Cedar Creek Gallery, Creedmoor, North Carolina

A beautiful Sunday morning, which Bruce and I thought this was a perfect time to drop off our some work to Cedar Creek Gallery. We have both been invited to select a few pieces of our ceramics to be included in the upcoming show, Art of the State. Visiting Cedar Creek is always an enjoyable experience for us. My favorite part is getting to look at the beautiful gardens, with the sculpture carefully placed to welcome visitors, and then to buy a few plants from their wonderful selection. Next is looking around inside the gallery (tomorrow's blog) at all of the great art and craft they have to see, touch, and purchase. Bruce has had a long time, and special relationship with Cedar Creek. Syd Oakley was a strong mentor and supporter of Bruce early on in the beginning of his professional career as a studio potter, and also invited him to have a solo show in 2001. The solo show was wonderful timing for us, because it provided a focus right after moving onto our new property, and setting up Bulldog Pottery here in Seagrove.

Brad Tucker has his studio right next door to Cedar Creek Gallery, and as I selected plants for Gloria and I, Bruce and Brad caught up on the latest pottery politics and gossip.

Brad Tucker and Bruce Gholson at Cedar Creek Gallery

As I walked down the pathway to Cedar Creek Gallery I am immediately put into another world with the sculpture welcoming me to relax, enjoy, and have fun.

Cabins were moved from various places and rebuilt in the front yard of Cedar Creek Gallery


The gardens around Cedar Creek are the creation and ongoing tweaking of John Martin. John and Jeff Bottoms offer their plants for sale. There is a wonderful selection to choose from.


I will venture and show the Gallery soon.

The Art Walk in Raleigh

We had a busy weekend in Raleigh. On Saturday we joined 12 members of the Carolina Designer Craftsmen Guild for their Art Walk in Five Points. We all talked with a steady stream of interested visitors throughout the day. We enjoyed the company of Artists: Lillian Jones, Marina Bosetti, and Addison Page. It was a beautiful, gently warm overcast day, just perfect for walking around the neighborhoods.

We brought a selection of our moka glaze pottery and our decorative art crystalline vases. We were happy to see, and speak with some familiar faces and also meet new people too.

Here are the works of the three women artists that we spent the day getting to know. They all have websites with wonderful images of their work. Below are only quick photo shots of their work. Visiting their individual websites is a must, to see the quality of their work.

I shared the front porch with tile maker Marina Bosetti.

Our host was Lillian Jones. She makes richly enameled jewelry.

Addison Page showcased her art quilts.

Carolina Designer Craftsmen Art Walk, Five Points, Raleigh, NC

The Carolina Designer Craftsmen are sponsoring an Art Walk in Five Points, Raleigh, NC. This weekend on May 2 from 10 am - 5 pm we will be in Raleigh with a selection of our work. Ed and Gloria will have our studio open here in Seagrove as well.

Our host for the studio tour is Lillian Jones (a jeweler/enamel), we will be at her home on her porch with Marina Bosetti (a tile maker), and a sister/brother team Addison Paige & Eric Paige (whimsical clock makers).

More participating artists are:

Julie Olsen (clay)
Cathy Kiffney (clay)
Bill Hickman (welded steel sculptures)
Jennifer Mecca (clay)
Teddy Devereux (fused glass artist)
Elizabeth Lyne (jeweler)
Sandra McEwen (enamel jeweler)
Betty McKim (enamel jeweler)

For a downloadable map go here.
Or you can pick up a copy of the map from the following locations.
Maps are available at the following locations:

Logans Trading Company_707 Semart Dr_Raleigh, NC 27604

The Third Place Coffee Shop_1811 Glenwood Ave_Raleigh, NC

Whole Foods_3540 Wade Ave_Raleigh, NC 27607

Ornamentea_509 N West St_Raleigh, NC 27603

Face Bottles

Here are a couple of Bruce's Face Bottles that came out of a recent firing.  The bottle below was donated to the most recent North Carolina Pottery Center auction.  

Energizer Max

 Maxwell has all of the energy left around here.  He has developed a fondness for any ball (particularly this red one), and just cannot get enough.  He walks around with it, and loves to play fetch and catch, he is an awesome dog.

We had a great weekend here at home in Seagrove.  We enjoyed good conversations with visitors to our studio.  Made new friends and got to know other friends better.   Way cool. Bruce and I are taking it slow for the next few days, and catching up on the stuff that got put off.   

We have a couple of events in May that we will be bringing our pottery to.  One of them is the Carolina Designer Craftsman Art Walk in Five Points of Raleigh, on May 2.  Then on May 9 we will be at a fundraiser for the Historic Rosedale Plantation in Charlotte.

We are getting geared up for our next exciting event, Cousins in Clay on June 6 & 7,  with Michael Kline, which will take place here at our home in Seagrove.  We are going to be making new pieces for our crystalline glazes.  This will include wall hangings, vases, jars, and probably some yunomis.   Always hard to predict where the spinning wheel will take us.  But for now we will chill,  and move slowly for a couple of days.

OH OH , We know what Max wants.

Getting Ready for Tomorrow

We unloaded our kiln load today.  Everything looked good.  We unloaded some pretty tumblers, covered jars, a few mugs, plates, bottles, large bowls, a few chargers....  Overall everything is happy.  Ed and Gloria helped out today.  Ed helped carry pots from the kiln and Gloria and Ed cleaned the bottoms.  
We took a lunch break outside today.  It was such a pretty day.  We are looking forward to this weekend.  

Part VIII: Community Seagrove Woodfiring at the North Carolina Pottery Center

Bruce is showing the bottle he has picked out for his donation to this weekend's North Carolina Pottery Center Annual Auction 2:30-6:ish

We are busy (to say the least) getting ready for our kiln opening here at Bulldog Pottery taking place this weekend on April 18th and 19th.  There are around 40 potteries joining in on the festive Celebration of Spring in Seagrove : Seagrove Potter's Kiln Openings.  We took time out on Monday morning to unload the wood kiln at the NCPC.  Results were interesting,  I think as we fire the kiln more as a group we will figure out a few things to do differently.  Maybe a little more thought on dividing the pottery between the glaze chamber and salt chamber.  I believe more people were wanting their pieces in the salt side.  Also to bring a few cups each as we seemed to be wanting some drinking cups to fill spaces.

Anyway, I will run down through the images that I have below with a bit of explanation.  We are off tomorrow to go see The Dead in Charlottesville.  We saw them this past Sunday night in Greensboro.  It was a fantastic show and we both has a great time listening to the music and watching the crowd cheer.  It was a happy time.  

Unstacking the bricks of the doors to the two chambers 

Making a train to move the pottery from the kiln area to spread along the ground for better viewing

Unloading the glaze chamber

We had a nice unloading rhythm going

Some potters were working at cleaning the shelves, others re-stacking bricks

Observing the pots that were unloaded

Sorting some of the pieces

The potters are sorting through all of the pieces looking for their pots

Here is one of Bruce's agate bottles with a celadon over the three different colored clays.  The main portion of the piece is the new Starworks Ceramics local clay.  If you are interested in buying some get in touch with STARceramics.  The clay throws really well.  Bruce is looking through the bottles figuring our which one he would like to donate.  He picked the golden honey at the front of the picture.

The potters are discussing some of the results from the kiln

Here are some of the pieces that were donated to the North Carolina Pottery Center's Auction taking place this weekend.  Each potter that participated in the firing donated a piece.

Part VII : Seagrove Community Woodfiring at the North Carolina Pottery Center

North Carolina Pottery Center

Thank you to the North Carolina Pottery Center for providing their facilities to the Seagrove Community Potters' wood firing, and potluck in their educational building.  The NCPC had a successful event yesterday, with over 200 people through its doors to listen to music and an Owen/Owens exhibition catalog signing.  The Center has a wonderful historic collection, frequent exhibitions, and is very important to Potters and Collectors in general, as well as North Carolina residents.  The next exhibition is "Dan Finch and the Finch studio Potters".  Pottery has a strong heritage and foundation in North Carolina, and today's potters are continuing the tradition of handmade objects.  Become a member, and support the North Carolina Pottery Center.  Come out to the annual fundraising auction "Faces for the Center" on April 18th from 2:30 - 6:00ish.  This is truly a wonderful place. 

The kiln fired off at 9:30pm.   

David (Seagrove Stoneware), Santiago (STARworks Ceramics), David (Turn and Burn)

David (Seagrove Stoneware) and David (Turn and Burn)

Takaro (STARworks Ceramics)

David

David (Seagrove Stoneware), David (Turn and Burn), and Hitomi (STARworks Ceramics)

Potters and Friends watching other people work

Chad Brown (Chad Brown P.) giving his "Black Ankle" smile, and Anne Partna (STARworks Garden) giving her "Estonia" smile

Will (McCanless), Bruce (Bulldog), Eddie (Wet Dog Glass), Jeffrey (Dean and Martin)

Crowd

Jennie (JLK Jewelry), Carol Gentithes (Johnston and Gentithes)

Bonnie (Great White Oak), Jennie (JLK Jewlery), Pam Owens (Jugtown)