Pottery Grape Leaf/Vine Pieces - Vineyard Series!

Pieces fresh from the kiln this time include those, pictured here, created from real grape leaves cut from the vines I overlook sitting at my wheel. Glazed in a matt black and stained a natural brown, the vase measures over 17 inches tall and the platter is approximately 13x15 inches overall.
My husband is pressing me for a day of building/throwing more - the vines need to be trimmed again! Everything here is growing rapidly this year.
These pieces, as well as much of the kiln load, will be available tomorrow night at Abbigail's Gallery in downtown West Jefferson, NC. Tomorrow from 5 until 8 they will throw open the doors and serve wine and food to the crowd, as we enjoy the first gallery crawl of the summer in Ashe County. Join us every 2nd Friday there for great art and lively conversation!

GG's Holiday Open House

GG's of Statesville is hosting their annual Holiday Open House this Sunday, November 5th from 1:00 until 5:00.
Meet and greet with many artists, shop holiday gifts like Christopher Radko and Carolers collections, enjoy music and munchies. Start your holiday season off right!

http://ggsartframesgifts.com/index.html

New Gallery Display at the Sanctuary of Davidson

Just a quick note before I head to Charlotte for estate business.
A new gallery has opened in downtown Davidson, NC, with a bent toward Christian charities and, of course, beautiful art. The website is not fully developed, but you can click on the link and check them out.
I delivered a few pieces when Jo was sick, and am dropping off a few more on my way through today. I can't wait to have studio time to create some pieces especially for their clientele!

http://www.sanctuaryofdavidson.com/

Pottery At Statesville Art Crawl Friday Night

This Friday night is the second Art Crawl of the season for the Iredell County Arts Council and the Downtown Statesville Development Corporation, held from 5:30 until 8:30 . The pieces above will be available at GG's Gallery and Gifts on Broad Street, along with many others. And I hope to be there as well to meet local art collectors and avid downtown supporters in Statesville.

This is the closest art gallery to my home, I display in it and I love to support and assist in its growth. Many state conventions have been held lately in this area deciding the fate of this beautiful downtown. It's not enough that major motion pictures featuring George Clooney and Rene Zellweger have been filmed here. Or that the United States once ended here (Third Creek) in our beautiful county - yes, on the maps it ended here. History moves on. But, this gorgeous downtown remains a hub to those of us who love it, and its history. We can see the past and the possibility - in one glance.

We can't support art crawls each month like so many of the downtown areas I display in...but, you better believe, the heart behind this evening - if only held twice per year - is strong and more than willing to work through any adversity this community may be faced with. The possibilities here are endless! We truly are the crossroads of America (okay...the east coast).

Join us in celebration of all the talented artists and avid gallery owners, collectors and donors (and even bored citizens looking for a Friday night thrill) that look back at our historical past and forward to our prosperous future and gather to celebrate the now.

Oh, and while you're at it, check out this website: http://www.downtownstatesvillenc.org/events.aspx to get information about the downtown historical tours in October (okay...it's a "ghost tour" - but with historical significance, trust me.)

See you Friday night!

Wheel Thrown Pottery

Unloading the kiln is so much fun...I love this glaze combination! A pale icy green and deep brown mixing to create all sorts of fun shades! As a matter of fact, I'm going to have a hard time sending this platter to the gallery it was intended for...GG's in Statesville.

The wine goblets are the only pieces not going to Gloria and they will be available this evening at The Smart Gallery in West Jefferson. Join us there for the monthly Gallery Crawl from 5 until 8.

Weekend Gallery Crawl, West Jefferson

What a fun place West Jefferson has become!

We spent a lovely evening this past Friday at the West Jefferson Gallery Crawl, enjoying artists and art collectors, wine and food, free music and great friends...new and old.

Then we went back to the mountain house for the weekend to paint and get things ready to put it on the market. Hmph! Sitting on the front porch swing when the fog rolls in makes us really think twice about selling out!

We bought the place when Sarah was in diapers, she's a rising Sophomore in college. It was Baxter's first experience helping us build a house, he's finished his BS and Masters and is currently working toward his PhD...married with a house of his own that he happily gets to remodel.

The kids grew up on the mountain, spending every spare weekend there and many summers. They built waterfalls in the stream, damned it to form pools, put in a nature trail to hike cleanly down the side of the mountain, canoed, kayaked, hiked, biked and galavanted all over the county.

The new property is in the same county. Just not West Jefferson. Which seems to be the new artsy "hot spot" in the hills. Boone has been taken over by the college kids. Todd (where the new homesite is) is being taken over by the college overflow...and losing a good bit of it's river water to Boone since they've decided to pipe it from the edge of Ashe County back up to Boone to supply their never ending building boon (isn't is smart to keep giving out building permits when you have no water left?).

Anyway, I'm rambling. The new property will be a great place to build a "downsized" empty-nester kind of home. Not so much land, not as much house, smarter use of space and wiser understanding of lifestyle. And, it is within driving distance of West Jefferson, it just doesn't have all of the sentimental baggage we'll miss from the other "hill". And if we build this one right, maybe we can sell the farm down the road and condense everything into one house! Maybe.

Tough job letting go.

Pottery Display and Gallery Crawl

I joined with a new gallery last weekend in West Jefferson, North Carolina. The display is underway and will hopefully be complete in time for the Ashe Arts first Gallery Crawl of the summer arts season! Join us at the Smart Gallery for a fun evening of arts and fellowship. The gallery features photographer - Rex Miller, watercolor artist - Robert Flowers, a fantastic jeweler, wood turner, stained glass artist, potter - Tena Wenta, and much more! It is a beautiful, soothing gallery in West Jefferson's historic downtown, and the place to be June 12th!

New Pottery Display at Smart Gallery

Just picked up a new gallery location in historic downtown West Jefferson:

The Smart Gallery

109 North Jefferson Avenue

New pieces are headed that way in the morning, and I have an exciting plan for a display that will hopefully be ready before the first Art Crawl of the season, June 12th!

GGs Gallery and Gifts Pottery Display, Statesville, NC

Okay, I said I would be at GG's for the first Gallery Crawl of the season, (downtown Statesville, NC). Sorry if you looked for me, I had a funeral to attend in Pennsylvania. Totally unexpected.
Instead of visiting with art collectors, I was visiting with family I hadn't seen in years and saying goodbye to my Uncle Allen.

Carol says you all had a wonderful time without me. Glad to hear it. And the display they put together of my pottery looked great (pictured above). I'm glad some of my friends had a great evening of fellowship with them.

Now for the upcoming weekend:

Saturday, March 21st from 10 until 6
The Yadkin Valley Studio and Wine Tour
http://www.foothillsartscouncil.org/tour.htm

Be sure to visit Buck Shoals Vineyard (not listed on link above, but open during the event) to see my pottery display on the Swan Creek Wine Trail. New pieces will be added before the event. (Sorry, my studio won't be open - I have two soccer games to coach.) For directions to Buck Shoals hit the link to the right under "Sites I would visit"!

Emilie is holding the First Annual Handmade in Todd Holiday Market December 6th and 7th.
Thank you Martha for using one of my mugs in the poster for advertisement. Isn't the felted doll adorable? Those are one of my favorite things! Artists in Todd will have demonstrations and offer a great deal of items at super discounts for the event. And, Emilie has a large display of my pottery - just in case you're interested. Come and see!
A great weekend for Christmas shopping in Ashe County, and cutting down your Christmas tree at one of the many choose 'n cut lots. (Join the President and get your tree in Ashe!)

Little Bear Clayworks Pottery for Sale at Buck Shoals Vineyard

I completed my new display at Buck Shoals Vineyard, on the Swan Creek Wine Trail. The Crater's were kind enough to clear a space for my pottery in their tasting room/gift shop and offer my work to their customers.
Visit their winery Wednesday through Sunday, check out the website link on the top of this page to see their hours.
A great time to visit our area is during the Vineyards of Swan Creek Christmas Open House weekend, December 6th & 7th. The wineries have Christmas music, refreshments and in-store specials. Check out this website: http://www.swancreekvineyards.com/events.html
One more way to have a happy holiday season!