ARTIST INFO
Born out of a love of good food, drinks, and company; Shaker & Salt was officially started in 2018 by Nickolaus Fruin and Courtney Dodd although the idea had been ruminating long before then. Both makers and avid travelers for the sake of new tastes and combinations, they wanted to try their hand at joining forces in the studio.
Shaker and Salt invites people to the table. The wares are meant to be used, enjoyed, laughed over, and hopefully they ever so slightly slow the night down and allow it to linger while the chairs and cups are still full.
Their artistic aspiration is to make technically proficient, well-designed objects that people covet. They believe handmade objects have the ability to ground people and to connect the owner to the maker, as well as to their community. In a culture so fast-paced, surrounded by disposable goods, the importance of the handmade is pivotal. The idea of “Gather: Eat, Drink, Enjoy” embodies these ideals. Perpetuating the importance of the handmade, their goal is to continue this practice and to spark conversation about the importance of living with quality over quantity.
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COURTNEY DODD
Bakersville, NC
GLASS | Functional and sculptural blown glass
Penland Affiliation | Penland Core Fellow 2006-08, current Penland School staff
Artist Information | Studio artist; education: MFA Virginia Commonwealth University, BFA Missouri State University; teaching: Penland, Haystack Mountain School of Craft, Urban Glass, Corning Museum of Glass, Virginia Commonwealth University; exhibitions: Collaboration in Craft (GreenHill, NC), Invitational, The Bascom (A Center for the Visual Arts, NC), Contemporary Glass (Cultural Arts Building, NC), Haystack Instructor Show (Haystack, ME), Nasty Women & Bad Hombres (The Wedge Foundation, NC), Prototype/Test (Harvest, NC), Gather | Eat, Drink, Enjoy (Penland Gallery, NC), Pilchuck EAiR Exhibition (Pilchuck Gallery, WA); residencies: Pilchuck EAiR 2017 Emerging Artist in Residence (WA), STARworks 2015 Artist in Residence (NC), Oregon College of Art and Craft 2012 Artist in Residence (OR), Penland School of Craft Core Fellow 2006-2008 (NC)
Artist Bio | Courtney Dodd is a glassblower, photographer, and currently the Programs Manager at Penland School of Craft.
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NICKOLAUS FRUIN
Bakersville, NC
GLASS | Blown glass
Penland Affiliation | Penland Glass Studio Coordinator 2015 – current, Penland Instructor 2018
Artist Information | Studio artist; education: B.A. in Fine Art w/ Concentration in Sculpture and Glass, Hastings College (NE); exhibitions: 2020 Collaboration in Craft, GreenHill (NC), New Glass Now, Corning Museum of Glass (NY), Pivot, Imagine Museum (FL), Featured Artist: Penland Benefit Auction, Invitational, Penland School of Craft (NC), Modified Perceptions, Curated, Upstairs Artspace (NC), for the table, Two Person Show, MICA Gallery (NC); teaching: Toyama City Institute of Glass Art (Japan), Penland School (NC)
Artist Bio | Nickolaus Fruin is originally from Grand Island, Nebraska. He began working with glass at Hastings College (NE). During his undergraduate studies Nick had the opportunity to travel to various glass schools nationally and abroad working with some of the most recognized glass artists.
After finishing school, he left the Midwest and moved to Star, North Carolina to work for Wet Dog Glass LLC. During this time, Wet Dog Glass built the glass studio at STARworks Center for Creative Enterprises, STARworks Glass Lab. Shortly after the completion of the studio, Nick took over as the Glass Studio Coordinator at STARworks. In 2014 he was invited to New Zealand to work for Lukeke Design and Gaffer Glass. Nick was hired as the Glass Studio Coordinator at Penland School in 2015.
He has been a demonstrating artist at the Glass Art Society Conference 2011 in Seattle, The Australian National University, Hastings College, Tulsa Glassblowing School, and Pilchuck Glass School, and Toyama City Institute of Glass Art.
