Greensboro Daily Photo

Window Shopping at Earthworks Pottery

Earthworks Pottery at 500 South Elm Street, formerly Elm Street Pottery, is owned by local potters: Molly Lithgo and Jim Rientjes. Molly and Jim make colorful pottery for everyday use, using very different techniques. If you collect pottery, likely you have seen the duo at the Yanceyville Farmer's Market. Possibly you stopped into their South Cedar Street Shop. In the store, Molly and Jim represent several North Carolina potters, artists, and crafters and are a big part of Greensboro's monthly, first Friday events. Earthworks Pottery is yet another example of people collaborating to support a brick and mortar business. With many people vested in a business, friends have a way of telling friends who tell friends, helping businesses stay solvent. Earthworks opened in one of downtown's 2-story brick buildings in April, 2012. Let's hope it is around for a very long time. The building has been around since 1895 and Earthworks is putting a good dent in the provenance.

This Christmas season, please consider balancing your online and big box store shopping with shopping in locally owned businesses. Nothing helps you feel more like part of a community than having people know your name and what you like to purchase. Somehow when a person recommends something to you because they know you, it is just a bit less invasive than when an internet popup add suggests an item!

Margot Robinson, Artist

Margot Robinson is one of the many talented artistes with a studio in the Creative Center. The Center is located at 900 16th Street, across the street from Buffalo Presbyterian Church, at the western tip of the Billy "Crash" Craddock Bridge. It brings together creative souls from all over the city and offers everything from yoga to Spanish to studio space. Margot shares a very large 3rd floor studio with Karen Dresser whose art quilts can be seen adorning the wall. Karen's abstract figures, as seen above, complement Margot's textured, pottery pieces.

Margot's sculptures are known as peaceful warriors and they are based on Japanese tomb sculptures. Her intent is for the sculptures to bring "a feeling of peace and joy" to their owner. She leaves the eyes hollow; they are the window to the soul. The ambiguous ethnicity of the peaceful warriors leaves much of the interpretation up to the owner. Some of the figures are reminiscent of little Russian grandmothers; others resemble Japanese figures from a different era. Margot shapes something ancient, yet contemporary into each of her clay figures.We met up with Margot (and Karen) last night at the Center, where she treated us to snacks and great conversation.  

Last night's Candlelight Studio Tour at the Creative Center was the perfect way to finish out a great, First Friday. With a drum circle and hula hoopers outside, and artists like Margot inside, we saw firsthand just how vibrant Greensboro's art scene has become.

Some Like It Cold....Camellias...Brrrrr

In Greensboro, the camellia bushes are in full bloom and we are thrilled that something so delicate and colorful thrives in this cold weather. The camellia bush is a small evergreen shrub native to Asia. Not only are the flowers delightful, the glossy leaves have a polished and waxed appearance. There are as many as 250 described species of camellia. In the proper environment, these acid loving plants can live for 100-500 years. Camellia sinensis is the most famous member because its leaves are harvested for tea. However, tea can be made with other species as well. While we haven't heard of any camellias being poisonous, talk to an expert before brewing tea from the camellias in your yard! Have you ever done so?

The little North-Carolina-pottery container above, with a metal frog inside, is perfect for bringing a few sprigs of nature inside. We try to keep it filled with something from the yard.

Of course today's title is a play on words for what some consider to be one of the greatest American comedy films of all time (Some Like it Hot). You might want to rent this old classic and watch it while you are trying to stay in from the cold! 

Aliens on Elm Street

Greensboro artists Leanne Pizio and Paige Cox have collaborated on an alien art show/sale. Leanne does the pottery and Paige is the fiber artist. Together, they have a fabulously creative collection for sale at Just Be in downtown Greensboro. This assemblage in the window is a small part of their work. Inside, you will find plates, prints, and more. Some creatures look haunting, others a little more Shrek-like. One of our favorite quotes from Leanne's alien- who has just arrived on earth- is, "It's not what I had hoped for." That can have meaning on so many levels. If an alien landed in your back yard, what do you think he/she/it would say?

Just Be-cause we can, we're sharing this post with James at Weekend Reflections. His meme seems just perfect for the weekend. Ponder, reflect, and get a little light bouncing back atcha. If you look closely, you can see the photographer's body attached to the alien head in the middle and the local comedy club, The Idiot Box, in the background.

Charlie Tefft Pottery

Accomplished local potter and Guilford College instructor Charlie Tefft makes functional art pottery that is inspired by the world around him. As seen in the photo above, most of his glazes are neutral, brown and blue. In the foreground is the brown and white wren pitcher. His pieces range from traditional to modern with an Asian feel. (See more on his website here. Keep up with him on Facebook here). To be sure, all of Charlie's work is extraordinary and reasonably priced. We caught up with Charlie at a recent pottery event at Yanceyville Farmers' Market. Charlie has also been very involved in the Ultimate (Frisbee) community. Artist, teacher, athlete, all around nice guy-- Greensboro is lucky to have people like Charile living here.

On November 20th and 21st, Charlie will have a pottery show and sale in his studio at 6303 Thornblade Court from 1-5 pm. Mark your calendar and head out to visit. It will be a great place to find a gift.

We share Charlie's pottery with our not only our local but also our international friends at the Ruby Tuesday meme.

'H' is for Helping Hands

Today is Wednesday, we're already half way through the week. Above, we see helping hands, already half way through making their clay pieces. The photo was taken at an event for children, held in downtown Greensboro at Center City Park, earlier in the summer. We think this was a booth sponsored by Art Quest, Greensboro's art center for children of all ages. The Art Quest Center boasts twelve engaging hands-on stations created by North Carolina artists.

Today is ABC Wednesday and "H" is for Helping Hands. Imagine what all of us could create with a little help from our friends!

 

Center City Park

This photo shows the best of Greensboro: Families enjoying an afternoon in the park with perfect weather and great entertainment. This scene, with the giant pottery vessels and the Cultural Arts Center in the background, is found at Center City Park. The 1.9 acre park, located in the center of the city, opened in 2006 and took four years to construct.

As stated on their website, "Center City Park is to serve as a central gathering place for Greensboro's residents and visitors in a setting that is both relaxed and lively." Relaxed and lively describes Center City Park perfectly! Whether events are planned or impromptu, weekends are fun and safe here! To us, this unaltered photo looks like a painting.

 

Ben L. Owen III Pottery

In the foreground, the iconic red pottery vessels were made by Ben L. Owen, III. The Owen Family is famous for this Chinese red glaze. The pottery in the background comes from Bulldog Studio, equally famous for its interesting glazes. Both pottery studios are located in the Seagrove Area about an hour south of Greensboro. If you ever have a chance to visit these potteries, the day trip is well worth your time. 

En route to the potteries, we were speechless when we stopped at this new rest stop in Randolph County. The rest stop,  with its sustainable energy design, is a work of art. Not only does it house a pottery museum, the green, energy-efficient rest stop uses all of the sustainable practices in today's market. In the current photo, you can see how the use of natural light enhances the building and exhibits maximally. The I-73/74 rest stop is  a worthy day trip destination on its own! Stop back tomorrow and we'll share another picture of the facility.

Of course we're using this photo for Ruby Tuesday!

 

Our Very, Very... RED CLAY

Most of us living in the Piedmont Region of North Carolina are all too familiar with red clay soil. In some cases, it serves us well. Since the late 18th century, local potters have been using red clay for earthenware pottery. Red clay is closer to the surface, but less sturdy, than its gray clay cousin. (explained here). Clay soil is famous for holding water, as in the puddle above! Additionally, its finely textured particles are packed with rich organic and inorganic materials. The down side is that clay doesn't drain very well and needs to be amended for planting. Fortunately, some plants like pyracantha, grape vines, and hosta actually thrive in red clay (explained here). Piedmont parents will tell you that if a child slips in red clay wearing white pants, you can just about forget getting the stain out! Red clay is such a staple in NC, we even have a band called The RED CLAY Ramblers! Enjoy this string band music their website! 

We're sharing this photo/puddle with our friends at Watery Wednesday!

 

South Elm Pottery & Gallery

With these hands, Jim Gutesll works his magic. From the window of South Elm Street Pottery & Gallery, we snapped this view of Jim mentoring a young girl into the art of throwing a vessel. His, the master's hands ever so steady and confident; hers, eager, yet tentative, this is apprenticeship at its best. Jim is sometimes known as the Godfather of pottery in Greensboro for founding the Triad Area Spring  Pottery Festival at the Yanceyville Farmers' Market. Jim works relentlessly to make people aware of the wonderful North Carolina pottery available "North of Seagrove."

If you can brave the snow this weekend, walk by by Jim's studio on South Elm Street, just south of the railroad tracks, and watch a great potter at work. Even better, stop in and buy LOCAL! Taking this photo through the window, for Weekly Reflections, was more fun than watching TV-- any day! Here's to you Jim!

 

On the 9th Day, SANTONS

For today's Sacred Sunday shot, on this 9th day of Christmas, instead of bringing you 9 ladies dancing, we take you inside the home of one of Greensboro's many Francophiles and share her creche from Provençe.  Our friend amassed this grand collection piece by piece during her many decades of traveling from Greensboro to France.

Santons are terra cotta figures depicting the nativity. The first representation of the nativity, albeit life sized, was by St. Francis of Assissi in 1223. However, the French Revolution, with its closing of churches and prohibiting of nativity scenes, popularized miniature nativity scenes made from terra cotta figures. The making of santons has been popular in Provençe since the late 1700's and is a family craft handed down through the generations. The figures represent actual villagers-- shepherds, millers, woodcutters, fish mongers, a blind man, the wise men-- all marveling at the birth of Christ, whose figure is depicted with wax.

Every Christmas, our friend in Sunset Hills brings her figurines down from the attic and intricately places them one by one recreating not only the nativity scene but also her memories of trips to France and her selecting the 2" figures, all crafted by santonnier, Marcel Carbonel. As we pen this post, Madame M's voice resounds, "Bonsoir Joseph, Marie, enfant Jésus, fermier.......Ça va, rabassier?......... et les Rois Mages........comment allez-vous ce soir?" 

Only after she makes sure that all 50+ figures are in place can she step outside and enjoy the hundreds and hundreds of Christmas light balls hurled into the canopy of mature trees lining her street.
 

Whoo Hoo Truck

We like to feature vehicles unique to Greensboro. Well, the Whoo-Hoo mobile is about as unique as it gets. Greensboro artist Leanne Pizio has decorated this truck to resemble her pottery. Likely, if you see the Whoo-hoo-mobile loaded up with boxes, Leanne is en route to a show. Stop Leanne right then and there and buy something. We've featured her before (but not this great vehicle) and here is her website. We love local talent and great vehicles; this post has both. If you are a "vehicle person" click here and take a quick scroll!

Let us know if there is a "must see" vehicle in YOUR neighborhood. We've always got our camera with us. Smile. If you're reading this, you survived another Friday the 13th! Stop by tomorrow for Sacred Sunday. Which house of worship will we feature next?

Liberty Antiques Festival II

Yesterday, we featured the people and ambience of the Liberty Antiques Festival held twice a year south of Greensboro. Today, we feature more of the wares. The above photo shows the fine pie safes, crocks, baskets, enamelware, pottery, etc. available at the Liberty Antiques Festival. Items of great quality, including American primitives, were readily available. No crafts or reproductions were permitted in this show! We plan to start saving now and returning with a truck this September 25th and 26th!

Art Quest

Here we see a picture of the clay corner at Artquest, the hands-on studio located in the Cultural Arts Building on Davie St. Artquest is just one of many facets of the Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art. Artquest is a fabulous studio where people can paint, weave, draw, make a collage, mold clay, and hone visual/spacial skills with twelve art stations designed by North Carolina artists. Additionally, Artquest is a great place to go for a field trip or for a birthday party. If you are looking for summer activities, they have reasonably-priced camps. Artquest is fun for children because it is so interactive and visually stimulating. It is fun for adults because you can dabble in art without being intimidated. It brings out the artist in everyone! Finally, the studio adjoins the Green Hill Gallery so you can saunter through the gallery, seeking inspiration from professional artists, before making a work of art yourself! Take advantage of a great community resource.

               

Leanne Pizio's Pottery

Leanne Blake Pizio is a local potter whose eclectic work can be seen in the photo above. Leanne sells her wares at most of the local pottery festivals as well as through the internet. This photo was taken on Sunday during the Pottery Festival at the Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market at 501 Yanceyville Street.

Leanne has perfected the sgraffito technique which involves coating pottery and scratching off parts to achieve an intricate design. Additionally, Leanne leaves no surface unadorned. The back side of her work is usually as intricately detailed as the front! Designs on her pottery include dreamy Alice-in-Wonderland like characters, rabbits, crows, owls. Currently, she is smitten with her 100 tall, "wonky" bottle project, two of which are in the upper right hand corner. If you want to learn more about her artistic process as well as how to order her pottery, you can contact her directly through her blog. We have always been impressed at how personable Leanne is with her customers.

   

North Carolina Pottery

If you live in Greensboro and have ever put a shovel to soil, you know that our landscape is filled with CLAY. Given its abundance, Greensboro is steeped in the tradition of throwing clay into vessels. We have several local potters and pottery studios. Additionally, Jugtown and Seagrove are located a little over an hour south of Greensboro. In the photo above, you see one of the red glazed pieces made famous in the murder mystery novel, Uncommon Clay, written by North Carolina writer, Margaret Maron. If you are committed to the "buy local" movement or want to give a gift that represents our region, you can't go wrong purchasing North Carolina pottery (or books about NC pottery!). We use ours every day!