Category: Spring

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Spring Short Session Wood

Wood – Spring Short Session
April 27 – May 2, 2025 (4 studio days)
Sarah Marriage
Tambour Time

In this workshop, we will explore the basic principles at play behind one of woodworking’s most magical techniques: the tambour door. We will begin with a discussion of the history of tambours and a variety of techniques for creating them. Students will use a classic canvas-backing technique to create their own tambour panel. We will also build small, simple cabinets with all the necessary tracks, escape routes, and other details to bring our tambours to life. All levels. 

Furniture maker and educator; founder and president of A Workshop of Our Own (MD); teaching: A Workshop of Our Own (MD),The Krenov School (CA), Haystack (ME), Anderson Ranch (CO); exhibitions: Center for Art in Wood (PA), Area 405 (MD), Grace Hudson Museum (CA), Pritam & Eames (NY).

sarahmarriage.com | aworkshopofourown.com | @sarah_marriage

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Sarah Marriage, Toby’s Cabinet, cherry, canvas, 35 x 44 x 24 inches
Sarah Marriage, Toby’s Cabinet, cherry, canvas, 35 x 44 x 24 inches
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Spring Short Session Textiles

Textiles – Spring Short Session
April 27 – May 2, 2025 (4 studio days)
Nick DeFord
Text(tiles): The Stitched Word

The words text and textile share the same origin in the Latin “textere” meaning “to weave.” In this workshop students will weave together textile techniques and text to create meaningful embroideries that celebrate the stitch and the written word. The workshop will cover basic and complex embroidery stitches that will be used for design, appliqué, collage, and embellishment on both fabric and paper. Exercises and projects will encourage students to consider meaning as they incorporate idioms, poetics, fiction, and the visual word. Students of all skill levels welcome, including writers who are interested in exploring visual art. Upper textiles studio.

Note: This workshop takes place in a third-floor walk-up studio that is made partially accessible by a stair lift. 

Artist, educator, administrator; teaching: Arrowmont (TN), Penland, University of Tennessee; exhibitions: Knoxville Museum of Art (TN), Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Vanderbilt University (TN), Pyramid Atlantic Art Center (MD); Rauschenberg Residency (FL); juror: American Tapestry Biennial 13, Center for Craft Teaching Artist Cohort.

nickdeford.com | @nick_deford

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Nick DeFord, Automatic Writing (Medium), hand embroidery on found paper, 12 x 10 inches
Nick DeFord, Automatic Writing (Medium), hand embroidery on found paper, 12 x 10 inches
Photo by Rudy Salgado, River City Tintype
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Spring Short Session Printmaking & Letterpress

Letterpress – Spring Short Session
April 27 – May 2, 2025 (4 studio days)
Bryan Christopher Baker
Variable Array, Meticulous, Hooray!

This is a letterpress workshop with no letters. Instead we will focus on making pattern-based prints on the Vandercook presses using custom-made, type-high shapes. Students will design and produce modular components capable of versatile arrangements and exciting permutations. Not only will the multiples of each shape be of perfect printing height, but every piece will be finished and trimmed to uniform pica lengths and widths to allow for the easy creation of new patterns using traditional letterpress spacing materials. In addition to individual print editions, collaborations will be encouraged for students interested in sharing their special components. We will make these components by cutting wood, plastic, and metal with small table saws and various hand tools. The workshop is open to all levels, but a high level of patience for making exact measurements is a must. 

Studio artist: teaching: Arrowmont (TN), Ox-Bow (MI), Center for Book Arts (NYC), University of Tennessee Knoxville, Signal Return (Detroit), The Arm (NYC), Clarion University (PA), College for Creative Studies (Detroit). 

stukenborgpress.com | @stukenborgpress

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Bryan Christopher Baker, Batch 007, letterpress print, oil-based ink on paper, 15 x 19 inches
Bryan Christopher Baker, Batch 007, letterpress print, oil-based ink on paper, 15 x 19 inches
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Spring Short Session Metals

Metals – Spring Short Session
April 27 – May 2, 2025 (4 studio days)
Sunyoung Cheong
Enameling on Die-Formed Metal

In this workshop students will learn to apply enamel to 3-D copper forms. These forms will be created using the hydraulic press and premade, 3-D-printed dies of various designs. Then students will build layers of vitreous enamel on those forms using sifting and wet-packing techniques. Although CAD design and 3-D printing will not be taught in this workshop, Sunyoung will introduce the basic concepts of the processes, and students will gain an understanding of the possibilities for using these technologies to create dimensional, enameled metal forms. All levels. Upper metals studio.

Note: This workshop takes place in a studio with steps that compromise accessibility. It is made partially accessible by a stair lift. 

Assistant professor at University of Kansas; other teaching: Arrowmont (TN), East Carolina University (NC); residencies: Pocosin (NC), Arrowmont (TN); exhibitions: The Sandra J. Blain Galleries (TN), Korea Design & Craft Foundation (Seoul), Wayne Art Center (PA), Tyler School of Art (PA), Baltimore Jewelry Center (MD), Awon Gallery (Seoul). 

sunyoungcheong.com | @sunyoung.cheong

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Sunyoung Cheong, My Universe/Heart+Bee Series, enamel, copper, sterling silver, stainless steel, dimensions vary
Sunyoung Cheong, My Universe/Heart+Bee Series, enamel, copper, sterling silver, stainless steel, dimensions vary
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Spring Short Session Iron

Iron – Spring Short Session
April 27 – May 2, 2025 (4 studio days)
Hoss Haley
The Everyday Shelf

This workshop will focus on designing and fabricating metal shelves to hold the items one carries with them on a daily basis: phone, keys, glasses, etc. We will begin with demonstrations and explanations of a range of cold-connection techniques: tabs, screws, and rivets. Students will then work through the design process using paper and cardboard. The last two days will be devoted to cold-forming through cutting, bending, and shaping the sheet metal followed by final assembly and surface treatments. All levels. 

Studio artist; teaching: Haystack (ME), Penland; major public art commissions in Asheville (NC), Charlotte (NC), Richmond (VA), Atlanta, Western Carolina University (NC), North Carolina State University, Tennessee Tech University; collections: Asheville Art Museum (NC), North Carolina Museum of Art, Mint Museum (NC), Bechtler Museum of Art (NC), Arkansas Museum of Fine Art, John Michael Kohler Art Center (WI).

hosshaley.com | @hosshaley

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Hoss Haley, Everyday Shelf, steel, paint
Hoss Haley, Everyday Shelf, steel, paint
Photo by Myles Pettengill
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Spring Short Session Glass

Glass – Spring Short Session
April 27 – May 2, 2025 (4 studio days)
SaraBeth Post Eskuche
Cut, Sift, Fire: Patterns and Texture in Warm Glass

This workshop will cover the fundamentals of fused glass. The workshop will begin with an introduction to the essential tools and terms used in creating flat panels in the kiln. With a focus on experimentation and sample-making, we will compose a library of patterns by cutting and stacking glass shapes, arranging dots and stripes, and sifting powder through hand-cut stencils. We will finish with an introduction to coldworking as we shape our glass panels. At the end of the session, students will be comfortable with glass cutting, kiln preparation, and firing schedules. Introductory workshop; all skill levels welcome.  

Studio artist, owner of Ultra Lit, communications coordinator with Crafting the Future; teaching: FOCI Minnesota Center for Glass Art (MN), Peters Valley (NJ), The Studio at Corning (NY), Pilchuck (WA), Pittsburgh Glass Center (PA); exhibitions: Kentucky Museum of Art (KY), WCU Bardo Fine Arts Museum (NC), The Weeks Gallery (NY), Cressman Center for Visual Arts (KY), Bunker Projects (PA); representation: Penland Gallery (NC), Contemporary Craft (PA), Gallery 2052 (IL), Urban Glass (NY), Chautauqua (NY).

sarabethpost.net | @ultralit.sb

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

SaraBeth Post Eskuche, Carved Tye-Dye Dish, fused and carved glass, 4 x 4 inches
SaraBeth Post Eskuche, Carved Tye-Dye Dish, fused and carved glass, 4 x 4 inches
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Spring Short Session Drawing and Painting

Painting/Printmaking – Spring Short Session
April 27 – May 2, 2025 (4 studio days)
Jeffrey Hirst
Screenprinting and Encaustic

This workshop will cover the process of screenprinting with pigment sticks, tinted gesso, and ink onto and under encaustic surfaces. We will cover basic encaustic processes: mixing and applying paint, fusing, scraping, and working with transparent and opaque color. A simplified approach to screenprinting will make the process easy to grasp as we unite printed elements with painted surfaces. Students will create images incorporating multiple passes from fixed screenprinting stations along with freeform printing approaches. Together we will explore how painting and printmaking can overlap and influence one another. All levels. Drawing and painting studio.

Studio artist and co-founder of Catalyst Art Lab; teacher of encaustic and printmaking workshops in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Ireland; fellowship and five residencies at Ballinglen Arts Foundation (Ireland); exhibitions: Minneapolis Institute of Art, McLean Projects for the Arts (VA), MicKinney Contemporary (Dallas), Bienal Duoro (Portugal); representation: Addington Gallery (Chicago), Brandt-Roberts Galleries (OH); work in numerous private collections. 

jeffreyhirst.com | @jeffreyhirst

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Jeffrey Hirst, Trace, encaustic with screenprinting on shaped panel, 41 x 31 inches
Jeffrey Hirst, Trace, encaustic with screenprinting on shaped panel, 41 x 31 inches
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Spring Short Session Clay

Clay – Spring Short Session
April 27 – May 2, 2025 (4 studio days)
Susan Feagin
Floof! Image Transfers on Clay

Try your hand at making low-tech underglaze transfers to use on clay surfaces. Students will make silkscreens and draw directly onto newsprint with underglazes to create unique printed and layered imagery on tiles or clay forms (depending on time and individual skill level). We’ll cover some slab building basics using bisque molds and templates. Wheel throwers are welcome, too. This workshop is perfect for people who like to doodle, draw, print, cut, and paste. Bisque-fire only. All levels. Lower clay studio.

Studio artist and Penland clay studio coordinator; teaching: Campbell Folk School (NC), Arrowmont (TN), Double Island Studio (NC), Warren Wilson College (NC); presenter at NCECA Makers Space 2024; exhibitions: Spruce Pine Potters Market (NC); Toe River Arts Gallery (NC); Red Lodge Clay Center (MT), Potters of Madison County (NC). 

susanfeaginceramics.com | @susanfeagin

 Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Susan Feagin, Collage Basket, stoneware with screenprinted underglazes and slips; soda-fired to cone 8, 13 x 8 x 11 inches
Susan Feagin, Collage Basket, stoneware with screenprinted underglazes and slips; soda-fired to cone 8, 13 x 8 x 11 inches
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Spring Short Session Books

Books – Spring Short Session
April 27 – May 2, 2025 (4 studio days)
Reina Takahashi
Paper Potluck

Students in this workshop will learn basic paper sculpture techniques with an emphasis on creating texture and dimension. Through demonstrations and hands-on instruction, we will cover methods for hand-cutting, curving, creasing, gluing, and creating dimensional forms. Students will have time to experiment and to create a paper food item of their own. By the end of the workshop, we will have created a paper potluck. Students should be comfortable working with an X-Acto knife as all cutting will be done by hand. All levels. Books studio.

Paper artist primarily working with commercial illustration and design clients; teaching: Kala Art Institute (CA), Stanford University (CA); Communication Arts Illustration Shortlist, Bronze Telly Award; Penland Winter Residency participant; exhibitions: Heron Arts (San Francisco), Chicago Museum of Design, Society of Illustrators (New York); client list includes The New York Times, Wired, Adobe, Google, and Target.

reinasaur.com | @reinasaur

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Reina Takahashi, Cakes (after Wayne Thiebaud), paper, wood, overall dimension 4 x 16 x 16 inches; cake slices approximately 4 x 6 x 2 inches
Reina Takahashi, Cakes (after Wayne Thiebaud), paper, wood, overall dimension 4 x 16 x 16 inches; cake slices approximately 4 x 6 x 2 inches
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Wood Spring Concentration

Wood – Spring Concentration
March 2 – April 25, 2025 (8 Weeks)
Mark Melonas
Concrete: It’s Hard

This workshop is an exploration of the possibilities, challenges, and beauty of concrete. By using multiple moldmaking methods, mix recipes, and casting techniques, students will gain an understanding of this seductive material. We will create samples of many mix formulas to investigate color, texture, and particle placement. Students will explore modern artisan approaches and combine them to create their own language with concrete. Working backwards and forwards and back again, we will use design skills and problem solving to design objects and the molds used to make them. Possible outcomes include furniture, vessels, and hollow or solid sculptural forms. All levels. 

Designer, artisan, and owner of LUKE WORKS Studio (Baltimore) creating concrete, metal, and wood furniture, sinks, and objects for local and national clients; visiting artist: Virginia Commonwealth University, IYRS School of Technology & Trades (RI), Maryland Institute College of Art; teaching: Baltimore School for the Arts, Peters Valley (NJ), Workshop of Our Own (Baltimore), Arrowmont (TN), Penland.

markmelonas.net |  lukeworks.com | @lukeworks

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Mark Melonas, Loveseat, concrete, weathering steel, black locust, upholstery, 21 x 56 x 21 inches
Mark Melonas, Loveseat, concrete, weathering steel, black locust, upholstery, 21 x 56 x 21 inches
Mark Melonas, Nana Lamp, concrete, pigment, 6 x 7 x 7 inches
Mark Melonas, Nana Lamp, concrete, pigment, 6 x 7 x 7 inches
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Textiles Spring Concentration

Textiles – Spring Concentration
March 2 – April 25, 2025 (8 Weeks)
Zak Foster
Narrative Quilt-Making

This workshop will focus on the storytelling qualities of quilts. Using a series of narrative prompts designed to draw out personal stories, beginning to advanced students will be guided through the process of making experimental quilts. Instruction will be geared toward hand-sewing techniques such as stitches, appliqué, embroidery, quilting, and finishing (sewing machines will also be available). Other topics will include color relationships, elements of composition, and visual storytelling concepts. We will work with repurposed cloth; thrift shop trips are on the itinerary. A willingness to mess up will be a definite plus. All levels. Upper textiles studio.

Note: This workshop takes place in a third-floor walk-up studio that is made partially accessible with a stair lift. 

Studio artist who draws on southern textile traditions using repurposed fabrics with an approach to design that is intuitive and improvisational; teaching: Tatter Blue Library (NYC), Sawtooth Center (NC), Madeline Island School of the Arts (WI); work featured in New York Times, Vogue, People, Paper, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, High Snobiety, and other publications. 

zakfoster.com | @zakfoster.quilts

Note: Here is a set of videos Zak made demonstrating seven basic hand-sewing techniques. Check them out if you have time. If you need a review during the workshop, Zak will be happy to go over them again.

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Zak Foster, YES MORE PLEASE, repurposed textiles, 45 x 45 inches
Zak Foster, YES MORE PLEASE, repurposed textiles, 45 x 45 inches
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Papermaking Spring Concentration

Papermaking – Spring Concentration
March 2 – April 25, 2025 (8 Weeks)
Jo Stealey
Exploring Paper as Sculpture

Create small-scale objects or large-scale installations using handmade paper. The workshop will begin with fiber processing for paper pulp, including methods for beating fibers to create specific qualities in the paper: opaque/translucent, low or high shrinkage, thick/thin, delicate/strong, etc. Then we will cover sheet forming, pigmenting pulp, pulp painting, collage, stencils, casting into found molds and cloth molds, joining cast elements, armatures, draping, and other approaches to developing 3-D forms. After three weeks of experimentation, students will use their preferred techniques to create a new body of work. The focus will be on artistic concepts and personal vision for the materials. All levels. 

Studio artist; professor emerita of fibers at University of Missouri-Columbia; solo exhibitions: Windgate Gallery (AR), Cedarhurst Museum (IL), Havana Biennial (Cuba); collections: National Portrait Gallery (DC), University of Arkansas Fort Smith, Lamar Museum (FL), Sioux City Art Center (IA), Spring Art Museum (MO); co-curator and catalog author for the traveling exhibition Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in America. 

jostealey.com | @jostealey.art

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Jo Stealey, Dusters, overbeaten abaca and flax, river willow, waxed linen, 36 x 20 x 6 inches
Jo Stealey, Dusters, overbeaten abaca and flax, river willow, waxed linen, 36 x 20 x 6 inches
Jo Stealey, Swept Off Her Feet, overbeaten flax and abaca, reed, forged steel, 60 x 24 x 6 inches
Jo Stealey, Swept Off Her Feet, overbeaten flax and abaca, reed, forged steel, 60 x 24 x 6 inches
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Metals Spring Concentration

Metals – Spring Concentration
March 2 – April 25, 2025 (8 Weeks)
Adam Whitney
Persuading Metal

Explore the art of metalworking in this immersive workshop. Students will learn fundamental hammering techniques and then advance to creating intricate designs through raising, shaping, chasing, and repoussé. Engaging presentations will delve into holloware’s rich history. Individual guided projects will culminate in personalized pieces that showcase proficiency in metal manipulation. Specific techniques will include angle raising, Dutch raising, crimping, sinking, snarling, soldering, fabrication, and tool making. We will work with a variety of nonferrous metals and, as individual budgets permit, silver. Instruction will include how to protect your body, but students in this labor-intensive workshop will be doing a lot of hammering. This workshop will combine creativity with technique, providing students with a comprehensive skillset in metalcraft and holloware artistry. All levels. Lower metals studio

Studio artist; teaching: Penland, School of Arts & Crafts Santo Domingo (Colombia), Appalachian Center for Crafts (TN), Pocosin Arts NC), Metalwerx (NC); special projects realized for Harvard Art Museum (MA) and Getty Museum (CA); representation Penland Gallery.

aw-metalsmith.com | @awmetalsmith

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Adam Whitney, EVA Glove 001, fine silver, 24k gold gilding, 11-1/4 x 7 x 8-1/2 inches
Adam Whitney, EVA Glove 001, fine silver, 24k gold gilding, 11-1/4 x 7 x 8-1/2 inches
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Iron Spring Concentration

Iron – Spring Concentration
March 2 – April 25, 2025 (8 Weeks)
Erica Moody
Balancing the Spoon:
Metal Craft and Studio Practice

With utensil making as the framework, students will learn the foundations of mid-sized metalsmithing and will explore how our craft can foster play and awareness of our surroundings. Through demonstrations and experimentation (with optional prompts), students will design and realize their own eating and/or serving utensils, which may be entirely practical or purely sculptural. We will work with raw materials and repurposed utensils, consider individual as well as batch production, collaborate, and discuss balancing life and a craft business. Using mostly brass, copper, and steel, instruction will include cold and hot forming (forging, sanding, cutting, sinking; hand hammering only), cold and hot connections (riveting, wrapping, silver soldering/brazing), finishing (sanding, hand filing/white smithing, texturing, coloring, burnishing), and combining different materials (wood, bone, scrap metal, etc.). The workshop aims to use this nice, long time frame to both upset and balance our practices as we inspire and support each other. All levels. 

Studio artist crafting serving utensils and custom hardware; teaching: Peters Valley (NJ), Haystack (ME), Center for Metal Arts (PA), Pocosin (NC), Center for Furniture Craftsmanship (ME), Massachusetts College of Art & Design, Harvard Graduate School of Design (MA); 2023 Maine Arts Fellowship; short-term residencies: Penland, Haystack. 

ericamoody.com | @ericaemoody

Scholarship application deadline is August 15
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

 

Erica Moody, Pressed Brass Moon and Ring Utensils, brass, charred maple, 12 inches long
Erica Moody, Pressed Brass Moon and Ring Utensils, brass, charred maple, 12 inches long
moody-portrait
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Glass Spring Concentration

Glass – Spring Concentration
March 2 – April 25, 2025 (8 Weeks)
Aya Oki
Passionate Harmony

Embark on a transformative glassblowing journey at Penland with a focus that goes beyond technique to explore the connection between artist and material. The workshop will start by looking at the properties and behaviors of glass. Basic techniques will be introduced through guided exercises. Then we will move on to blowing, shaping, layering, moldblowing, coldworking, and other techniques. Throughout the session students will learn from their mistakes and engage in a dynamic dialogue with glass, fostering a sense of harmony that will shape their artistic consciousness. We will work to unlock new facets of creativity and personal expression. All levels. 

Studio artist; teaching: St. Paul’s School (NH), California State University San Bernardino, Pilchuck (WA), Tulsa Glassblowing School (OK), Pittsburgh Glass Center (PA), UrbanGlass (NY), The Studio at Corning (NY), Penland; residencies: Creative Glass Center of America (NJ), Murano Residency (Italy), Duncan McClellan Gallery (FL), Residence Together (Sweden), Martha’s Vineyard Glassworks (MA); collections: Museum of American Glass (NJ), Tacoma Museum of Glass (WA), Corning Museum of Glass (NY), Imagine Museum (FL). 

aya-oki.com | @ayaokidoki 

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Aya Oki, Bloom XI, blown glass, 15 x 15 x 15 inches
Aya Oki, Bloom XI, blown glass, 15 x 15 x 15 inches
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Clay Spring Concentration

Clay – Spring Concentration
March 2 – April 25, 2025 (8 Weeks)
Michael Kline
Surfacing

This workshop will explore the possibilities of surface design on clay and its connection to form. Stamping, painting, incising, and scraping stoneware pots will bring layer upon layer of visual interest to the surface. We will also experiment with flashing slips, underglazes, wax resists, and glazes, firing to cone 10 in soda and gas reduction kilns. Numerous exercises will boost mark-making confidence. Forming techniques will include wheel throwing, altering thrown forms, and hump-molded forms. Handmade brushes and clay stamps will bring a unique touch to our marks. The convergence of practice, novel ideas, and refined technical skills will help students develop a signature body of work. We’ll work with stoneware and/or porcelain. All levels. Upper clay studio.

Studio potter; teaching: Anderson Ranch (CO), Haystack (ME), Shadbolt Centre for the Arts (BC), Harvard (MA); collections: Islip Art Museum (NY), The Gregg Museum (NC), University of Tennessee Ewing Art Gallery (TN), San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (TX); published in Tableware in Clay (Crowood Press), The Art of Contemporary Pottery and Functional Pottery (Krause Publications), Mastering the Potter’s Wheel (Voyageur Press); former Penland resident artist.

klinepottery.com | @klineola

Scholarship application deadline is August 15.
Regular enrollment begins October 2.

Michael Kline, Pitcher, wheelthrown stoneware; hand-painted with wax resist, soda glazed, 11 x 7 x 7 inches
Michael Kline, Pitcher, wheelthrown stoneware; hand-painted with wax resist, soda glazed, 11 x 7 x 7 inches