NC Potters Conference Transitioning to North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC, in 2020

Once a year, for the past thirty-one years, potters and ceramic artists have converged on Asheboro, NC, from across the country and beyond to attend the North Carolina Potters Conference where they are able to see demonstrations and hear presentations by world-renowned potters. Created by Dwight Holland, Mark Hewitt, and Dorothy Auman, the conference is one of the oldest annual gatherings of potters in the US and has always featured strong educational and networking components. In March of 2019, potters and ceramic artists will again converge on Asheboro for the 32nd annual Potters Conference, a long-time event hosted by the Randolph Arts Guild.

Beginning with the 2020 conference, the North Carolina Pottery Center, located in Seagrove, NC, will assume organizational leadership and host the conference. The Randolph Arts Guild established a firm foundation on which the NC Pottery Center can build and improve the event. Reginald Scott, executive director, stated that the decision to relinquish management of the NC Potters Conference was a difficult one for the board of directors because of the number of years the organization has managed the event. From the beginning, the NC Potters Conference has been recognized nationally and internationally as a premiere ceramics event not only due to the quality of the presenters and lecturers but because of the unparalleled hospitality offered by the Guild’s staff and volunteers. Scott offered, “Not only is transitioning the conference to the North Carolina Pottery Center a good move for both organizations and those who attend the conference, the support and attention the Center staff can devote to its planning will take it to the next level.”

With the 2020 conference only sixteen months away there is a lot of work to be done, but the NC Pottery Center is already generating plans and ideas to enhance the conference. Lindsey Lambert, executive director of the North Carolina Pottery Center, shares, “Right now, we’re assessing the logistical details of the conference and creating a blueprint for how we want the conference to look. The exact details regarding conference activities, venues, and food have not been set yet. We do hope to make use of Seagrove’s new convention center space, which is scheduled to be completed in 2019, for at least a portion of the conference activities.” The Center also wants to ensure that the Randolph Arts Guild remains involved in the conference in some way given the guild’s long history with the conference.

Lambert adds, “The NC Pottery Center is honored to be hosting the North Carolina Potters Conference in 2020 and beyond. The NC Potters Conference has a great reputation and given our mission, Sharing North Carolina’s Clay Stories, Past and Present!, the Center is a perfect fit to carry on the rich tradition of the conference. Additionally, the Center is happy to be able to step in and take over to ensure that the NC Potters Conference, and the revenue it generates for local businesses, continues and remains right here, in Randolph County, the heart of North Carolina.”

Exhibitions are made possible through the generosity of our membership, the Mary and Elliott Wood Foundation, the John W. and Anna H. Hanes 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., from 10am – 4pm.

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

Native American Studies Center in Lancaster, SC, Offers “Activism of Women” Symposium, Keynote Speech Held During Native American Studies Week – Mar. 20, 2018

From Native American activism in the Dakota Access Pipeline movements to the exploration of symbolism in contemporary artwork, four female panelists will discuss their roles in modern Native movements during the “Activism of Native Women” symposium on Tuesday, Mar. 20, 2018, from 2 – 4pm.

Held at USC Lancaster’s Bundy Auditorium, at UNC-Lancaster in Lancaster, the symposium takes place in conjunction with the Native American Studies Center’s 13th Annual Native American Studies Week.

“In most current activism movements of the 20th-21st century, what you typically see is that Native women are at the forefront of these movements,” said Dr. Brooke Bauer, a citizen of the Catawba Indian Nation and a USCL Assistant Professor of Native American Studies and History.

Dr. Elizabeth Ellis, a citizen of the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and an Assistant Professor in the History Department at New York University, will present “In the Wake of Standing Rock: Activism, Academia, and the Fight for American Indian Sovereignty in the 21st Century.” Ellis will discuss her activism as a leader with the Philadelphia Standing Rock gatherings supporting the Standing Rock water protectors of North and South Dakota.

Dr. Courtney Lewis, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and an Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina Columbia, will present “The Subversive Act of Indigenous Small Business Ownership,” taking a look at economic development in the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Jamie Powell is a citizen of the Osage Nation and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She will present “An Ethnography of ‘The Field:’ Contemporary Art and Critical Interventions,” discussing her research of Osage ribbon work, inspired by her grandmother, renowned ribbon worker Georgeann Gray Robinson.

Marvel Welch of the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs, a member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, will present “Future in Tomorrow’s (FIT),” taking a look at the Indian Child Welfare Act in North Carolina.

After the panel, hear Catawba activist and keynote speaker DeLesslin George-Warren present “Remembering the Past, Healing the Present, and Creating the Future,” also in Bundy Auditorium. George-Warren will discuss the history of presidential policies toward indigenous people and his work with the Catawba language revitalization project. Refreshments will be served at 5pm and George-Warren will speak at 5:30pm.

The “Activism of Native Women” symposium, “Remembering the Past, Healing the Present, and Creating the Future,” and other events offered during Native American Studies Week are sponsored in part by OceanaGold/Haile Operation. Events are free and open to the public.

For more information, call 803/313-7172.

Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC, to Host a One-Day Contemporary Native American Art Symposium – Nov. 10, 2017

Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC, will host a one-day Contemporary Native American Art Symposium from 9am-4pm (free with registration, while space lasts) on Nov. 10, 2017, at the WCU Bardo Arts Center.

Shan Goshorn, Self Portrait (From the Earth Renewal Series) computer-generated, double-exposed black/white photo on canvas, hand-applied photo oils, 60″ x 40″

Immediately following from 5-7pm is the exhibition reception for “Return from Exile: Contemporary Southeastern Indian Art”. The reception features live artist demonstrations and traditional Cherokee food tastings. Then immediately following the reception, is the ticketed keynote performance from electronic tribal hip-hop group, A Tribe Called Red (ATCR) at 7:30pm.

“The symposium brings together a veritable who’s who of Southeastern indigenous artists, curators, collectors, and scholars. Anyone interested in Native art shouldn’t miss this rare opportunity to engage with so much knowledge and talent,” said Jeff Marley is the Heritage Arts Dept. Chair for the Nantahala School for the Arts at Southwestern Community College.

Western Carolina University, 1 University Drive, Cullowhee, NC 28723, Bardo Arts Center 137B

For further info call Jill Jacobs, Marketing Manager at 828/227-2505.

Robeson Community College in Lumberton, NC, Offers Arts Entrepreneurship Summit – Mar. 20, 2015

Robeson Community College in partnership with the Robeson County Arts Council and the Lumberton Area Visitor’s Bureau in Lumberton, NC, will host the Arts Entrepreneurship Summit, “Thriving in the Business of Art”, on Friday, Mar. 20 in Building 14 and Saturday, Mar. 21, 2015, in the Charles V. Chrestman Workforce Development Center on the main campus. This event promises to be lively and educational featuring famed storyteller J. W. Rone as the keynote speaker. The summit will also offer a poetry slam, live demonstrations and multiple seminars/workshops designed to assist artists and craftsmen in starting and expanding their businesses. Some of the subjects of these seminars/workshops will include:

•Grant writing for non-profit arts organizations
•How to convert your hobby into a legal, profitable business
•New North Carolina taxes applicable to nonprofit organizations
•Incorporating graphic arts/design in marketing your business
•Copyrights, patents and protection of intellectual property
•How to market, price and sell yourself in the performing arts
•Creating community collaboration in support of art businesses
•Establishing a performing arts organization
•How to start and manage a successful art gallery
•How and where to market, price and sell your art: visual artist and craftspeople

The cost of this two-day event has been reduced to $27 which includes a light breakfast and lunch.  Plan now to be a part of this unique event.

Additional information about this summit and the complete agenda can be viewed by visiting this direct link: (https://www.ncsbc.net/center.aspx?center=75420). You may also access this information by using the following steps (1) go to (www.ncsbc.net) (2) Select Contact Your Local SBC (3) Select Robeson County from the map of North Carolina (4) Select Robeson Community College Arts Entrepreneurship Summit. You may register for this event from this website or by calling 910/272-3631 or e-mailing to (bmoore@robeson.edu).

The Harvey B. Gantt Center in Charlotte, NC, Offers Actor, Author and Grammy Award-Winning Artist, Common, for Second Annual Gantt Symposium – Oct. 2, 2014

The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in Charlotte, NC, will host its second annual Gantt Symposium, sponsored by Wells Fargo, on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014 with actor, author and Grammy award-winning artist, Common.  Common will speak at 7pm at Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts.

Common

“Wells Fargo is pleased to provide significant underwriting support for the Gantt Symposium. This year’s speaker, Common, will continue to add to the thought-provoking dialogue that last year’s inaugural Gantt Symposium generated with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, ” said Jay Everette, Wells Fargo Senior Vice President of Community Affairs.

“The 2014 Gantt Symposium naturally follows the work we initiated with the ‘Question Bridge: Black Males’ exhibition,” said David Taylor, Gantt Center President & CEO. “Common’s talk on greatness supports the Gantt Center’s goal to mark our 40th anniversary by celebrating artists who use their work to create social change.”

Tracing his journey from childhood to today, the Grammy award-winning artist will share defining moments that influenced the discovery of his voice – his tool for achieving professional success, and creating social change. From Michael Jackson to Emmitt Till, Common will trace major influences on his path to discovering greatness with the hope of inspiring others.

Known as the King of Conscious Hip-Hop, Common is one of music’s most poetic and respected lyricists. A truly multifaceted talent, Common has recorded nine studio albums, currently plays freed slave Elam Ferguson in the AMC historical drama series “Hell on Wheels”, and has appeared in several motion pictures including “American Gangster”, opposite Denzel Washington, and “Wanted”, opposite Angelina Jolie.  In addition to his film and musical pursuits, Common is also an author and philanthropist. Having released several children’s books, as well as his memoir “One Day It’ll All Make Sense”, Common also launched the Common Ground Foundation, an organization dedicated to the empowerment and development of America’s urban youth.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.4 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in more than 35 countries to support the bank’s customers who conduct business in the global economy. With more than 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States.  Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortune’s 2012 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.

Founded in 1974, Charlotte’s Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture (formerly the Afro-American Cultural Center) exists to present, preserve and celebrate the art, history and culture of African-Americans and those of African descent through dance, music, visual and literary arts, film, educational programs, theatre productions and community outreach. Named for Harvey B. Gantt, the prominent Charlotte architect and community leader and former Mayor of Charlotte, the Center is housed in an inspired and distinguished award-winning structure and is home to the nationally celebrated John and Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American art.

Tickets to the Gantt Symposium are on sale to the public at (www.ganttcenter.org). Seats are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, and $10 for students. For further info visit (www.ganttcenter.org).

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture, in Charlotte, NC, Invites You to “Question Bridge” Blueprint Roundtable – Jan. 17, 2014

The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture, in Charlotte, NC, invites you to a “Question Bridge” Blueprint Roundtable, a panel discussion with “Question Bridge” artist Bayeté Ross Smith, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2014, at 7pm in the Knight Theater at the Levine Center for the Arts in Charlotte, NC.

Lend your voice to a “Question Bridge”-inspired dialogue with local black male leaders answering the question, “Why didn’t you leave us a blueprint?” “Question Bridge” artist Bayeté Ross Smith will introduce this powerful conversation that seeks to build bridges and dismantle communication boundaries between generations regarding education, work, family and community.

This event is free and open to the public.

Joseph Butler, co-host of WGIV’s “Start Something” will moderate.

Panelists include:

No Limit Larry, host of “The Morning Madhouse”, Power 98 WPEG

Reginald Bean, author & Director of Multicultural Marketing at Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated

Javen Cannon, Myers Park HS Senior and Possibility Project Youth Leader

Juan Logan, artist and retired Professor, UNC Chapel Hill

Gary McFadden, former CMPD Detective

Adrian Sundiata, Dean of Students at Crossroads Charter High School

Nick Wharton, President of Wharton and Wharton Associates

A five-channel video installation and a 2012 Sundance Film Festival Official Selection, “Question Bridge: Black Males” – which inspired the roundtable – is on view at the Gantt Center through June 1, 2014. Get your free tickets now for the “Question Bridge” Blueprint Roundtable. Space is limited.

For more information, visit (www.ganttcenter.org) or call 704/547-3763.

University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, Offers Sumposium on Sideshows – Mar. 28, 2013

The McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, will present “Step Right Up! The Symposium” on Thursday, Mar. 28, 2013, starting at 5:30pm. Featuring lively presentations about the cultural and social history of the sideshow, the symposium will feature Dr. Robert Bogdan of Syracuse University, Kathy Maher from the Barnum Museum, James Taylor, publisher of the journal “Shocked and Amazed”, and artist Rebecca Davenport.

Work by Rebecca Davenport

Focusing on several key themes, McKissick Museum’s exhibition “Step Right Up! Sideshows in American Culture” explores the dynamic nature of sideshow culture, the concept of “the other,” and the public perception of showmanship and exploitation. “Ideas of what defines ‘normalcy’ are very subjective,” says Saddler Taylor, McKissick Museum’s Chief Curator of Folklife and Fieldwork. “The history of the sideshow provides an opportunity to explore the complexities involved with defining what  being ‘normal’ means  and why we as human beings are so fascinated with the unfamiliar, the mysterious.”

Please register for “Step Right Up! The Symposium” at (http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5649688370). This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit (http://artsandsciences.sc.edu/mckissickmuseum/index.php?q=welcome) or call Ja–Nae Epps at 803/777-2876.