2014-03-29 - Saturday - Hickory Show

On Saturday morning, Ju-Ian and I went to Hickory to attend the pottery show.  It's a great show with many talented potters showing top shelf work.

I missed getting photos of several potters and got some really blurry photos of others (I guess the old hands aren't as steady as they used to be).  I've only included the ones that are passable.  My apologies to everyone else.

It was a lot of fun chatting with everyone and I purchased two pieces.  A Kate Johnston vase and a plate by John Vigeland of East Fork Pottery.

Kim Ellington

Jim Whalen with a customer.

Chad Smith with his family.

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Saturday - Big pottery day

Saturday was a big annual pottery day.

First, the Mint Museum's 7th Annual Potters Market Invitational.  I try to get there every year to see the latest work by some of my favorite artists, meet new artists, and occasionally purchase some small items.  (This year I snapped up two cups and will post them later.)


It was steamy inside the huge tent on the Mint's lawn, but it was well worth the perspiration.  I caught up with Matt Jones (whom I hadn't seen since the last Thrown Together sale).  He had a great selection of new work fresh from the kiln.  Michel Bayne was there with his great faces and other decorations, like lobsters.  I stopped to see Kim Ellington and his great wood-fired work.  The last time I saw Kim, he was giving a lecture inside the Mint. I also had the pleasure of meeting Judith Duff and Donna Craven.  I have been a big fan of their work for a while now.


I stopped to talk with several other artists, including Bruce Gholson and Samantha Heineke of Bulldog Pottery, David Stuempfle, I could only wave to Ronan Peterson of Nine Toes Pottery since he was swamped with customers.  I stopped in to see Amy Sanders, but quickly got out of the way when some people wanted to become customers.  For the third year in a row I tried to meet Ben Owen, but when I saw him in the booth he was surrounded and when I looked again (and again) he was gone.  One of these days I will catch up with him.

Matt Jones

Michel Bayne

Kim Ellington

Judith Duff

Donna Craven

After I left the Mint, I picked up my friend (and teacher) Greg Scott and his children to take them with me up to Hal Dedmond and Corine Guseman's house where a wood firing was in progress.  It was great to see everyone there and enjoy the firing and the quiet of the country.

It was a lovely day and the firing went well.  A wood firing is a very dramatic thing to watch.  The almost constant stoking, the flames, the smoke, and the (hopefully) steady climb of temperature in the kiln are fascinating.  One day I soon I hope to share in one.

It was a great day with wonderful friends and lots of pottery.

The firebox at one end of the kiln.

The firebox.

The other end.

Finished firing.

Hot pots.

Hot crew.

Miller time.

The moon rose on the way home.

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2011-01-21 Friday - Kim Ellington Lecture

I was waiting for Friday with even more anticipation than usual this week since Kim Ellington was going to be giving a lecture at the Mint Museum on Friday morning.  He spoke about the history of North Carolina Catawba Valley traditional pottery. 

Thanks to Adrienne Dellinger, Burlon Craig's family has been my touchstone to this type of pottery.  It was fascinating to hear Kim talk about the history that led up to Burlon Craig and the path to the future.  It seems Kim has been concerned for some time that there were no young potters studying the traditional shapes and methods to take it to the next generation.  More than just sustaining the tradition, he wanted to see it grow.

He realized his dream when the head of Catawba Valley Community College contacted him about starting a ceramics curriculum.  That was the beginning of the Catawba Valley Potter's Workshop.  Kim, his son and a few friends built all the tables, shelves, and wheel tables using local lumber and really made an amazing space for the school.  The program is going strong and is taking on a life of it's own. 

It's great to know that people like Kim are keeping the tradition alive.

After the lecture Adrienne, Rick and I went for a nice lunch at the Vietnam Grille.  (Seems to be a trend for me, eh?)  While we were all in a hurry, it was nice to spend even a little while with my good friends.