College Archives at Greensboro College, a position he held for over a decade, and he is the current board president of the North Carolina Museums Council (NCMC), an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) organization comprised of several hundred museum professionals across the state.

Lambert has a BA in History from NCSU and a MA in Public History from Appalachian State University. On NCMC’s board, he has previously served as nominating chair, treasurer, and vice president. He comes to the Pottery Center with a solid array of museum, technical, networking and grant writing skills, as well as a youthful energy and a sound appreciation of pottery and its traditions. Mark Hewitt, current president of the Pottery Center’s board, says, “It is good news that the Pottery Center has someone so capable to direct its activities, and we expect his tenure to coincide with increased visibility for the Pottery Center, its mission, and all the potters of North Carolina.” Lambert was born, raised and still resides in Randolph County.

Of the Pottery Center, Lambert says, “Working collaboratively we can help the Pottery Center to better realize its full potential of promoting public awareness and appreciation of the history, heritage, and ongoing tradition of pottery making in North Carolina. In addition to serving as the Pottery Center’s director, I am also becoming a member at the Sustainer level because I support the center’s mission and feel that it is important to support it financially as well as through my work.”

Hewitt also says, “Thanks must be given to the tireless Board members and advisors who wrote grants to Z. Smith Reynolds and the John Hanes Foundation that provided funds for the position. Thanks go also to the members of the search committee for identifying our new director. There are many fine people working on behalf of the Center, and we are delighted to have Lambert leading such a talented and dedicated team.”

Currently on display until July 27 is an exhibit entitled “Big Red: Chrome Red and Other Red Glazes of the North Carolina Piedmont.”

Exhibitions are made possible through the generosity of our membership, the John W. & Anna H. Hanes Foundation, the Mary and Elliott Wood Foundation and the Goodnight Educational Foundation. This project was supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Thank you!

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., 10am – 4pm.

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

Southern Highland Craft Guild Offers Clay Day at the Folk Art Center in Asheville, NC – June 1, 2013

Celebrate Clay Day at the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Folk Art Center in Asheville, NC, on June 1, 2013, from 10am to 4pm. This free event features craft demonstrations and hands-on activities for children and adults.

Clay Day has been a favorite happening at the Folk Art Center for over 20 years. Members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and invited guests demonstrate throwing on the potter’s wheel, hand building, and surface design on clay, among other techniques.

Expert potters will demonstrate a variety of ceramic techniques including wheel throwing.

A highlight of the day is the “Make-and-Take” Raku Firing.  Buy a $10 pot, glaze it, and watch as expert potters, Lynn Jenkins, Gary Clontz, and Steven Forbes-deSoule, raku fire it for you.  Raku is a ceramic firing process which uses fire and smoke to create unique patterns and designs.  Lynn will also demonstrate horse hair raku techniques, using horse hair to create designs on pots.  SHCG members Jan Morris and Sandra Rowland will host a children’s table where kids will be invited to play with clay and make something to take home. Clay for demonstrations has been generously donated by Highwater Clays of Asheville, NC.

Participants to Clay Day include the artists of The Village Potters located in the River District of Asheville,  sharing a myriad of ceramic techniques.  Volunteers from Haywood Community College Professional Crafts Department will be demonstrating and assisting visitors with a try at the potter’s wheel.  Southern Highland Craft Guild member Cindy Billingsley will lead a collaborative sculpture project.

During Clay Day visitors have the opportunity to purchase a $10 pot, decorate with glazes, and wait while it is raku fired. In this picture a visitor at last year’s Clay Day decorates a pot.  Raku is a ceramic firing process which uses fire and smoke to create unique patterns and designs.

While at the Folk Art Center, visitors will have the opportunity to visit Allanstand Craft Shop, the Eastern National bookstore and Blue Ridge Parkway information desk, as well as three exhibition galleries.  Outside the Folk Art Center, there are hiking trails, picnic tables, grassy areas for a picnic and free parking.

A visitor to last year’s Clay Day uses horse hair to decorate a pot which will be raku fired.  Raku is a ceramic firing process which uses fire and smoke to create unique patterns and designs.

The Southern Highland Craft Guild is a non-profit, educational organization established in 1930 to bring together the crafts and craftspeople of the Southern Highlands for the benefit of shared resources, education, marketing and conservation.  The Southern Highland Craft Guild is an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.  The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just north of the Hwy 70 entrance in east Asheville, NC.

For more information, including a list of participating craftspeople, call 828/298-7928 or visit (www.craftguild.org).

Clayworks in Charlotte, NC, Receives $50,000 Grant for Claymobile

Clayworks, Charlotte, NC’s only nonprofit organization dedicated to the instruction and the creation of ceramic arts, was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Women’s Impact Fund to purchase and equip a claymobile. A conversion van will serve as the claymobile and will be outfitted with a potter’s wheel, clay and glazing materials in order to expose Mecklenburg County’s underserved populations to high-quality visual arts experiences in their schools and neighborhoods.

Clayworks now serves more than 7,500 individuals a year at its facility at 4506 Monroe Road in east Charlotte. The 8-year-old organization is dedicated to the promotion of ceramic arts, advancement of artists and students and enrichment of the communities it serves. With the use of the new claymobile, Clayworks will transport everything needed for a ceramics class including an instructor. Finished ceramic pieces will be transported to the Clayworks facility for firing and then returned to the students.

“It’s always been a wish of mine from the inception of Clayworks to reach people who have never been exposed to ceramic art and therefore don’t know the joy that comes from creating in clay,” said Clayworks Executive Director Adrienne Dellinger. “There are so many children and adults who don’t have transportation or who can’t afford to take classes. With the claymobile, we can bring the clay instruction to underserved populations.”

The claymobile will provide cost-effective ceramics instruction to educational and cultural programs by sparing host institutions the need to obtain equipment and expertise to produce ceramics. The claymobile’s teaching artists will collaborate with host staff to design projects that directly tie into classroom curriculum and/or organization-wide themes, ensuring an academically enriching experience for participants. The claymobile program will begin with the 2013-2014 school year and will provide 60 ceramic classes to the YWCA after-school program.

“Clayworks is grateful to the members of the Women’s Impact Fund who collectively choose the Clayworks claymobile project as the arts and culture grant recipient this year,” said Gary Knight, Clayworks Board President. “This is a highly competitive grant process and we’re honored that the Women’s Impact Fund saw great value in our project, which will enhance and inspire Mecklenburg County residents through the experience of ceramic art creation.”

Clayworks is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the ceramic arts through classes, workshops and community outreach. The organization provides studio space to 22 local artists, state of the art equipment, professional development opportunities and workshops. Clayworks offers adult ceramic classes as well as independent study programs and master classes led by nationally known ceramic artists. The organization is located at 4506 Monroe Road, Charlotte NC 28205.

For more information visit (www.clayworksinc.org) or call 704/344-0795.

The Women’s Impact Fund is a Charlotte-based nonprofit organization that maximizes women’s leadership in philanthropy by engaging and educating its membership, increasing charitable contributions and strengthening communities through the impact of collective giving. The more than 400 members are dedicated to changing lives and addressing critical needs in Mecklenburg County. The fund has awarded $3 million to 39 nonprofits since 2003.

For more information visit (www.womensimpactfund.org).

Hickory Museum of Art in Hickory, NC, Seeks Artists for Juried “Road Trip” Exhibition Deadline June 30, 2013

The Hickory Museum of Art in Hickory, NC, is hosting an indoor juried exhibition called “Road Trip” in conjunction with an upcoming outdoor event called “The AutoLawn,” showcasing European automobiles of all makes, models, and ages. Artists are invited to submit work for “Road Trip” that expresses a theme relating to cars, journeys, and the open road. The exhibition will be held in HMA’s second floor Coe Gallery from Aug. 31 – Jan. 5, 2014.

The Hickory Museum of Art wants you to explore the theme of the personal automobile as it relates to your generation or your life’s journey or perhaps how it defined a certain personal Road Trip or a particular phase. How have you seen life from behind the steering wheel?

Joyce Kay Gordon, “Blue Motorcycle”, pastel on paper

The Museum is using (www.CallForEntry.org) (CaFÉ) to manage this call for artists. All entries must be submitted through CaFÉ by June 30, 2013. To view the prospectus, visit the CaFÉ website or (www.HickoryArt.org).

CaFÉ provides artists with an easy-to-use system to create a profile with contact information, upload digital images of their artwork, and apply to a number of open calls for entry at one time. There is no cost to register for this service.

Artists may submit up to three (3) images for a non-refundable $35 fee. (A $15 off coupon code is available for members of the Hickory Museum of Art. Please call Blair Phillips, Development Manager at 828/327-8576 for code.) Entry fees are non-refundable. Artists may enter their work ONLINE ONLY through CaFÉ (www.CallForEntry.org). CaFÉ accepts Mastercard/Visa.

The Museum is offering two cash prizes. Best in Show, selected by the jury panel, will receive $350 and a solo exhibition at the Museum. The People’s Choice Award will be selected by the public during The AutoLawn on Sept. 14; the winner receives $250. Voting will take place the day of event between 10am-3pm (only one ballot per person).

For further info call 828/327-8576 or visit (www.hickoryart.org).

Crystal Coast Quilters’ Guild in Morehead City, NC, Offers Annual Quilt Show – May 17 & 18, 2013

The Crystal Coast Quilters’ Guild will present its 31st Annual Show which will be at the Crystal Coast Civic Center, 3505 Arendell Street in Morehead City, NC, Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18, 2013 from 9am to 5pm each day.  Admission is only $6 and children under 12 are admitted free!

Visitors can purchase tickets to win the 2013 Opportunity Quilt which will be awarded on Saturday, May 18 at 4:30pm. (Need not be present to win.)  Tickets are $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00 and can be purchased from guild members or at the show.

Special exhibits which will appeal to the art community are two travelling exhibits. A special trunk show, “This Is a Quilt”, will showcase a collection of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) members’ creations. SAQA members are well known internationally and this is the first time an exhibit of theirs has been offered locally.

The second special exhibit is from the Artrageous Quilters’ 2013 Collection. Their work is “back by popular demand” and will surely please viewers as much as the past exhibits have.

The Crystal Coast Quilters’ Guild (CCQG) is a non-profit organization of quilters in eastern North Carolina dedicated to furthering the art of quilting.

Since 1982, our guild members have included quilters from several counties near Morehead City, as well as out-of-state members. In addition to hosting an annual quilt show each spring, members make and donate quilts to support local community charitable projects. The guild is committed to education and sponsors several workshops throughout the year, in addition to programs presented at the monthly meetings.

Guild membership is open to the public, and we invite you to join us at a meeting soon.  Come and see what the Crystal Coast Quilters’ Guild has to offer you!

For further info visit (www.crystalcoastquiltersguild.org).

5th Annual Charlotte Fine Art Show™ in Charlotte, NC, Announces Award Winners

The 5th annual Charlotte Fine Art Show™, took place Mother’s Day weekend, May 10, 11, and 12, 2013, Uptown at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC.

This show brings together the highest quality art and artists from around the nation in one, spectacular exhibition and art sale! Artists normally seen in the Miami, Chicago, New York, and Atlanta shows will be on site to personally discuss their work with you. Juried by a panel of art professionals, these artists represent the nation’s finest in all disciplines: sculpture, painting, fiber, clay, wood, jewelry, photography, and more.

Sponsored in part by the non-profit Institute for the Arts & Education, and by HotWorks™.

It was a beautiful show with the utmost quality of personally handmade and original art. Decision on judging was very difficult – it was based on technique/execution, original and booth appearance.

There was $1,500 in professional artist awards, as follows:

$500 Judge’s Award of Excellence

Michael Conti, Wood

Wycliff “Linc” Bennett, Mixed Media

$100 Awards of Excellence

Carl Crawford, Mixed Media

Julio Garcia, Mixed Media

C. Elizabeth Smathers, Basketry

Kathleen Weir-West, Fiber

Ali Wieboldt, Jewelry

For further info contact Patty Narozny, Executive Director, Charlotte Fine Art Show™ by calling 248/684-2613, e-mail at (Patty@HotWorks.org), or visit (www.HotWorks.org).

Rockingham County Arts Council in Wentworth, NC, is Accepting Applications for North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Arts Program Subgrants – Deadline June 28, 2013

Since 1977, the North Carolina Arts Council’s Grassroots Arts Program has provided North Carolina citizens access to quality arts experiences. Using a per capita based formula, the program provides funding for the arts in all 100 counties of the state through partnerships with local arts councils.

Rockingham County Arts Council serves as the North Carolina Arts Council’s partner in awarding subgrants to local organizations for arts programs in Rockingham County.

Applications are available for non-profit organizations whose purpose is to promote and develop diverse cultural arts programming in Rockingham County. Funding priority is given to qualified arts organizations (theaters, galleries, choral societies, festivals), arts in education programs conducted by qualified artists, and other community organizations that provide arts programs in the county. Grassroots funds are not generally awarded to arts organizations that receive funding through the North Carolina Arts Council’s State Arts Resources. Projects must occur between July1, 2013 – May 30, 2014.

Application forms and grant guidelines are available on the Rockingham County Arts Council website at (www.artsinrockingham.org) or may be picked up at the Rockingham County Arts Council office Monday, Thursday &  Friday between 11am-2pm. Rockingham County Arts Council will also mail applications and guidelines upon request. Applications must be received no later than 5pm, June 28, 2013.

Grant applications are evaluated by a diverse panel of community members and voted on by Rockingham County Arts Council Board of Directors. Awards are announced in September each year.

Please note: Budget changes by the General Assembly may affect the grant allotment we receive for 2013-2014.  Please consider contacting our representatives and let them know you support funding Grassroots Grants.

RCAC is the focal point/umbrella organization for the arts and information about the arts in Rockingham County. Our mission is to nurture and enrich the cultural life in Rockingham County.

For questions or more information, contact Rockingham County Arts Council by calling 336/349-4039 or e-mail to (info@artsinrockingham.org).

The Bascom in Highlands, NC, Hosts Mountains in Bloom Garden Festival July 11 – 14, 2013 – Deadline for Entries – July 3, 2013

“Truly, Mountains in Bloom is a gift from The Bascom to the community,” says Paula Walsh, Chair for the event. The middle of July will burst into bloom for this popular annual summer festival, a fundraiser for The Bascom visual arts center in Highlands, NC. There are opportunities to participate for all, and certainly, all can benefit from gardening tips from the experts, horticulture education and the visual treat of art in varied displays and featured gardens.

The events on Thursday, July 11, 2013, include a luncheon and lecture by Kathryn Crisp Greeley, author of “The Collected Tabletop”, at 11:30am and a Volunteer Preview Event with special guests Margot Shaw, founder/editor in chief of “Flower Magazine”, and Robert Balentine, CEO of Balentine LLC and lead sponsor, from 4 to 6pm. The Balentine Award for the most outstanding display of a native, indigenous plant in the Horticulture Division will be given during the show. On Friday and Saturday, July 12 and 13, fabulous private gardens will be on tour from 9am to 4pm, along with luncheon and the diverse Flower Show exhibits at The Bascom—flower arrangements, horticulture and garden photography. Mountains in Bloom will culminate with a festive Benefactor Party at The Farm at Old Edwards Inn on Sunday, July 14 at 6pm. Chef Johannes will prepare a sumptuous dinner, Jim Gibson will provide the music, and the coveted Balentine Award will be presented.

All-encompassing in its scope, this garden festival will feature a special non-judged Professional Class of floral designers’ arrangements, on display in the Atrium Gallery. Other classes of exhibits are Interpretation, in which the arranger interprets a painting (“Collecting Moss” by Krista Harris, one of four artists featured in The Bascom’s current exhibition, Southern Lights); Mass Class: “What ‘Wood’ You Create,” showing a mass arrangement in a wooden container, displayed alongside an exhibit of custom-designed wood furniture; and Tabletop collections coordinated with flowers in tune with another gallery exhibit. Reflecting the “Come Rain or Come Shine” theme is “You Might Need a Hat” exhibit and a children’s class inviting kids to arrange flowers in a shoe or boot for a display called “Look at My Feet.” Many class categories are limited, so entrants should submit forms before July 3. Entry forms may be printed from the website at (www.TheBascom.org/mountainsinbloom) or obtained at The Bascom.

“Entries are displayed throughout The Bascom’s early 1800’s hand-hewn post-and-beam Dave Drake Studio Barn, interspersed with the current exhibits,” says Ruth Claiborne, co-chair of the Flower Arrangement Division. “The show is open to entrants without any special qualifications, although it is a juried show, so the arrangement must be approved by the co-chairs and Passing Committee before it is placed on display. It gives an arranger a great sense of excitement to have his or her floral creation displayed in the midst of curated art in the galleries.”

The Horticulture Division showcases a variety of plants in categories such as Native and Non-Native Cut Specimens, Plants in Containers, Succulents (including a special exhibit of succulents grown by John Bills), Troughs, and “Old Friends,” plants owned more than five years. Another facet of the show is a professional and amateur Photography Division, based on themes of the show—“Simply Flowers” and “Come Rain or Come Shine” for entrants ages 18 and older. Submissions are being accepted now.

For more information on Mountains in Bloom and for tickets, go to (www.mountainsinbloom.com) or contact Claire Cameron, Events Manager, by calling 828/787-2882 or e-mail to (ccameron@thebascom.org).

Caldwell Arts Council in Lenoir, NC, Call for Entries for 28th Annual Sculpture Celebration – Deadline is Sept. 7, 2013

Caldwell Arts Council in Lenoir, NC, in partnership with Tri State Sculptors Association, announces the 28th Annual Sculpture Celebration to be held 9am to 4pm, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013, at T.H. Broyhill Walking Park in Lenoir.

The Celebration will feature sculptural artwork by artists from across the United States who are competing for cash prizes totaling more than $10,000. More than 150 sculptures – realistic and abstract, traditional and contemporary, movable and stationary, indoor and outdoor – will be on display and entered in the juried competition.  Juror for this year’s event is Craig Pleasants, Artistic Director of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.

Lenoir’s Annual Sculpture Celebration is recognized as the longest-running sculpture competition in the Southeast and a driving force in the area’s sculptor-friendly environment. The event started small but now attracts artists and visitors from across the United States. “This is a great show for experienced artists and for a first-time art experience,” says Lee Carol Giduz, Caldwell Arts Council Executive Director.

Artists may submit entries through Sept. 7, 2013. Registration to the juried Sculpture Celebration is open to any 3-D artist up to the day of the event, and each sculptor may present up to three sculptures. A registration prospectus is available by request from Caldwell Arts Council or online at (www.caldwellarts.com). Cost to register the day of the Sculpture Celebration is $65; discounts are available for early registration.

Lenoir is located in Caldwell County in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, off Hwy 321 between Hickory and the Blowing Rock / Boone area.

For further information about 28th Annual Sculpture Celebration and the public sculpture collection, contact Caldwell Arts Council by calling 828/754-2486, e-mail to (info@caldwellarts.com), or visit (www.caldwellarts.com).

Yadkin Arts Council in Yadkinville, NC, Calls for Submissions for Eye of the Artist Juried Show – Deadline June 10, 2013

The Yadkin Arts Council announces that submissions are now open for the “3rd Annual Juried Show – Eye of the Artist”. The award total has been increased this year to $3,000. Winners will be announced at the opening reception the evening of Friday, July 12, 2013 at 6pm.

The show is open to all North Carolina artists over the age of 18. The submission deadline is June 10, 2013. Both 2D and 3D works may be submitted. The show will be judged in entirety.

Page Laughlin, a Professor of Art at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, will be judging the exhibition. Laughlin has exhibited in numerous galleries throughout the US from New York to San Francisco and was awarded a North Carolina Arts Council fellowship in 2007. She was also a nominee for the USA Artist Fellowship. Her paintings have been shown in 39 solo and group competitions.

Details and application forms for the juried show are available at (www.yadkinarts.org).