Moving Forward, Looking Back and Year One.

We are getting a very late start on our blog posts for our last show, but "better late than never" always holds true.

Crimson Laurel Gallery in Bakersville, is featuring one of the finest young potters in western North Carolina today, two North Carolina living treasures, and one of the most accomplished ceramic artists in the country. Our featured exhibition is "Year One: New Work by Alex Matisse" and our showcase exhibition is "Moving Forward: Looking Back". Additionally, our online collection is "Ceramics by Jack Troy".


Year One is an exhibition of ceramics by Marshall, NC potter Alex Matisse.
His work is made in a fusion of preindustrial country traditions in both process and material. It is fired in a large wood burning kiln and made of as many local materials as the chemistry will allow, while still affording him the physical attributes necessary for his aesthetic decisions. He believes in the beautiful object; that there are inescapable aesthetic truths, physical attributes, that remove time and place from the defining characteristics of the made object. These objects can be viewed today or many years from now and be understood as beautiful.

This exhibition is a collection of work from the first firings of Alex's new kiln. As an apprentice of both Matt Jones and Mark Hewitt, Alex has combined strong and refined forms developed and as an apprentice with his own precise and uniquely beautiful decoration. Alex is one of the finest potters in western North Carolina today.

Moving Forward, Looking Back is an exhibition that features two of Mitchell County, North Carolina's Living Treasures. As Billie Ruth Sudduth completes her 10,000th basket she is featuring some of the most requested baskets from among her first 10,000. Norm Schulman is one of the most accomplished and recognized potters in the United States and he will be exhibiting his most recent works and signing copies of his book.

Billie Ruth Sudduth's baskets blend the historical with the present through

color, pattern, surface embellishment, and form. She is inspired by the classical shapes typical of Shaker and Appalachian baskets but she travels back over seven centuries for the most profound influence on her work: The Nature Sequence, developed by Leonardo of Pisa (Italy). She wants to expand the possibilities of design while maintaining function. Her weaving utilizes a mathematical structure of spiral growth found in nature to create baskets with a rhythmic, naturally flowing design. They are both visual and tactile, beckoning the viewer to touch and explore with the eyes and hands. She does not separate herself from nature but through her weaving, affirms being a part of it.

Norman Schulman, is a master ceramist, coming from a career of

more than 50 years of practicing, teaching and leading in his field. Throughout his career as a ceramic artist, he has taught and mentored many potters who have, themselves, become distinguished in the field. His many accomplishments have included professor and head of ceramics and glass at Rhode Island School of Design and head of Ceramics at Ohio State University. His works are included in many public collections, including the Smithsonian, American Craft Museum, Museum of Art and Design (NY), Mint Museum, Cameron Art Museum and Schein-Joseph International Museum. His work has become a search for the essential through simplicity of progress, form and surface; using a small anagama-type kiln and a stoneware clay body.

Jack Troy, teacher, potter, and writer, retired from Juniata College in 2006, where he taught for 39 years. He has

led over 185 workshops for potters at colleges, universities, and art centers in the U. S. and abroad. His career has taken him to 13 countries, and his work is in many private and public

collections, including the Smithsonian Institution, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park (Japan), Auckland (NZ) Museum of Art and the Kalamazoo Institute of Art. His first book, Salt Glazed Ceramics, was published in 1977. In 1978 he built Pennsylvania’s first anagama-style kiln at Juniata College, and personal anagamas at his home in 1987 and 2006. In 1995 he published Wood-fired Stoneware and Porcelain. His collection of poems, Calling the Planet Home, was published in 2003 and more than 60 of his articles, book reviews, and exhibition catalogue essays have appeared in the major periodicals in his field. The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts awarded him two Craft Fellowships for his work in ceramics, and a Fellowship in Literature for his poetry. He was selected by the Council to make the awards for the 2005 Governor’s Awards for the Arts. We will be featuring a collection of his smaller works that are being shown for the first time in our area.

These exhibitions will remain through August 27th. Each exhibition is available online. For more information call 828-688-3599 or online at www.crimsonlaurelgallery.com.

Rubies and Vines -Lane and Kline

I was going to write a blog post for Michael Kline and Stacy Lane's show, "Rubies and Vines - Lane and Kline", that focused on Michael's creative experience making work for this show. I was going to write and write and add a quote here and there from Michael. Well, he sent more than a few quotes, so Micheal, take it away...

"A little more than a year ago David and John pitched the idea of a show for Stacey and I. We weren't able to act on it at the time for several reasons, but we were excited to have a show at another time and that time is now!

Although Stacey and I show our work together during our studio sales and open houses, this was a great opportunity to make special pieces that would hopefully involve collaboration and subtle influence. I'd like to say that we worked side by side making pieces together, but the fact of the matter is that we only crossed paths in our mutual studios a few times, and now realize how much focused attention and time it would take to develop the work to the level deserving of a gallery showing. Nonetheless, collaboration and influence appeared in the work we made, just at a more subtle way than I expected.

When I think of jewelry and the precious materials that Stacey uses to make her work, the word that comes to mind is refinement. In the caseof my pottery, there is refinement of earth materials for clay and glaze. Most of these materials are common and not precious, some of these are available to me here on our property. Instead, for this show, I wanted to go even further with the idea of refinement. I decided that I would take this opportunity to work with a very refined clay and explore the possibilities of an alternative firing process.

For the last 6 monthsI have been working with porcelain clay and firing the pots in oxidation in an electric kiln. In every way this process is completely different and foreign to me. Yes, porcelain is clay, and I used familiar pattern and imagery on the finished work, but the experience was full of searching and there was much trial and error. But in the end I feel that the work flourished and an idea that began in the vague notion of refinement grew into a new understanding of working and reacting to materials.

My home clay, that I affectionately refer to as my red dirt, is a craggy and nonplastic stoneware. It has very different properties and rules than the porcelain that I have been using. Both clays assert their desire to be formed to a point that is appropriate to their nature. I try to make work that revels in the natural qualities of the materials and am in turn inspired by these same qualities. This approach to the materials and the process lets me express my ideas through the medium without irony or code.

I think that Stacey and I influence each other in subtle ways that may be seen in our use of imagery, color, texture. For example, I don't think I would have painted snakes on my pots if I hadn't seen the "Snake in the Garden Pendant" that Stacey had made. I liked the way that the snake and the vine intertwined and thought that the imagery was very suitable to some kind of treatment that I am familiar with . But finally, a new motif emerged and while it wasn't exactly how I had imagined it in the beginning, it led to the use of the snake as a border on several pieces. The symbol of the snake eating its tail is know as "ouroboros". I owe my blogging buddy, Jim Gottuso, credit for alerting me to the symbolism to this imagery.

To sum things up, I feel that the important thing about all of this work is that it does reflect the subtle nature of influence. In our case, two people who share a life and family, as well as creative lives. Some influences are overt, like the use of color or lustre, others more private and personal. It has been a great opportunity to take time away from my normal production and work in an area that challenges my ideas and skills. It's also a great pleasure to be showing with my wife, Stacey, in my favorite gallery space (anywhere!) here at the Crimson Laurel Gallery!

Maybe there are influences that you might see that play out in our work?" - Michael Kline-Studio potter

Thanks Michael, I will end with this, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL KLINE, we, the ceramics community love you!

Rubies and Vines Lane and Kline opens May 7th, Artist Reception May 7th as well.

@ 6pm.

Check out the show online.

David Trophia

Crimson Laurel Gallery

Rubies and Vines -Lane and Kline

First, I have to say, I just love this title for their show. It's a title that came from the imaginations of Michael Kline and Stacy Lane. Husband and Wife, Father and Mother, Potter and Jeweler, and all around outstanding community members. At it's inception in 2010, this show was to be a celebration ofthis well respected duo from the Mountains of North Carolina. A celebrationof their skill, dedication, fortitude and kindness.

The idea was to display a body of work not yet seen by Michael's collectors; work in porcelain, and a body of work form Stacy that connected the two artists in some way. Stacy comments below on how the show progressed from idea to exhibition.
"I have loved making the work for this show. I gave myself permission to play with some new materials, and think that this work will serve as a new beginning in the studio in several ways. At the end of the stash of my real rubies, I have been struggling with whether to buy more when it is so difficult to trace where they were mined, and under what conditions they were cut. I decided to experiment with super sparkly faux rubies in much of this work, and I love the juxtaposition of the somewhat crude metal surfaces with the crazy brightness of the stones. It was also great to be able to use as many “rubies” as I wanted, without concern for the cost of the stones. With the gold market at an all time high, I have also been drawn to the yellow color, but unable to work freely with gold. I tried casting an Ancient Bronze alloy - the color is great, and the patina appeals to me because of the feeling of age it conveys. I explored bi-metal pieces – something I haven’t done in a long time. I am particularly excited about some signet-type rings with silver tops and gold bands.Because I am sharing the show with Michael, I have been searching for subtle connections in our work over the course of the past year. I found some beautiful blue faience (clay) beads, and have made two necklaces using this material – one is a choker with a little twist, and the other a bit more tribal in feeling. Michael is experimenting with a glaze on porcelain that hints at this aqua color. I also found some beautiful dendritic quartz stones, which remind me of little gardens. The stem and leaf motifs seem connected to his painting, so I’ve used a few of these in necklaces. There might be a few snakes appearing in our work, too…

As I review the pieces for the show, I am grateful for the challenge that trying to push myself brings. This work is definitely related to my previous jewelry, but feels like a step in several new directions. Thank you for the opportunity!" - Stacey Lane, Studio Jeweler
May 7th marks Michael's 50th year on this planet, Happy Bithday Michael. Some of the pieces in this exhibition have "50" marked on the backside, one has it glazed! A collectors dream for certain. Friday we will post again about this show and hear a few words from the birthday boy himself.

Exhibition begins May 7th online and in the gallery. Check it out online @ www.crimsonlaurelgallery.com

David Trophia
Crimson Laurel Gallery

"Containment II" Excited yet ?

Excited yet about "Containment II" - the inside story? Well, we certainly are. Last Spring Crimson Laurel Gallery opened it's first concept show called "Containment, an exhibition of ceramic boxes". The show went on to be a great success with it's thirty plus national artists showing their design ideas for this widely popular theme.Wanting to continue the momentum of this show into 2011, we invited thirty five artists, most of whom were new to the theme, to contribute to this years show with a twist. The twist is not mind blowing but it did allow for a new area of creative energy. Simply have your piece contain something...anything.

As you can imagine, we have received some really interesting work. I want to touch on a few to wet your appetite for the upcoming show. Lets start with Noah Ridel, Chapel Hill NC. Noah's work really impressed me because it's all about design which I particularly love in ceramics. Influenced by designers such as Alvar Aalto and Charles and Ray Eames, Noah has created three lidded pieces that beg to be touched and opened. A lid that you slide your hand into to remove and another that uses the influences of a coffee bean to form the handle of it's lid. These are standouts and are a must see. Another artist who's work I admire very much and was excited to receive is Judith Duff, from Brevard, NC. Judith created two wonderfully formed lidded houses that are very rich in form and surface. We asked Judith to elaborate on her entries to the show this year.

"In my past trips to Japan I have been inspired by Japanese architecture and also the lanterns found in their famous gardens. For several years I have been making large Toro's (Japanese Lanterns) and these new box forms were derived from my lanterns. They took on special meaning to me when, during their construction, the terrible earthquake and tsunami shattered the lives of the people of Japan. They are architectural in nature and are reminders of the thousands of homes and structures that were devestated in this disaster. Rather than holding light like the lanterns, these boxes hold hope and the promise of recovery. The treats that are inside the boxes hopefully represent a more optomistic future". - Judith Duff

"Containment II - the inside story" is a must see if your're in our area and, if your're not, just go to our website May 7th to view and purchase these one of a kind works. The website will also be introducing a new feature this year, a shopping cart feature that we have wanted to add for quite some time now. Bravo to our web designer Marsia Falcigno who worked hard to get this new feature up and running in time for this amazing show.

Coming up next on our Blog, Michael Kline and Stacy Lane, our featured exhibition for May and June, talk about their show and give us a glimpse of what to expect from this highly respected artist duo.

"Containment II - the inside story" opens to audiences May 7th at 10am both in the gallery and online. Artists Reception - May 7th as well 6pm. Mark your calendars collectors.

David TrophiaCrimson Laural Gallery

www.crimsonlaurelgallery.com

Enter the Bathysphere - Artist Reception for Jason Bige Burnett and Eleanor Annand.

On April 7, 2011, Crimson Laurel Gallery in Bakersville, North Carolina presents Submerging the Bathysphere: Illustrative Ceramics by Eleanor Annand and Jason Bige Burnett. These two artists have come together to investigate life at sea through illustrative ceramics. In both form and content they have combined their playful sensibility to create decorative and functional ceramic work.

Eleanor Annand is primarily a printmaker and illustrator. She creates prints with strong central characters that tell tales of exploration, escape, and disg

uise. These stories evoke folklore of the past and urban legends.

Jason Bige Burnett involves screenprinted and digital printmaking methods into his ceramics. Simultaneously he incorporates pop influenced imagery that is both personal and universal creating a sense of deviancy and play to his ceramic work.

This exhibition will opened on April 2nd and remain through April 30th. The exhibition will be available online on April 2nd. Join us for an artist's reception on April 9 at 6pm. For more information call Crimson Laurel Gallery at 828-688-3599 or online atwww.crimsonlaurelgallery.com.