2022-23 has been all about cups and giving back to places that have given me hope and inspiration as an artist. Penland School of Craft and Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft have both played vital roles in my identity (and healing) as an artist. I am honored to have been asked to make these celebratory souvenirs for the attendees of their respective 2023 annual benefit auctions.
Both schools offer a diverse range of artistic media to which I wanted to pay homage in some small way. It’s a lot to ask a simple cup to represent multiple medias it is not made from, but fiber arts are represented by using fabric to emboss the clay and the technique references those used by printmakers and metalsmiths. We are all related after all.
I fabricated and bisque fired everything in my home studio before embarking on mini-residencies at each venue to glaze and complete the final firings. Leaving 525 mugs (Penland) and 119 tumblers (Pocosin) behind, I wish both oases in craft education great success in their fundraising.
If you are interested in a completely immersive and intimate art experience to expand your knowledge or hone your skills, check out these magical places:
