Southern Highlands Craft Guild - three

 A final chapter of our visit. We then went downstairs to peruse the various craft wares in the shop. Here are some stunning pots. 

I have a bowl made by Joe Frank McKee, not pit fired or sager fired unfortunately, but beautiful still.

Martin Stankus did the lighter pink pots.

I didn't buy a thing this time!

I have made so many pieces with torn clay. But she got here first. And she applied gold leaf and gold composite to hers!

I loved this lamp, but it was already sold!

detail of the following...

detail for below...

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After we looked a bit at the shop downstairs of all the crafts that are currently being made by members, we sat at a picnic table outside in the sun, with a nice balmy temperature of 70 F.

The remaining stump from a nice old tree that used to shade the picnic table (out of the photo)

I was intrigued by the shades and shapes, as I think someone had had a fire in the stump.

In the mostly grey woods, a holly tree was bright green.

We had seen the cuts in the trees along the parkway (in distant background) but didn't realize the pipe nearby had been a light pole which had been snapped off at the base and was now lying on the hill going down to the parkway. There were high winds that also came through with Hurricane Helene.

Southern Highlands Craft Guild - part one

 A recent visit to the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway was centered around the permanent collection of arts and crafts of the parent group, The Southern Highlands Craft Guild.

I enjoyed seeing these pieces, and only took photos of my favorites.

I really wanted this beautiful chest of drawers - anyone want to buy it for me?

But not all was woodworking...I got a kick out of Miss Goodrich

A detail of the huge quilt...I'm a sucker for paisley.

More tomorrow.

Clay Day at the Folk Art Center

On the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Asheville and my home town of Black Mountain, there's a great Folk Art Center run by the Southern Highland Craft Guild.

This Saturday is Clay Day.  Go to this link to learn more.

Clay day at Folk Art Center

 We zipped through the great displays inside the Folk art Center, in order to see the potters last Saturday!

 Well displayed glazes for painting your own raku pottery- a sample of each glaze after firing was beside each pot of glaze.  For $10 you could paint a pot that had already been thrown and bisque fired.

 There were 5 raku kilns going continuously, with either raku glazing or horsehair details available.

 Lifting the sides of the kiln meant an easy way to get at the very hot pots when they were ready to be given horsehair treatment.  The sides of kiln are seen raised here, and the woman stepping away has a long pair of tongs holding the pot she just picked out of the kiln.

 Here the potter shows a little boy how to drop the horsehair on the hot pot, where it will singe and made a permanent design on it.  The boy was smartly cautious about the hot pot.

 Another demo on a both up the hill - throwing little vase pots on a hump on the wheel.

 Some of the artist's pottery on display next to his demo.

 Looking down the hill where the raku firing was happening.

 Along the ridge of the hill were a dozen or more booths of potters' wares.  Beautiful day to be outside and looking at them!

 A last look down the hill to the working area.

The potters on one side had some natural shade to cool them off.

Craft Fair

Did I mention I worked Thrs. morning at the Southen Highlands Craft Fair?  I volunteered as a ticket taker.  It was fun, and not that hard.  Didn't see anyone I knew.  Guess my friends don't go to the first 2 hours of a craft fair.  Mmm, wonder what that says about them...

Next Sat is the last Tailgate Market.  This Sat. was beautiful.

Just as I parked, another friend from the pottery studio parked (Tailgate, Black Mountain)

I had actually been entranced by the golden trees in the sunlight.

More golden leaves in the sunlight!

After the Tailgate I went to the Craft Fair again, this time to look especially at all the pottery and clay sculptures.  I think I not only visited each booth, I tried to meet each potter.  And I enjoyed very much those who had time and patience to speak with me about their works.




It truly was like visiting a museum, though crafts don't get shown in most museums.  I really learned a lot from my interactions with the artists, er, craftspeople!