Updated Every Thursday Evening

November 20, 2008 EDITION

ArtWalk serves Thanksgiving fare With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many people want to create beautiful and delicious meals for family and friends. Not only are the tastes of traditional foods important, but the wares that the food is served on are also essential. ArtWalk has several potters who create functional pieces, such as casserole dishes, plates, butter dishes, mugs, bowls and other serving necessities Thanksgiving pottery at ArtWalk. Photo submitted Most of the pottery found at ArtWalk is made in North Carolina, even as close as Boone. Maggie Black, Patti Carmen, Tena Wenta, Bob Meier, Nancy Graham, Teri Whitner and Kate Colclaser are all local potters that contribute a wealth of variety to ArtWalk. Maggie Black lives deep in the woods in Foscoe, with her husband and two sons, where she works from a tiny studio in their cabin. Her work spills over onto a porch with several kilns amidst shelves of pottery in various stages of completion, and garbage cans serve as reducing pots for the steady flow of raku pottery. Black’s favorite part of the job is walking through the woods at different times of the year, choosing the leaves and natural objects that inspire her designs. From stoneware leaf vases to cookie jars with tendril handles, leaf candle holders to lily pads, and frogs to salamanders, the influence of Appalachian nature is easily recognizable in her work. For the last five years, Black has taught at the ASU Craft Enrichment program. Patti Carmen started working in clay 10 years ago, when she took a community pottery class at Doe Ridge Pottery led by Bob Meier. She was drawn to the medium because of a desire to produce her own kitchenware. The forgiving nature of clay continues to amaze her, she said, and its ability to be transformed so greatly provides such huge opportunities for uniqueness and individuality. The satisfaction of production and functionality of pottery is a primary focus when she teaches the same community pottery class that was the impetus for her career. She believes that nature is one of the best teachers of art, and much of her work is inspired by the colors and forms she sees in the High Country’s views. Constantly focusing on how the organic world is formed, she strives to create lines of attachment that are always perfect and functional. Her glazes are also inspired by nature. The deep blues, rich browns, and hints of copper all contribute to her overall design. Most importantly, the pieces that she makes are intended for artful living, holding and use. Tena Wenta, a potter living in Boone, began making pottery in 1988 at the University of Kentucky, Louisville. She founded Local Clay, a professional potters’ guild. Since arriving in Boone, she has worked for the Watauga Arts Council and has been active in creating relationships with other local potters and artists. Wenta keeps her pottery on a functional level, clean and simple, but with a contemporary look. She works in stoneware clay, while keeping her focus on creating kitchenware. A lover of cooking, she finds herself designing pieces in which different foods may be displayed and served. She has created several of her own specialty glazes. By texturing and staining her hand built pieces, she captures a unique pattern in the clay that looks like wood, leather or canvas. One accent glaze that Wenta formulates is called weathered copper, a patina green that copper takes on when it ages in nature. She applies the weathered copper glaze over several complementing colors of blue. Each artists’ pottery may be placed in the oven or microwave and is dishwasher safe. Also, no lead is used in the making of their pottery or glazes. ArtWalk consists of three and a half floors of art from more than 300 local, regional and national artists. ArtWalk is located at 611 W. King St. (across from Mast General Store) Boone, N.C. 28607. Though ArtWalk is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 p.m. to 5 p.m, customers may shop all the time with our new online store. ArtWalk continually welcomes new artists and invites those of all media and ages to inquire about individual gallery booths for rent. For more information, call (828) 264-9998, e-mail artwalkboone@yahoo.com or visit www.artwalkboone.com.

HOME - NEWS - EVENTS - MARKETPLACE - CLASSIFIEDS - VISITOR INFO - CONTACT - PRIVACY POLICY   Get Firefox

©2009 The Mountain Times. All rights reserved. Reproduction of advertising and design work strictly prohibited. 474 Industrial Park Drive / PO Box 1815 • Boone, North Carolina  28607 • Telephone 828.264.6397 • Fax 828.262.0282 • Classifieds 828.264.1881