Thursday, November 15, 2012

Celebration of Seagrove Potters, Seagrove, North Carolina


Celebration of Seagrove Potters Nov 16- 18, 2012,  Seagrove North Carolina
 5th Annual Celebration of Seagrove Potters 
 November 16th - 18th, 2012 
Nov. 16 - Friday evening gala from 6:00pm-9:00pm
Nov. 17 - Saturday 9:00am - 6:00pm
Nov. 18 - Sunday 10:00am- 4:00pm
Historic Luck's Cannery is located around a mile from Seagrove on Pottery Highway 705


Seagrove potters have been hard at work in preparation for the big event. This year’s Celebration features 65 Seagrove pottery shops and more than 100 authentic Seagrove artists. The Celebration, held in the historic Luck’s Cannery on N.C. Highway 705 in Seagrove, is one of the most spectacular pottery events in North Carolina. Approximately 5,000 people visit each year throughout the weekend.

The Friday Night Gala, November 16th, provides customers the opportunity to preview all the pottery available and to be first in line to purchase. Additionally, they enjoy live jazz music and meet and greet with potters during the catered reception. This year features local restaurant, "Something Different" of Asheboro, music from "The Gary Woodard Band" and samples from local Asheboro brewery "Four Saints".

You can purchase your Gala tickets here online. Tickets for the Gala are $40 in advance. The Gala ticket price also includes Saturday and Sunday admission to the Celebration. Event tickets can be purchased at the door for $5, with children 12 and under admitted free.

The collaborative auction is an exciting aspect of the Gala. The auction offers the rare opportunity to bid on special pots created by two or more potters working together. These unique pots showcase each individual’s talent, creating one of the most diverse and exceptional groupings of highly collectable pots available. For a preview of what will be offered during the Gala auction, visit Celebration of Seagrove Potters

Among the collaborations are works by Bruce Gholson and Ben Owen, Pam and Travis Owens and Jennie Keatts, Sid Luck and Stacy Lambert, David Garner and Jeff McDowell, Michael Mahan and Will McCanless, Frank Neef and Paul Ray, Donna Craven and Susan Greene, Janice and Bruce Latham, Crystal King and Jeffery Dean, Bonnie Burns and Chris Luther, Michael Mahan and Phil Pollet. The Celebration of Seagrove Potters can also be followed on Facebook. Potters regularly post updates and photos of what they have been working on.

The Celebration continues November 17th, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and November 18th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday visitors will have the opportunity to bid on special pots donated for the silent auction, which takes place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Potters will demonstrate throughout the weekend event. Demonstrating potters include: Eck McCanless, Michael Mahan, Sid Luck, Ben Owen, Charles “Doc” Tostoe, Frank Neef, Jared Zehmer and David Fernandez. 

Children are encouraged to attend the event with two booths designed with them in mind. In one, children have the opportunity to explore their creativity with hands-on activities. The other features donated pots that only children can purchase, priced from $1 to $5. The proceeds benefit art programs in local schools.

Participating shops are: Avery, Ben Owen, Blue Hen, Blue Stone, Bulldog, Caldwell-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, Fireshadow, Frank Neef, From the Ground Up, Gingerbread House, Great White Oak, Hatfield, Hickory Hill, Jessica Dennis, JLK Jewelry, Johnston & Gentithes, Jugtown, Keith Martindale, King’s, Koepnick, Kovack, Lantern Hill, Latham’s, Luck’s Ware, Lufkin, McCanless, McKay, Michele Hastings & Jeff Brown, Nelda French, Nichols, Ol' Henry, Old Gap, Original Owens, Patrick Rowe, Pebbles, Potts, Ray, Riggs, Rockhouse, Seagrove Stoneware, Snowhill, Studio Touya, The Hutch, Thomas, Tom Gray,Triple C, Turn & Burn, Uwharrie Crystalline, Whynot, Windsong and Zehmer.

The Celebration appreciates the support of the following sponsors: Life 103.1, The Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau, First Bank, Wet Dog Glass, Randolph Telephone Membership Corporation, Asheboro Elastics, Starworks, Insurance Associates of the Triad, NC Zoo Society, Carolina Arts, Flowers on Main, Four Saints Brewery, Mistletoe Meadows, Village Printing, Prevo Drugs, Upton Accounting, Stan Beck Insurance, TreesNC, Bay Electric and Century Link.

More information about the Seagrove area pottery tradition and the potters who are carrying on that tradition can be found at Discover Seagrove website. Be sure to stop by the Patron Membership table at the Celebration to get information on special events and offers available at individual shops throughout the year.



Ed Henneke purchasing his Celebration of Seagrove Potters sweat shirt

Celebration of Seagrove Potters Announcement

Collaboration thrown by Bruce Gholson and glazed by Ben Owen III

Collaboration thrown by Chris Luther and decorated by Bonnie Burns

Sid Luck of Luck's Ware at the Celebration of Seagrove Potters


Celebration of Seagrove Potters 

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Ceramic Art of North Carolina University and College Faculty

"Ceramics Art of North Carolina University and College Faculty" - November 10, 2012 - January 19, 2013

The North Carolina Pottery Center invites the public is cordially invited to attend the opening reception of the upcoming Exhibition: “Ceramic Art of North Carolina University and College Faculty,” at the North Carolina Pottery Center.   

Opening Reception on November 10
“Ceramic Art of North Carolina University and College Faculty"
Saturday, November 10, 2012 
12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m
 North Carolina Pottery Center
  233 East Avenue in SeagroveNC.
336-873-8430   

Show runs from November 10, 2012- January 19, 2013



An illustrated catalog documenting the work will accompany the show and will be available for sale.

The Exhibition showcases the high quality and rich diverseness of clay art created by faculty who are instructors of ceramics at universities and colleges throughout North Carolina.  At the same time, it gives evidence of the experience available to college students in North Carolina’s Universities and Colleges and aptly reflects the spirit of design and the faculty’s commitment to North Carolina’s ceramic education.

Featured faculty in the exhibit are; Lynn Duryea, Lisa M. Stinson, and Roy Strassberg of Appalachian State University,  Mark Gordon of Barton College, Seo Eo and Jim Tisnado of East Carolina University, Michael Sanford of Elon College, Socorro Hernandez of Fayetteville State University, Janet Gaddy of Greensboro College, Charles Tefft of Guilford College, Andrea Wheless of High Point University, Holly Fischer, Warner Hyde, and Lisa F. Pearce of Meredith College, Yun-Dong Nam of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Janet Williams of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Nikki Blair of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Vicky Smith of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Leah Leitson of Warren Wilson College, Joan Byrd and George Rector of Western Carolina University, and Marilyn Hartness of Wingate University.

Also on Saturday, November 10th, the Center is opening its doors and grounds for the education and benefit of the public with 5th generation Seagrove potter Chad Brown of the Chriscoe family, firing the groundhog kiln on the pottery center lawn. The firing of the groundhog kiln takes approximately 15 hours and uses 2 cords of wood. The public is welcome to come out to view the firing and see how the process was done over 200 years ago and still continues today.