straw bale architecture model

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet Leon Davis, a Virginia Tech architecture student who will be constructing a straw bale studio at the Jacksonville Center this May. Shown here is a photo of Leon's model for the structure.

Leon Davis

Here is Virginia Tech architecture student Leon Davis with a model of the straw bale studio that he will begin building at the Jacksonville Center beginning this May.

Hayloft gallery Spring 2005 exhibit

Shown here is a photo from the last show in the Hayloft Gallery, an exhibit of work by instructors in the new crafts school . Currently on display in the Hayloft is an exhibit of art from recycled and salvaged materials.

another image of the crafts school instructor exhibit in the Hayloft gallery.

kiln shed under construction

Here is a picture of the kiln shed under construction. I believe that this picture was taken a few weeks ago.

here's Wayne & Chris in front of the Kiln shed about a week or so ago.  

Press release: Earth Day events at the Jacksonville Center

for immediate release

On the evening of Friday, April 22 (Earth Day), there will be an open house and reception at the Jacksonville Center in Floyd, Virginia. Upstairs, in the Hayloft Gallery, there will be an exhibit of art made from recycled and salvaged materials, with refreshments being served in the Community Room from 7 to 9 pm.

There will be extended hours in the retail shop and artists' studios downstairs, and Chris Shackelford will be giving tours of the soon-to-be opened Jacksonville School for the Arts and Culture.

Suzy Nees will be hosting an open studio in her art space in room 124 from 5-8 pm, with new work from her latest project: Mining The Dearth of Things. This work is meant to encourage dialogue about life design as a means of conserving culture and resources.

For more information on these events, or to learn about other educational programs at the Jacksonville Center, please call the Center at (540) 745-2784 or visit www.jacksonvillecenter.org.

the art of teaching art to children

Here is a picture from Katherine Devine's class on Sunday. This was a workshop on the art of teaching art to children. It was great to meet Katherine and share ideas with her about the way folks think about art. Even though I was only able to visit the class for a short time, it was fascinating. Thanks Katherine!
--Suzy

Chris Shackelford

Check out the changes in our summer Ceramics Studio schedule!
June 10-12 "Densisty, Transparency & Voluptuous line" (CER610)- Hunt Prothro
"From Paleolithic times and the origins of conscious thinking, to the present, diverse, enigmatic expression of an art tradition, human beings have used clay to made pottery. With in-depth discussion of these origins and his own technique, Hunt will demonstrate throwing and the manipulation of form, texturing with a variety of tools, and coloring the surface with mason stains and washes. Students will participate with their own work using these methods of layering a transparent stratigraphy of rich emotional depth; creating an object of self-referential, mythic form; contemplative, yet tangibly concrete."
Hunt Prothro has been a studio pottery and teacher since 1972. After growing up in California and graduating from Hanover College, Indiana with a BA in religion and literature, Hunt returned to California to study with Marguerite Wildenhain at her studio, Pond Farm, in Sonoma County. Recently, Hunt has studied Paleolithic cave art in southwest France. His work and teaching is heavily influenced by these experiences and he will discuss each during his workshop.

June 27-July 1 "Plaster, Molds and Castings Made Easy"(CER627)-Ian Anderson
"For many artists, plaster and slip-casting are mysterious and inaccessible. This workshop will remove that mystery. Through hands-on tasks, students will learn to use plaster, make a plaster mold, make their own casting slip, and slip cast an object. Emphasis is given towards practical, tangible knowledge of these materials and processes. All levels welcome. Students are asked to bring an item to cast."
Ian Anderson is a full-time studio artist living in Philadelphia. He received his undergraduate degrees from the University of Virginia, and a MFA from the Univesity of Nebraska-Lincoln. His ceramic design work is sold at the Museum of Arts and Design in NY, the Signature Shop & Gallery in Atlanta, and the Clay Studio in Philadelphia. He has been using molds and slip casting for 5 years and has what he calls "minor expertise" in a variety of printmaking techniques used in clay. You can see his work at www.ianworks.com"

here is studio 124. home of the Traces project. 

here is the Jacksonville Center 

Meet Ms. Kate Garland

This is Kate Garland, our Volunteer Coordinator at the Jacksonville Center. Kate's bio will be coming soon, but for now lets just say Kate is Great! We are so lucky to have her here.

--posted by Suzy

image 047

Photograph by Maria Mauceri. Digital effects by Suzy Nees.

scheduling change for summer courses

Please note that there is a scheduling change for the Jacksonville School's summer schedule. Martha Sullivan (Functional Pottery from the Wheel) and Jayn Avery (The Ancient Art of Hand Building) will be switching weeks. Martha's Class will now be held from June 27 through July 1, and Jayn's class will be from July 3 through 8. Thanks.