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PENLAND
LINE
MEET KEAI IN HIS OWN WORDS
Through making books I have found an expression of
materials, form, and content that has continually chal
lenged me. Books, as opposed to other craft objects, differ
because they have words in them. Fitting form—page and
book—to text is fuel for my engine.
Another sort of fuel for me has been creative collabora
tion. My partnership with Steve Miller at Red Ozjer Press
began as a friendship and continues today as we |)lot new
projects for the future. Our work with the authors we
published was conducted in the spirit of collaboration
too, as were the projects with visual artists, papermakers,
type foundries, and bookbinders. It's not always easy, and
can be downright difficult, but the rewards of working
together to make something of lasting value are immense.
1 remain committed to it as a working process.
An important part of my working life has been teaching.
My teacher at Conway, Walt Chudnofsky, told us 'always ,
teach and take classes." It was good advice, as I have found
teaching to be the best way to remember to keep it simple.
During the course of the search process 1 have learned that
Penland is a community, and, like any community, to remain
vibrant it must be accessible to a wide variety of people.
I will explore avenues to make the program available to
deserving students who lack the resources to come. And
1 am working with planning committees to improve the
studio facilities, as these are the heart and soul of the
school.
1 haven't followed a path that you could point to as a
logical progression to this position at Penland. 1 never
would have imagined this even a year ago. The thorough
and sincere way in which the search process was con
ducted forced me to answer profound questions about my
personal and professional goals. It also revealed to me the
level of commitment to the school that exists among the
larger Penland community. I have a great deal to learn, but
feel secure in being able to call upon any number of the
many people whq have offered their support. And I'm npt.,
afraid to ask. , , -. .
— Ken Botnick @
PENLAND IN THE HEADLINES
Penland has been much in the news lately with lavishly
illustrated feature articles appearing in a number of na
tional and regional publications, including the Craft Re
port, NC Home, Back Home, Country Times and Mid-
Atlantic Country. Greensboro writer Susan Ladd spent an
enjoyable two days at Penland this spring which translated
into an impressive article on the school and the area for a
special travel section published by the Greensboro News
& Record. Charlotte-based Associated Press Reporter Paul
Nowell wrote a feature on Penland that went out over the
AP wire and was picked up throughout the country.
The Penland Iron Program figures prominently in a glow
ing article for the May issue of Smithsonian, written by
Tom Alexander, a student in Phil Baldwin's '91 Toolmak
ing class. You might see some familiar faces in the photo
graphs illustrating that article.
Michael and Ruth Joslin, residents of Buladean, NC, de
voted a chapter to the school in their new book, "More
Mountain People, Mountain Ways."
Feature articles on the Asheville Art Museum's traveling
exhibit Penland Overlook have appeared in the Asheville
Citizen-Times, Fayetteville Times, Virginian-Pilot and
the Ledger-Star .The next stop on the tour for that exhibit'
is Dallas, NC at the Gaston County Museum of Art &
History, July 2 through August 29.
"In Celebration of Craft: A North Carolina Heritage"
opened at the Hickory Museum of Art in March and is
now at the First Union Bank in Charlotte until June 17. It
will be at the Theatre Art Galleries in High Point from
June 24 through August 8. This "Year of American Craft"
exhibition, features Penland, Southern Highlands Handi
craft Guild, John C. Campbell Folk School, Sawtooth
Center for Visual Art, Piedmont Craftsmen, Inc. and
Haywood Community College's Production Crafts Pro
gram. The NC Arts Council provided the funds for the
exhibition, while the NC Humanities Council assisted
with the production of a brochure. SD
Penland School is supported by a Major Organization Grant from
the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency.
Neighborhood News
AT YO U R S E R V I C E
Kent McLaughlin is a familiar face at Penland.
He first came in 1986, returned for three weeks
AND THE Auction in 1988, attended Concentration
IN 1991, AND IN 1 992 HE RETURNED FOR THREE SUM./ER
sessions, the Auction and the fall Concentration.
We got so used to seeing him around that it is no
SURPRISE THAT HE IS NOW THE SERVICES COORDINATOR,
REPLACING Tim Veness, who wilL'QE returning to ,his
HOME IN Petaluma, ca in September. (Meanwhile,
Tim will still be at Penland with responsibility for
SEVERAL SPECIFIC PROJECTS.)
First introduced to clay at Brevard Community
College in Florida, Kent was apprenticed
TO A POTTER FOR THREE YEARS. WHEN HE TOOK ON THE
APPRENTICESHIP, RECALLS KENT, HE THOUGHT HE KNEW
' all there was to know about clay. Instead he was
TOTALLY OVERWHELMED WITH HOW MUCH THERE IS TO
LEARN. HE OPENED HIS OWN STUDIO IN 1985, BUT HAS
CONTINUED LEARNING EVER SINCE. “FROM THE MOMENT I
STEPPED ON THE PENLAND CAMPUS,” SAID KENT , “1
KNEW THIS WAS WHERE I WANTED TO BE.”
As Services coordinator, Kent is responsible for
THE Core Student Program and all the services
WHICH Penland provides to students: kitchen,
HOUSING, transportation, RECREATION, SLIDE SHOWS,
EVENTS, ETC. IN THE TRADITION OF OTHERS IN THE
POSITION BEFORE HIM, HE HAS A WISH LIST: FIRST,
HE WOULD LIKE A SOUND SYSTEM FOR THE COFFEE
HOUSE. HE WOULD WELCOME ANY OLD OR NEW SYSTEM OR
COMPONENTS THAT COULD BE PUT TOGETHER TO PROVIDE
A MUSICAL BACKGROUND TO GOOD COFFEE AND TASTY
MORSELS. Second, he would like a microwave oven
FOR THE KITCHEN TO SAVE SOME TIME IN THAWING AND
RE-HEATING SAUCES. IF YOU CAN MAKE KENT’S WISHES
COME TRUE, PLEASE CALL HIM AT 704-765-7942.