Celebration of Spring in Seagrove Kiln Openings

The potters of Seagrove are gearing up for the Celebration of Spring in Seagrove. This event takes place on April 17 and 18 and is special because it is focused on meeting the potters at their individual studios and talking with them about their work right where it is made.

There are some bloggers that are talking about the Spring Kiln opening this weekend, check out Avery Pottery, Whynot Pottery, Fire Shadow Pottery, and Tom Gray Pottery . There are many more potters in Seagrove that are very busy right now getting ready for the big weekend.

You can check out Seagrove Potters website, Discover Seagrove to find out what some of the potters will be up too this weekend as well as future dated events.

Seagrove in the Blogosphere

A Glorious Spring Day in Seagrove, NC

"It was April 18, 2009, and by 6am, Linda and I were in the car headed for Seagrove, NC, for the first day of the Celebration of Spring in Seagrove where over 40 potteries in the area would be greeting visitors who would be coming to see new works - many fresh from the potter’s kilns. Estimated arrival time was 10am where we would meet up with our friend and part time technical advisor, Will Ravenel, at the parking lot of the NC Pottery Center in Seagrove.

I felt it was only fair to get Will to join us from Greensboro, NC, since some folks think people in Greensboro would have a hard time finding their way to Seagrove to find great pottery. And, as I expected, he had no trouble and actually beat us there - just before 10am.

I’m having a little fun with the folks who thought they had to take Seagrove pottery to Greensboro for some reason. As I’ve said before, if you want to see Seagrove pottery - go to Seagrove."....

To read a detailed summary of Tom Starland's trip to Seagrove go to Carolina Arts Unleashed Blog.

Celebration of Spring in Seagrove Kiln Openings

It is springtime here in Seagrove, North Carolina and what wonderful time it is to have Celebration of Spring in Seagrove pottery kiln openings!

It is that time of the year again, when the potters of Seagrove are gearing up for celebrating spring with an array of pottery from recent kiln firings. Read about the spring kiln openings at Carolina Arts Unleashed.

Create your own glass egg at STARworks Glass

Create your own Easter Egg

Where: STARworks Glass Studio in Star

When: April 1 5:30-7:30

We invite you and your family to try your hand at hot glass making. You can work together as a family or individually to make your own glass egg. Guests are also invited to come down and just watch this process, that is unlike any other. There will be items for sale ranging from $15 and up, and are functional as well as decorative. Don't miss this one-of-a-kind experience for you and your family. $30 to make your own Easter Egg.

Starworks Glass Lab
P.O. Box 159
Star, NC 27356
Nick@starworksnc.org
Starworksnc.org

North Carolina Pottery Center - Local Potters Demonstrate Techniques

Tomorrow, Saturday-March 19 at the North Carolina Pottery Center there will be 5 local Seagrove Potters demonstrating their pottery craft in the NCPC's Educational building.

The Asheboro Courier Tribune Martha Anderson writes...

"SEAGROVE — On Saturday, five of the exhibitors in the “New Generation of Seagrove Potters” will demonstrate wheel and hand-throwing techniques from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the N.C. Pottery Center in Seagrove.

Wheel and hand throwing are the methods of creating the vessel from wet clay and is the first step in making a pottery piece.

Fees have been waived for visitors to the pottery center on Saturday. Visitors are invited to tour the center, see the exhibition and watch the potters at work and talk with them about their craft.

Featured artists and demonstration times are:

X 10-11 a.m. — Samantha Henneke of Bulldog Pottery will demonstrate throwing on the wheel. Henneke specializes in contemporary art pottery with unusual, iridescent, crystalline glazes with a distinctive luster surface.

X 11 a.m.-noon — Crystal King of Crystal King Pottery and Folk Art will demonstrate hand sculpting. King specializes in animals. King is recognized by folk art collectors for her unique style of hand building and colorful use of glazes. Her whimsical creatures center around animals and Bible stories.

X Noon-1 p.m. — Travis Owens from Jugtown Pottery will demonstrate wheel throwing. Owens has lived his entire 25 years at Jugtown and has been making pots since he was 2. His specialties are traditional wares like those his great-grandparents made as well as chickens and pigs — early shapes of Jugtown. He has led workshops and demonstrations all over the state and has written articles and produced videos on young potters and the history of pottery.

X 1-2 p.m. — Tommy Nichols from Nichols Pottery will demonstrate wheel throwing. Nichols specializes in stoneware in all the traditional shapes with colorful glazes. He also makes specialty stoneware items such as birdhouses and angels.

X 2-3 p.m. — Chad Brown from Chad Brown Pottery will demonstrate wheel throwing. Brown grew up in the workshops of legendary potters around Seagrove. He could made clay animals before he started to school. Brown worked for and learned from many area potters before opening his own studio. He makes traditional pieces, but really likes big jars. The New Generation of Seagrove Potters exhibit will continue through April 10.

The N.C. Pottery Center is located at 233 East Ave., Seagrove.

More information is online at www.ncpotterycenter.com or call (336) 873-8530.

X Contact: 626-6116 or manderson@courier-tribune.com

17th Annual Kovack Spring Pottery Festival

March 13-21, 2010

17th Annual Kovack Spring Pottery Festival

A truly unique event featuring a huge selection of Numbered, Limited Edition Collector's pieces.

Hand-turned by Craig Koack and Hand-Painted by Michelle Kovack.

Each piece comes with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the Kovacks.

Certificates are given out only during this event.

New items are available along with festival favorites.

Wood-Fired Salt-Glaze pottery is also in stock.

Potters Gather to Build Bridges

Potters gather to build bridges

By Robin B. Breedlove -- Special to The Courier-Tribune
Posted: 03/06/10 - 10:19:15 pm CST

"SEAGROVE — More than 7,500 miles separate Seagrove, North Carolina, and Jingdezhen, China. Yet a group of like-minded individuals met Wednesday night over a potluck dinner to begin the process of building a bridge linking the two locations.

Guest of honor for the evening, hosted at the studio of potter Ben Owen, was Jackson Li, an internationally recognized Chinese ceramic artist, and his wife, Ying.

Li, a graduate of Jingdezhen Ceramics Institute, also received a master of fine arts degree at Alfred University in New York. He is the co-founder of Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute in the Jiangxi Province in China. He is an active supporter in promoting international exchange art programs, reaching out as an educator and liaison for ceramic artists.

Thanks to Seagrove’s continual tradition of pottery making that goes back to before the American Revolution — something that sets Seagrove apart from most pottery areas in the United States — Li has found Seagrove a unique place to reach out......

To read the rest of the article visit the Courier Tribune's (Asheboro, NC) website. "