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Carolina Creations Fine Art and American Craft Gallery will present "Hot Tea! IV" for September 2006 at the Gallerys Downtown New Bern location 317 Pollock Street.
The show runs from September 1 through September 30. A reception during "Art Walk - Downtown New Bern" on September 8 will run from 5-8 pm where you can join Don Brown of New Bern Roasting Company at Carolina Creations for a tea tasting.
This bi annual exhibit showcases 50 functional and non functional teapots and tea accessories from artists across the country.
Included in the show is the are whimsical glass teapots by Bob and Laurie Kliss, Paul Counts, Christian Thirion and Magan Stevens.
From our beginnings, working with stained glass, to the present, working with hot glass, we have considered ourselves colorists." Bob and Laurie have studied at Philchuck Glass School in Seattle, have taught at Cal State, Fresno, Scarab Glass Works and participate in gallery shows across the country.
Their work is many corporate collections including The Marriott Corporation, Walt Disney Corporation, Fresno Arts Council, Oracle Software Corporation, Rolm Corporation, and Matrix Hair Care Corporation.
Paul Counts has been an accomplished glass artist since completing his formal arts education in 1985. Like all f the glass teapots in this show his leaf teapot is non-functional. This intriguing teapot has an undulating green vine-like handle rising high over the body of the pot which stands on leaf legs.
We asked Paul to describe what glass blowing is like. "The visual experience compares to viewing a ballet or musical performance. The studio seems alive, the roar of the furnaces and gloryhole, the fire casting bright flames creating dancing shadows on the walls. the glass in a working state is a molten, honey-like consistency. The glass is gathered on the pipe and the artist shapes his piece. He uses centrifugal force and keeps it round by spinning the pipe rapidly.
Joins National Effort to Help Craft Artists
A Month for CERF
Carolina Creations in New Bern, NC has joined up with 64 craft-related businesses nationwide for A Month for CERF, an annual September event that raises funds for the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF). All businesses joining A Month for CERF agree to make a contribution to CERF and to share information about CERF with their customers, exhibiting artists and local community.
For the last several years, participants which include galleries, online markets, show producers and craft artists, have organized raffles, auctions, special sales and other creative fundraising activities that have collectively raised between $40,000 to $50,000 for CERF’s programs and services.
"CERF is incredibly grateful that Carolina Creations has once again pledged to help craft artists – our primary constituency and their primary source of creative and beautiful objects – via fundraising and outreach activities on our behalf,” said Jeanne Kirby, CERF’s Communications and Events Coordinator.
CERF’s mission is to strengthen and sustain the careers of craft artists across the United States. Since its beginnings in 1985, CERF has developed a well known reputation in the craft community for the unique emergency relief assistance it provides to professional artists who have suffered career-threatening emergencies (natural disaster, fire, theft, illness and injury).
During the first half of 2006, CERF distributed $176,297 in grants, loans and in-kind assistance to 102 craft artists nationwide, 82 of whom were victims of Hurricane Katrina. CERF also offers information services, workshops and technical assistance geared towards helping craft artists strengthen their businesses and careers.
Carolina Creations has participated in A Month for CERF for 2 years and has raised over $1000 for CERF. To raise money this year the gallery will contribute money from sales of selected items in their “oldies but goodies” area of the gallery.
Carolina Creations is located at 317 Pollock Street in Downtown New Bern. For more information contact: Janet Francoeur at 252-633-4369 or email her at info@carolinacreations.com.
For more information regarding the Craft Emergency Relief Fund and A Month for CERF, contact: Elissa Campbell or Jeanne Kirby at (802) 229-2306 or go to www.craftemergency.org.
Two other glass blowers have teapots in the show, Christian Thirion who was trained as a pastry chef before becoming a glass blower in 1987 and Magan Stevens who received her fine art degree from Temple University.
Most of the teapots in the show are made of clay. They are both thrown on the wheel and hand built.
Steven Fabrico's hand built stoneware teapots are fully functional but are works of art as well. Steven started his career in craft by chance. Drafted into the Vietnam War, he spent four years serving on a aircraft carrier in the Navy. In 1971 he applied to Suffolk County Community College in Selden, N.Y. when accepted, he had no clear plans as to his course of study. One day he happened to walk past the ceramics room. Peering in, he thought it looked interesting. Classes in ceramics were full that semester, so he audited a class just to watch the students throw pots. It was, he recalls, 'a fortuitous turn of events,' that lead to a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in ceramics from The State University at New Paltz and a fulfilling career as a studio potter.
Marsha has a degree from NC State and studied at Alfred University. She has been a studio pottery since 1983 and has taught at Penland School of Crafts in Spruce Pine where she also was a resident potter.
The beautifully formed, small teapots by Julie Porter and Brent Heerspink are fired in a brick kiln fueled by wood. The raw clay is exposed to the direct action of the fire and smoke as the flames flow through the kiln. This "fire marks" or "flashes" the pot with rich variations of warm color and texture and gives each piece its own individual character.
Cindy Teryo creates her teapots with elfin feet and ruffled edges, Sylvia Coppola emphasizes handles and feet on her cone 10 reduction glazed pots. Barbara Bravos Lily Teapot is hand thrown porcelain with her signature lily designs gracefully cascading down the handles.
Many other artists are represented in the show including Chris Early with his oversized teapot flower pot and flower pot tea cups, Mary Marks limited edition lino block prints of teacups and pots, teapot still lives by a number of local artists and pewter teapot
Don Brown of the New Bern Roasting Company will bring three teas for tasting. They will be Bella Coola (a fruit and herb infusion which has no caffeine), Japanese Sencha (traditional green tea), and Assam (a full flavored black.
- Bella Coola- In Canada this style is also known as children's tea. It has a predominant orange character with the lovely sweetness of pineapple which provides flavor depth. The aroma is simply fantastic. This is wonderful either hot or cold.
- Japanese Sencha-This is the green often used in ceremonies. Green tea is made by drying the fresh green leaves. It tends to a light, grassy fresh liquor with smoothness and good depth. Sencha is a tea made for those quiet times.
- Assam-Tarajulie Estate second flush black tea from India is full bodied with a round smoothness. It makes a wonderful breakfast tea and is the base for traditional English Breakfast. We call it a coffee drinker's tea. Come taste the tea on Friday September 8 from 5-8 pm.
The show is open Monday-Saturday 10-6, Friday until 8 and Sunday 11-4 at Carolina Creations, 317 Pollock St in Downtown New Bern. For more information call Janet at 252-633-4369 or email info@carolinacreations.com.
Friday, November 10
5-8 pm Art walk
Smoke and Fire
Raku Show
Show with pots, tiles & sculpture by Carolyn Curran, Brian Evans, Shar Christman, Round Tree Pottery, Brenda Townsend, Janine Sopp, and others.
Friday & Saturday,
November 24th
10 am-8 pm
November 25th
10am-6pm
Christmas Open House
Join us for our traditional wassail & new work by gallery artists.
Friday December 8Th 5-8 pm
Christmas walk
Downtown New Bern
Isn’t it great - we’re open late! Extended hours for the holidays - Mon-Wed 10-7 Thurs & Fri 10-8:30 Sat 10-6 Sun 11-5 from Thanksgiving through December 24th
We have started representing Sticks in our gallery! Each piece is one of a kind. For those of you that are familiar with Sarah’s work you know that custom orders are a large part of what she does.
February Childrens Valentine Card Sale
March - Carolina Creations features Bloom! An eclectic show of flower related art work from paintings to sculpture to vases During Art Walk-Downtown New Bern - .
May - What Fun! Work by gallery artists that is light and whimsical, bright colors to cheer the soul during Art Walk-Downtown New Bern
July - Under The Palms - During Art Walk-Downtown New Bern - Sept - Family and Friends - During Art Walk-Downtown New Bern - .
Sept - A Month for CERF
Nov On The Wing A show featuring birds in all mediums - During Art Walk-Downtown New Bern -
Nov - Christmas OpenHouse
Dec - Christmas Walk
The pieces available range from coat racks, to beds, to chairs and dining room tables. We can help you design your piece - the possibilities are endless!