New work by Ken and Ingrid Hanson

We''ve just gotten in some beautiful new pieces from Ken and Ingrid Hanson. These two have worked together since their early college years and although traditional Italian and Swedish glass-blowing techniques inspire them, they employ a bold and innovative color palette to create their unique and contemporary art glass.

"We constantly strive to evolve our ideas to create unique and exciting works of art in glass. It is the intensity and
unpredictability of hot glass that inspires constant change in our work. Through collaboration, we are able share our visions and skills to create one-of-a-kind works of art."

Ken and Ingrid melt sand and other raw materials into glass at temperatures exceeding 2300 degrees Fahrenheit. They gather the molten glass onto blow pipes, then through the use of heat, gravity, and centrifugal force, they manipulate the glass into beautiful works of art.

The artists pay great attention to the detail of the surface decoration on their vessels. They create brightly colored stripes and symbols of cane and murrini by hand forming and melting glass into various shapes. During the glass-blowing process they fuse these inclusions onto the surface of the glass. They often include 24K many of their pieces.

To see some more of the pieces we've just received check out their page on our website by clicking here!

To see a glass blowing demo on utube, click here.

Better yet stop in, there's nothing like seeing it in person!

Talk about customer service

We always pride ourselves on going above and beyond to deliver great customer service but we've been topped!

We had an earring come back for repair and we sent it off to the artist, or so we thought.

It came back repaired with this note.

What it says is we sent another artists earring to Ayala Bar and she repaired it because "we pride ourselves on our customer service." I GUESS SO!!

I beleive that tops pretty much anything we've ever done.

Summer in the City - New Bern!

Got a call this morning from Charlie Hall, top notch reporter at the Sun Journal. He was asking for my reaction to the article in the paper this morning about the bridge company getting an extension for their completion date. 42 days I think.

I told him that my sources at City Hall say that yes the company asked for an extention, just to be sure, but fully intend for the bridge to be open on time.

IF it happens that they are a little late, well we've survived for 2 1/4 years without it and another week or two won't make any difference.

I told him that even with no bridge, a recession and Broad Street being under construction we have just had 3 businesses change hands, 2 new restaurants open with a third to come, and 2 new shops should open in about 3 weeks, sooooooo, while we would all like the bridge to be open it's not that bad.

Last year we had our best ever June. This June equaled it. Not to say we've done that every month this year but all things considered it has been a pretty good year.

We are gearing up for our, Carolina Creations 20th anniversary of business in Downtown New Bern, an awesome Dickens of a Christmas celebration, followed by First Night and New Berns 300th Anniversary year. An exciting time in our little town.

New Bern Bears

For the 30oth anniversary of our city several New Bern artists are painting fiberglass bears that will be scattered around the city, here is a press release about one of the newest ones!

Coastal Women’s Forum and Governor Beverly Perdue present City Hall with the “Flag Bearer” Bear

Coastal Women’s Forum, a local women’s business networking organization established 1988, purchased a “Bear Town Bear” Bear and will present it to New Bern on Friday, August 7 at 4 p.m. The colorful, patriotic bear will be located at City Hall, on the corner of Pollock and Craven Streets. Mayor Tom Bayliss and City Alderman will participate in the ceremony to accept the life size, fiberglass, public art bear.

Governor Beverly Perdue, a charter member of Coastal Women’s Forum (CWF) member, will speak about the commitment CWF makes to the city. The 2009 CWF theme is Making a Difference, Leaving a Legacy. Thea Kincaid, incoming CWF president, and Leigh Wilkinson, charter member, were instrumental in getting the “Flagbearer” Bear donated to New Bern. CWF members contributed $2800 to cover the cost of the bear. “Our vision of placing a bear in New Bern was a long time dream that has become a reality. CWF women will leave this legacy for the women who came before us and the woman still to come”, said Kincaid.

The “Flagbearer” bear was designed and painted by a husband and wife team. Richard Farrow designed the bear and Bear Town Bear co-founder and artist, Vicki Vitale painted the bear.
Bear Town Bears is an all-volunteer non-profit organization which places fiberglass bears, decorated by local artists, at business and public locations throughout the New Bern, North Carolina area for public enjoyment. All the bears will ultimately be on display throughout 2010 for New Bern’s 300-year anniversary celebration. To date, there will be over 24 Bear Town Bears throughout the city.

Other local companies and organizations that have bought Bears are CarolinaEast Health System, ECIM - Eastern Carolina Internal Medical, East Carolina Bank, Dr. Bill Kincaid and Bridgeton Hotel and Marina. Bear Town Bears is a tax deductible contribution.
http://www.beartownbears.org/

It will be great to see these bears around town!

The 3/50 Project

I'm always harping about buying local, here is a nice national project that talks about the same thing.

When I talk about buying local I'm not just talking about buying at Carolina Creations (but of course we LOVE it when you do!), I'm talking about buying potting soil (or light bulbs, glue, getting a key made, paint, etc, etc) at Mitchell Hardware instead of one of those big, non local chains. The price is the same, they'll remember your name and most of the time even what you purchased last.

Or have you tried the frozen shrimp at The Galley Stores? They are EXCELLENT and are now on our always have list in the freezer replacing the boring frozen chicken breasts we used to always have. This is not your typical convenience store it's a small full grocery store that just happens to have gas pumps in front. And it sure beats standing in line at one of the big grocery stores.

Do you know that we have quite a following from surrounding towns that drive to Downtown New Bern to Shop? They say they have nothing like it in their own towns.

Now to the 3/50 Project........



You can just click on their image to read more about it!

Meet our new artist Peggy Crago

Peggy tells us a little about herself - Perhaps because of growing up in a large family with no room for clutter, I came to appreciate things that were both functional and beautiful. I enjoy experimenting with classical forms and color, adding a whimsical twist. As new ideas emerge, old ones are often retired. My studio looks out onto my organic garden. Between gardening and pottery, it seems like my hands are never clean.

A long background in the fine and graphic arts, including 15 years of sign painting, developed brush and layout abilities; but it was when I took my first pottery class in the early 90s to that my direction in art radically changed.

I was so excited that, driving to class, my heart would pound and it was hard to breathe. Thankfully, it was an open studio. Barring other obligations, I could be there from 7 in the morning till 10 at night.

I was especially drawn to majolica with its bright colors and enduring elegance; and, as it turns out, it's a pretty good match for someone who likes to paint! I work alone to preserve the sense of flow from beginning to end in the work, and because new ideas are often born in the quiet and solitude.

My work is in galleries across the country and has been exhibited in national shows, including the Strictly Functional Pottery National. In 2002 I won the award for Best Functional Pottery at the statewide Colorado Clay exhibition at the Foothills Art Center in Golden, and in 2006, the award for excellence in category at the Crested Butte Festival of the Arts."

We're thrilled to have Peggys work. As you know I make tiles myself so am especially drawn to her work.

As always, photos don't do it justine, please stop in to see! More pieces are featured on our website - see them by clicking here Carolina Creations Peggy Crago.

Trip to Ocracoke

Some friends of mine went to Ocracoke for lunch!

They left from the New Bern airport.

We were there last about 2 years ago. We don't go more often because it takes so long to get there.

Driving & taking the ferry would take about 4 1/2 hours each way, by air it took about 40 minutes each way.

The next time we go I think this is the way we'll do it!

Pollock Street as promised

Here are a few photos I shot on Thursday just a few blocks from our gallery on Pollock Street. Beautiful.

See more about our town http://www.visitnewbern.com/.

http://www.tryonpalace.org/

It's a beautiful place!

Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens Follow Up

A week or so ago I wrote about visiting the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Belmont, NC, south of Charlotte.

Here is the layout of the garden, the garden is HUGE and beautifully kept. The building on the left in the map of the garden is the Orchid Conservatory. This conservatory was the thing I had heard about and wanted to see. The rest of the huge garden was a bonus.
This garden consists of 380 acres of meadows, woodlands and lakefront property. Built by Daniel Stowe, a retired textile executive, it was started in 1991 and currently there are over 110 acres in cultivation.
Most of the photos I've posted were taken inside the conservatory.

Put it on your "to see" list.

Here is a link to their website. Daniel Stowe

But - Daniel Stowe doesn't have too much on New Bern, my next post will be photos I took on July 9th on Pollock Street in Downtown New Bern.

Julie Wiggins Potter

Julie is part of our Circle of Eight Pottery Show and Sale. I love her delicate designs and her finely modeled porcelain pieces. My favorite is the Gate Vase.

Julie talks about her work “I am fascinated with creating objects that stimulate the sense of touch with focus on utility and form.

I seek for the fire and the atmosphere in the kiln to react to my surfaces leaving layers of information and mystery on the pots. I work with high fired porcelain and stoneware, manipulating and altering components of wheel and hand-built techniques. I am inspired by histories of environmental and architectural settings along with the repetition and gestural quality of a line.

I intend for the user to find evidence of my processes of working the clay in my wares and for everyday use.

Julie Wiggins Biography

Julie is a ceramic artist based in Charlotte, NC. Her pots are intended for everyday use that dictates a function throughout cultures and time.

Julie was born in Jacksonville, NC and attended East Carolina University where she earned a BFA in Ceramics. She received an honorary degree while abroad at Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute in Jingdezhen, China where she focused on traditional techniques. Her studies also include a spring concentration at Penland School of Crafts and various workshops with Linda Christianson, Suze Lindsay, Gu-Mei Chin and Terry Gess. Currently, Julie is the studio manager and artist at Clayworks, Inc in Charlotte, NC. She is very active in the ceramics community teaching classes to adults and children participating in various symposiums and conferences and exhibiting her work around the country.

Working with high-fired porcelain in a gas fired reduction kiln. Julie manipulates and alters components of wheel thrown and hand-built techniques. Her drawings are a reflection of her memories, travels and loves of life.

History and tradition play an important role in her work. Inspiration comes from environmental and architectural settings along with the repetition and gestural quality of a line.

The opportunity to study abroad enhanced her creativity as a ceramic artist and continues to push her work in new directions that combine Eastern and Western influences.

See more pieces from Julie on our website by clicking here.

Meet the artist Adrienne Dellinger

Adrienne is another of our "Circle of Eight" Potters. Here is a little about her.

Dellinger is a utilitarian potter. She creates pots that enrich the day-to-day experience; pots that are loved even more each time they are used.

Adrienne was born in charlotte and received her BFA from ECU. She is currently the studio manager for Clayworks in Charlotte, NC.

Adrienne grew up with both Catawba Valley Pottery and pots by Ben Owen and Ben Owen III as well as numerous other Seagrove potters in her home. This created a foundation for traditional and utilitarian pottery influences. Attending ECU gave her a strong Japanese influence.

She has been a studio assistant for Cynthia Bringle at Penland School of Crafts. She has continued her studies by attending workshops at Penland with Malcom Davis and Tracy Dotson.

Adrienne has attended workshops with Michael Simon, Don Reitz, Ron Myers, Judith Duff, Nick Joerling, Suze Lindsay, and many others. She has also fired work with Burlon Crait in his kiln and assisted him in digging clay.

She has taught adult classes in various settings, including the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, and has exhibited throughout the region.

She was recently awarded an individual artist grant from the Arts and Science Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg.Adrienne is an exhibiting member of the American Craft Council and Piedmont Craftsmen.

She has been accepted in national shows and is represented in fine regional galleries. Adrienne currently lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband and fellow potter, Greg Scott, and their two children, Grace and Quinn.

For the pieces in our show Adrienne has hand dug native North Carolina clay, turned and then glazed in a traditional alkaline glaze made of wood ash, native clay and ground recycled glass. The pieces are then wood fired in a a traditional groundhog kiln with a creek sand floor.

See more of her pieces on our website by clicking here.

Blogging

Over the next few days I'm going to be blogging about 8 new potters we have in our gallery!

My vission for this blog is not for it to be just about "what's new" at Carolina Creations fine art and contemporary craft gallery, but

- To give you a little insight behind how we've built the collection we have.

- What inspires us and inspires our artists.

- Where we go to find our artists.

- What's going on in New Bern and the area.

- Fun and quirky things we run into.

- Life, business, and beauty.

So there may be a string of new artist and what's new blogs but it won't signify a permanent change, it's just temporary.

Michael Kline Potter

Michael joins the Circle of Eight group for a pottery show and sale at Carolina Creations through August 26.

Michael has been a studio potter since 1993. He studied pottery, painting, and printmaking at the University of Tennessee from 1983-1986 and holds a BFA.

He also studied under Michael Simon at the Penland School of Crafts in 1989. After teaching pottery at the Westside YMCA in New York City from 1986-1989 he joined Mark Shapiro in Worthington , MA and built a studio and kiln at Stonepool Pottery.

In 1993 Michael began his Okra Pottery Studio. He designed and created wood fired-salt glazed tableware with a botanical theme in Massachusetts until 1998 when he was awarded a Resident Artist position at the Penland School of Crafts.

While at Penland Michael developed a body of work in translucent porcelain. In addition to the porcelain work Michael developed a body of larger scale stoneware pottery inspired by the traditional stoneware of the Catawba Valley and Seagrove areas of North Carolina.

At the end of his tenure as Resident Artist Michael designed a kiln to fire his new body of stoneware. The kiln is designed to fire exclusively with edgings and remainder wood from local sawmills and is large enough to fire his large scale pottery as well his tableware. The kiln is fired five times a year.

The pottery features botanical themes, glass runs, and alkaline ash glaze. Michael lives in Bakersville, North Carolina with his wife, goldsmith Stacey Lane. They have two daughters Evelyn and Lillian and a beagle named Ruby.

Purchase pieces from our website.