Hope for Hope

We are posting a link to the Hope for Hope blog, in the hopes that some of our fellow artist will contribute to this cause. Hope Rovelto is a ceramic artist who, on November 4th was hit by a hit-in-run driver. She has undergone and is continuing to undergo surgeries for her legs. Her medical bills have already begun to pile up and this is where we come in. An art auction will take place January 30th to help raise funds to pay for Hope's continuing medical bills. Thank you to everyone.

Andy, Shawn, Darren, Jenn, Wyatt, and Wombat getting the Figurative Symposium show installed!
Jenn and Joe standing in for the top halves of Andrea Connell's sculptures.

As always we are rocking out. Last month we taught ArtReach classes to students from the local schools. We had 7 schools come this year, grades ranging from 5th to 12th. It was great to be able to work with so many enthusiastic students, but by the time 2:00 came around we were all exhausted. Since then, things have calmed down quite a bit. Full days in the studio!!! YAHHH!!! Andy has been shipping out work to shows in Texas and New Mexico. Shawn and Andy are both getting ready for a show in Rowsell,Ga at the Art Center West. Wyatt is working on a desk, continuing with his brick pattern. Jenn is working on a few ring commissions, and everyone is getting in the Holiday spirit! All day and night the tree across the street at the Aquarium has a light show going and there is christmas music playing when we wake up, when we go to sleep, when we brush our teeth. Next week we will start heading home, to Maine, Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky we go! On Dancer, On Zoezif, On Sonnor, On Blitzed!

BIG NEWS!!! MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! THE DATE IS APRIL 9th- 6-8pm. Resident's Annual Exhibition! Come and check out what we've been making during our time here.

It was a three keg symposium! And it was fabulous, darling! The people, the food, the lectures, the drinks, the demos, all amazing! Thaddeus Erdahl even set a piece on fire during his demo! If you would like to check out more of the going ons that occurred, you can see it all at the Figurative Symposium official website. There will also be postings of the key note speaker and stories that were shared during the panel discussions. A favorite among the residents would have to be Tip Toland's slug story. More postings will follow, we just have to track down all the photos and links to give you. Sorry people out there reading this blog and wanting more... we just can't give it to you right now. Patience is a virtue, drink this you'll feel better. Until next time.

Last Tuesday night a terrible event took Place on Arrowmont's campus. A gourd was brutally beheaded on the resident's front porch. The weapon was left at the scene of the crime, but no prints were able to be recovered. Investigators arrived on the scene and began questioning the residents and work studies who had been having a polite social gathering only a few feet away. Amazingly enough no one saw or heard a thing. Fredrick had always been a very quiet gourd. The family gathered around their beloved Fredrick to say a final farewell. Services will be held this coming Sunday the 31st. All flowers, food city gift cards and canned goods should be sent to the resident's home address. Thank you all for your concern. We will be sure to keep you updated as the investigation continues.

Hello once again! New and exciting things are happening on the Arrowmont campus! This week we are in the process of "changeover", taking down the Instructors exhibition *tear* and installing the exhibition for the Figurative Symposium. Ceramic sculptures! Some life size!!! All amazing!!! Today we had the privilege of working with Andrea Keys Connell and help her install her amazing larger than life sculptures. Installation should be finished this friday under the supervision of Ms. Amazing Karen Green, who has us running around the gallery prepping here and hanging there, just as good minions should. Hopefully we will get to see everyone of your faces at the Figurative Symposium, it promises to be the event of the year and we would hate for you to miss it! There will be demos and lectures by some of the most amazing ceramic artists in the country, dinning, dancing under the stars, and amazing conversation by fire light, what more could you ask for? Convinced yet? I know we had to twist your arm, sorry.

Images from our Murray State Show! The gallery was great and the director Mary VanWassenhove was amazing!

Hello again, yes we've been gone awhile. We're sorry we know how you feel. But we promise we were thinking about you the whole time.

A quick update for those of you who just can't get enough. Last week we traveled to Murray State University in Murray Kentucky to set up our first group show! yah!

We came back to Arrowmont on Tuesday to help the amazing gallery director Karen Green set up for the live auction on thursday night! Oh the excitement! The artwork was amazing! We can not thank everyone enough for their support and generosity. Over 10,000 was raised for Arrowmont's scholarship and educational program!!

Friday morning after the auction, we jumped in the car and raced back to Murray State Univ. where we gave presentations on our work and then attended the opening reception from 6-8 in the Upper Gallery (7th floor)- The show will be up for two weeks, so if your in the neighborhood stop on by and let us know what you think. We'll post pictures for those of you who can't make it- don't worry.

A BIG Thank You to everyone who supported us during this raffle! Friday at 1:00 we had raised a total of $740.00. Ethel Hamlin, who works for Arrowmont and won the Shawn O'Connor teapot went above and beyond, when she gifted the teapot back to the auction and allowed for it to be sold. Adding an additional $100.00 to our total. We can not begin to tell everyone how excited we are about the final outcome and we want to thank you all very much for helping us along our way. Now the hard work of designing and putting together a catalog with four crazy artists will begin!!!

Hello Everyone! This week we are fundraising! Each of us made a lovely piece which will be raffled off this friday the 6th at 1:00p.m. Our goal is to raise enough money to fund an end of the year exhibition catalog. Below are the pieces that are to be raffled off, if anyone wants a ticket you better get them while they're still hot and fresh! Just because the heat index is up, doesn't mean our fundraising thermometer is rising, so, BUY BUY BUY!!

We will also gladly accept donations throughout the year to help with this project.

Andrea Moon - " You are here" : Stoneware, slip, glaze, fabric 2010.

Shawn O'Connor - "Teapot": Wood fired stone ware, 2010.

Jennifer Wells -"Golden Bowls" : Copper, gold leaf, patina, 2010.

Wyatt Severs- "Learn to Swim": Turned Maple, milk paint, acrylic paint, black ink, 2010.

Shawn, Jennifer, and Andy - we made it alive to the chimney tops!

We hiked all the way up! Chimney Tops! It was steep going, but the view at the top is amazing! You get to climb on a tricky rock face at the very top, but as long as you use the ladder or billy goat approach, you should be fine.

The lovely Rainbow falls. Not much for swimming, but a beautiful hike with some smaller waterfalls along the way.

Above is the lovely Marissa, sporting her fabulous Arrowmont Catalog. A must have for this season.
Here we all are. Cheesing it up, and watching the Gatlinburg tourist walk by and wonder...."what is this Arrowmont of which you banner about?"

Sorry to keep everyone in suspense for so long, but here you finally have it. A new posting! Oh joy! We have successfully completed many more bonding activities. Everyone is sporting a new haircut, and we are all feeling the burn from our ritual Saturday hikes, which range from 2 - 8.5 miles. So far we have ventured to Ramsey Cascades and Rainbow Falls. Both beautiful and amazing! Aside from our extracurricular activities, we have actually been making work. Believe it or not! Kilns have been fired! Metal has been waxed! Wood has been oiled! We also were recently given the responsibility to do a photo shoot to promote the fabulous Arrowmont catalog, which you should all have on your night stand. The lucky winning image was of Marissa Saneholtz, Bob Ebendorf's visiting artist for a two-week class in metals.

We Bonded! Awwww.

We have all arrived and the studios are set up! If you're in the area come by the school for our first slide show this coming Monday the 21st at 7:30pm. We will also be having open studios every Wednesday, 4:30- 5:30, where you can taste test some of the mountains most delicious popcorn and boxed wine.

Our first few days have been filled with meeting new amazing and wonderful people and learning about California dates. ( We recently received a tutorial in google docks.) This weekend we have plans for hiking and exploring, so get ready from some pictures!!

Heading in Different Directions!

(photo by Jill Greene)

The residents are gearing up to move on. And the thunder and rain has come to shoo us on our way today!

Our time here at Arrowmont has been jam packed with new experiences, new friends, and a family we have gained as a result of accepting the opportunity to join Arrowmont for a year of our lives. It has been unforgettable and life changing in so many ways.

The work study and studio assistants have been arriving over the past couple of days, and we know the new residents will be here soon and experience a whirlwind of a summer into the fall, with classes taking place, and new friends being made. We're excited for them!

All of us will be starting a new journey, in a new place, with the exception of TJ. Well, he'll get the new journey, but he is staying right here at Arrowmont! TJ applied along with many, many others in hopes of becoming Program Coordinator here at the school. TJ started work on Thursday, and we haven't seen much of him since! We're excited for him, and know that he will be an asset to everyone he will work with and for. He is such an extremely talented artist and person.

Martina will be heading to North. She will be teaching ceramics at a small, private college in Marlboro, Vermont- Marlboro College. They are lucky to have her with the diversity of knowledge that she has about production work, the art and craft of the field of ceramics, and her unique decorating skills. The students are going to love her!

Kent will be fulfilling his Windgate scholarship, amongst many other ventures! He and his dad are building a woodworking studio on their property in Virginia. As part of his Windgate plan, he will head to Japan, as well as Martha's Vineyard (and more) to learn the traditional ways that wooden yacht's and sailboats are made. His skills will take him far and already have... there is a constant knock at his door with new opportunities.

I will be heading to Flagstaff, AZ, where I earned my BFA in metals. I will be teaching metalsmithing courses at Northern Arizona University. I'm excited to be heading west again, and have so much I want to share with the students involving technique in the field and professional development; and I am excited to travel with them to the Yuma Symposium and SNAG Conferences.

We will all continue to squeeze in as much art making as possible. New developments will be exciting. We have certainly been spoiled by so much time for art making here at Arrowmont, but we are better people for it! I wish everyone could have the Arrowmont experience. It has been a lot of fun sharing our time here with you all- our readers, and we hope you will stick around to see what's happening for the next crew! Keep up with us on our own blogs, our links are to the right!

Goodbye!

In The Kitchen...

With our departure coming so soon, I am thinking a little (a lot) about some of the things that made being a resident at Arrowmont so neat.

Each day when we eat, we choose from the many generations of cups, bowls and dishes left behind by former residents. I love the history! I enjoy the fact that this collection will continue to grow- and already has. You can see some of Martina's cups in the cabinet below:

... pieces from Lindsay Oesteritter, Magda Gluszek, Brian Taylor, and more!

Eye Candy!

Changing of the Residents

The end of May signals the end of our time here at Arrowmont. We wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to the new residents that will begin their term here in the middle of June. Andrea Moon and Shawn O'Conner will be the incoming ceramics residents. Wyatt Severs is the wood resident and Jennifer Wells will be here in Metals. Please visit their websites and seek further information. Welcome them if you are here this summer. We wish them all the best!

Wyatt Severs, originally from Murray Kentucky, attended Murray State University, KY (2000-2009) and was the teaching assistant for Paul Sasso. Wyatt recently completed a 3 month apprenticeship with woodturner, Graeme Priddle in New Zealand.

Andrea Moon, originally from Columbus, Ohio, currently teaching as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Art at Texas A&M University in Laredo. An MFA in Ceramics/ Secondary in Sculpture from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX and BFA from Bowling Green University, OH.

Jennifer Wells, originally from Goshen, VA. MFA in Metal Design from East Carolina University and her BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Shawn O’Connor, originally from Minot, ME, a current MFA candidate in Ceramics from Syracuse University, NY with a BFA in ceramics from Maine College of Art.

Open Studio Ya'll!

As our days at Arrowmont are coming closer to ending, the residents had a final open studio. We lit up the grill, and cleaned up the messes in our studios to make way for visitors from the staff, community, the Arrowmont Board, and our friends...

Had to get that fire pit going...

Family portrait!

It was a great day- thanks for coming everybody!

Love to Know ...Victoria!

Way to go Vic! Please follow this link to her interview with the curious folks at "love to know"

the last exchange...

This week, for the last time, we worked with Karen. We started by taking down our Resident Exhibition...

and then worked towards putting up the Faculty Exhibition...

Hello 2010 class session- the new residents are in for a treat with the likes of John Cogswell, Dixie Biggs, and Myungjin Kim on the schedule.

and the end begins...

it's hard to believe our time here is coming to an end. The closing reception was a lot of fun with both Victoria's and Kent's family in town. everyone pitched in to help and the reception went off without a hitch - now it's time to take down and install the Summer Instructors Exhibition and pack up our studios...

4 Bridges Art Festival

Tj and his girlfriend, Stephanie Stuefer are off to participate in the 4 Bridges Art Festival in Chatanooga this weekend. They were both selected from a group of entries as emerging artists, and their experience at the 4 Bridges Art Festival is all expense paid!

They have had many sleepless nights this week getting ready, and we wish them luck! Here is a tiny sampling of their amazing work:

Tj made these little heads. They fit in the palm of your hand, and hang on the wall...

...and Stephanie created these wall sconces to hold flowers. They are also palm sized, and beautiful!

If you are in the area, stop by and see them and many other artists. Check out their websites for more- this is just a mere sniglet of what these guys create!

Spring is here!

2010 Artist in Residence Exhibition!!!

2010 Artist in Residence Exhibition

here are some shots of the gallery with glimpses at each of our installations. It has been exciting to work alongside each other while the work has been made, but to also see how well it displays together.