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...