Posted on August 22, 2016 by Penland

Off the Clock: Penland Studio Coordinator Show

art image — Clockwise from top left: Jay Fox, Ellie Richards, Amanda Thatch, Susan Feagin, Betsy DeWitt, Ian Henderson, Daniel T. Beck, Nick Fruin

The job of a Penland studio coordinator is a many-faceted one. Our eight coordinators order materials and keep studios clean and equipment running smoothly. They manage budgets and large inventories of supplies. They work with our programming office to plan upcoming workshops, and instructors to provide for specific classes, and individual students to solve problems on the fly. It’s a demanding and unpredictable job, which makes it all the more impressive that these eight individuals are also working artists in their own right. We are thrilled and proud that they have come together to put on a group show of their work at the Asheville Area Arts Council. Appropriately, the exhibition is called Off the Clock.

As curator and Penland friend Elaine Bleakney writes:

OFF THE CLOCK features eight artists, all full-time studio coordinators at Penland School of Crafts in Penland, NC. The work on view here was made in the off-hours by friends and colleagues who see each other daily and exchange interests, affection, knowledge, and regard for each other.

This is not a group show in the traditional sense. These artists are not strangers, and the works are not estranged from each other, despite their singular presences. Rather, looking from artist to artist, the viewer might pick up a magical sense that the works were made on the same set of evenings, in studios closeby. One of these artists might have looked up from her work and gazed out the cool, green window. She might have seen one of the other artists riding by on a bike, and waved.

Penland studio coordinators — Penland’s studio coordinators: Jay Fox, Susan Feagin, Nick Fruin, Ian Henderson, Ellie Richards, Amanda Thatch, Betsy DeWitt, Daniel T. Beck

Off the Clock will be on view at the Refinery Creator Space at 207 Coxe Ave in Asheville through September 16, 2016. It features the work of Daniel T. Beck (iron/sculpture), Betsy DeWitt (photography), Susan Feagin (ceramics), Jay Fox (print), Nick Fruin (glass), Ian Henderson (metals), Ellie Richards (wood/sculpture), and Amanda Thatch (drawing/textiles).

There will be a reception for the show on Friday, September 2 from 5 PM to 8 PM, and the artists will present a public talk on Saturday, September 3 from 4 PM to 6 PM. More information about both events is available on the exhibition’s Facebook event page.

Visit the Asheville Area Arts Council website to learn more about Off the Clock.

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Penland

Core Show Slideshow

Left to right: Tyler Stoll, Meghan Martin, Joshua Kovarik, Elmar Fujita, Daniel Garver, Jamie Karolich, Bryan Parnham, Emily Rogstad, Morgan Hill

The annual October Core Show is a much-anticipated highlight of fall at Penland, and this year was no exception. Our nine core fellows came together to put on a stunning show of pieces from their workshops across the Penland studios. Titled Personal Effects, the show featured furniture, prints, photographs, weaving, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, and much more. It was a great opportunity to see the cumulative talent of this group of young artists, and also to show our appreciation for these people who do so much at the very heart of the Penland community.

View lots more images in the Personal Effects slideshow.

coreshow2 — Guests admiring work at the opening reception. The table in the front is by Elmar Fujita.

Posted on August 20, 2015August 21, 2015 by Penland

A Sign Painting Workshop | Fall Concentration with Timothy Maddox

This fall, we’re lucky enough to have Timothy Maddox returning to Penland to teach an 8-week course on sign painting. Part hand lettering, part brushwork, and part graphic art, sign painting mixes a bit of history with a bit of self-expression and projects it on a large scale. It’s a very tactile approach to design that showcases the uniqueness of the human hand. As Tim himself says, “the human quality and the flaws that are inherent in such a direct form of creation are inspiring.” Space is still available to join the workshop, including a limited number of work-study spots. Register here.

A Sign Painting Workshop

Timothy Maddox – This workshop will guide students through a vast array of techniques and practices in traditional sign painting. We’ll start with the basics by learning to draft proper letterforms and developing hand skills with lettering brushes. Then we’ll begin to explore many of the essential skills of a qualified sign painter. Through guided practice and individually developed projects, we’ll cover layout and gilding, brush and material choices, patterns and transfers, and much more. Alongside skill development we’ll discuss practicing this art for profit. This history of sign painting, laced with rich cultural development and identity, will be revealed as we work through materials and techniques. All levels. Code F00D

Timothy Maddox is a studio artist and full-time sign painter who owns Mighty Fine Signs (NC). He has taught at Penland and Arrowmont (TN) and is the recipient of a Windgate Fellowship.

mightyfinesigns.com

“I want to see more amateur attempts at sign painting instead of computer graphics printed up in minutes,” Tim remarked in an interview with AIGA. “Give me crude letters, bad paint, whatever. . . Creating something by hand connects humanity and puts smiles on faces.”

We’re all for smiles, and we’re certainly keen to join the recent sign painting resurgence after seeing Tim’s work. If you need more inspiration, check out the Sign Painters documentary featured below. What will your sign say?