Kathryn Gremley, Penland Gallery Director, and this year’s awards judge for the third annual invitational exhibition, Art of the Cup: Functional Comfort has selected First and Second prize winners as well as Honorable Mentions.
FIRST PLACE
 |
Spiral Wave Cup 2010 Vitreous translucent china Wheel formed and assembled Martin earned his M.F.A. at Cranbrook Academy of Art and B.F.A. from the Kansas City Art Institute. Martin is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee’s School of Art. He’s a recent recipient of an Individual artist Fellowship through a Tennessee Arts Commission Award. Martin's work has been exhibited in; The State of the Art 2008: National Biennial Ceramics Invitational at Parkland Art Gallery Champaign, IL, The Art of Tennessee at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville. His works are in the collections of the Charles A. Wusum Museum of Fine Arts in Racine Wisconsin and the Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art, New York. His work is in 500 Vases: Contemporary Explorations of a Timeless Form, 500 Platters & Chargers: Innovative Expressions of Function & Style, Lark Books, Electric Kiln Ceramics: A Guide to Clay and Glazes, The Ceramic Design Book, and Make it in Clay. Artist Statement: “It is with respect to the decision-making and the learning process that my working methodology allows for the act of improvisation. Intuition plays a central role and quickly guides me toward a visualized form. I find that by using a responsive medium, such as clay, that the material replies willingly to the forming processes on and off the potter’s wheel. I am able to rapidly document the activity that takes place between my hand and the material in bringing my visualization into reality.” |
SECOND PLACE
 |
Dotty Purple Cup (2010) Earthenware, wheel-thrown with contour slip dip, Slip trailing, wax resist patterning over red terra sigalatta and alkaline and textured glazes Fired in oxidation to cone 03 in electric kiln Peterson grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later completed the Core Student program at Penland School of Crafts. In 2005, he was chosen as an Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly magazine, and his work has been included in shows at AKAR Gallery in Iowa City, IA, Penland Gallery in Penland, NC, Artisans Gallery in Northampton, MA, The Kiln Gallery in Fairhope, AL, among others. He has also been invited to the 4th, 5th, and 6th Annual Potters’ Market Invitational at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, and his work is included in the permanent collection of the NC Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC. Peterson's ceramic vessels are made from a red earthenware clay, fired in an electric kiln, and are drawn from his observations of agents of growth and decay in the natural world. |
HONORABLE MENTIONS
 |
Blue and White Cup (2010) Stoneware, hand-built, with multiple slips and glaze Barringer received a BA in Art from Bennington College in 1972, with a concentration in ceramics and drawing. She has been a studio artist since 1973. During that time she has made both functional pottery and sculpture, and has exhibited her work both nationally and internationally. Barringer has taught widely at universities, art schools, and craft centers, including Ohio State University, Penland School of Crafts, Arrowmont, and many others. In addition to her studio work she has lectured and written on the history of ceramics at Ohio University, the Harvard Ceramics Studio, and Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis. In 2004 she was named editor of The Studio Potter, an independent journal of ceramics. Barringer lives in western Massachusetts. All her work is handbuilt and finished with multiple layers of slip and glaze, then fired in an electric kiln. |
 |
White Dog Rhyton (2010) Stoneware Hand-built and modeled from slabs, fired to c/6 oxidation Bova lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Educated at the University of Houston (BFA) and the University of New Mexico (MA), his work in ceramics using animal imagery was first inspired by the realities of hunting and fishing, and later by their power as symbols, surrogates and totems. Bova first taught at Nichols State University, Thibodaux, LA. He taught at and contributed significantly to the programs of Louisiana State University 1971-1990, and Ohio University beginning in 1990. His later work continues an underlying eroticism inspired by Moche pottery in addition to an increased sense of socio-political content. Bova's work is in the collections of the Arizona State University Art Museum; Greenville Museum of Art, SC; International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemet, Hungary; Los Angeles County Museum, CA; Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, NC; and the San Angelo Museum of Art, TX. Awards include the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art Fellowship, SAF/NEA Fellowship, and a fellowship to the International Ceramics Studio in Kecskemet, Hungary. The International Academy of Ceramics, Geneva, elected him a member in 2005. Bova is a Fulbright Scholar for 2011 at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, Ireland. He is represented by Taylor Bercier Gallery in New Orleans. |
 |
Untitled #1 (2010) Clay with slips and glazes Wood-fired “My goal in making this work has been to create quiet, simple pots, which like a good meal, leave a healthy, full feeling. Pots like these have been my constant companions for over forty years. They are forms and surfaces which I never grow tired of. They are rooted in ceramic history; yet, I hope they reflect a personal and individual quality of feeling. Above all, these pots are intended to be good to live with and interact with on a daily basis. They are made with others in mind. This work has been fired in a catenary arch wood-fired kiln at my studio. It is a relatively short firing, so, I can fire it solo. Much of my work is wheel-thrown and then altered from stoneware or porcelain clay. Slips and glazes have been applied and then altered through the action of the wood-firing. For me, good pots spring from compassion. My working method amounts to simply wishing the work well at each stage of creation. Like raising my son; I just put my hands on the work silently encouraging it to "be good, be good." Always, I return to the clay trying to bring as much sincerity as I can muster to bear on the work.” |
 |
Cup 2 (2010) Wheel-thrown and altered porcelain Soda vapor fired, semi-matte copper glaze, flashing slip and underglaze brushwork |
Brown is currently Associate Professor of Art at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA. He has been part of the Nicholls family since 2003. He teaches all levels of Ceramics, Beginning Design, and Art Appreciation. Brown received his M.F.A. from Ohio University and his B.F.A. from University of Florida. Prior to graduate school Brown was an Artist‐In‐Residence at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN.
Brown works primarily with clay exploring both functional pottery and sculptural forms. Jeff also builds contemporary furniture and sculpture. His work has been exhibited in regional, national, and international exhibitions.
The exhibition will continue until January 2, 2011. The show includes functional cups from over 50 artists. Each invited artist has a Southern connection, based on where they choose to live, work or teach. The work in this exhibition is offered for sale.
