Newspapers / Penland Line (Penland, N.C.) / June 1, 2004, edition 1 / Page 7
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Summer 2004 Penland Line HI CLARA "KITTY" COUCH 1921 - 2004 I think I speak for many others in saying that I can only think of Kitty Couch with a mixture of sadness and gratitude. Sadness for the abrupt loss of this great soul from our midst, and gratitude for every moment 1 spent in her presence. Kitty was an amaz ing artist, best known for her large earthen ware vessels, which she said reflected “the curves of the human form and the music of the spheres.” She was also a wonderful teacher—through her occasional work shops, her frequent mentoring, and most of ^11, through the wisdom, kindness, compas sion, humor, and indescribable love of life she brought to every interaction. She encouraged, she questioned, she pushed, she laughed a lot. Kitty was killed in January in a car crash while traveling in Vietnam with her friend, former Penland staff member Janey Zietlow. Janey was badly injured but has had a complete recovery after recuperating m Singapore and at home in Celo, NC. Penland School hosted a memorial service which filled the Northlight building with family, friends, students, and admirers. Kitty will live on through her work and in our hearts, but the world is poorer without her. —Robin Drejer RESIDENT ARTISTS Five resident artists complete their three- year stay this summer. Fortunately, several of them will be staying in the area to pursue their work. Ceramist Jerilyn Virden will be mov ing to a studio just down the road. She has been making more large-scale work, some of it on commission, and will be represent ed at SOFA Chicago. Glassblower Greg Fidler is building a studio near Bakersville. He has a solo show at Weiss Pollack Gallery m New York City in October, and will be Represented at SOFA Chicago. Printmaker and sculptor IlaSahai Prouty will return to Massachusetts to teach for one year, after which she hopes to return to the area. She is currently part of a group show at the Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art in Greensboro. Miyuki Imai has returned to her native Japan, and is living in Tokyo with her family as she considers where to take her career. Her work is included in The Nature oj Craft and the Penland Experience (see page i). Ann Marie Kennedy is moving to Carboro, NC where she will continue her work as a papermaker and installation artist. Ann Marie recently received an NC Arts Council Fellowship. She will be back to teach in 2ooj. Continuing in the program are ceramic sculptor Cristina Cordova and blacksmith Marc Maiorana. Cristina also received an NC Arts Council Fellowship, exhibited at Gallery W.D.O. in Charlotte, and will be represented at SOFA Chicago. Marc Maiorana recently installed Beginnings, a public art commission, in the nearby town of Spruce Pine. Marc is teaching five work shops this year, at Penland, Haystack, and elsewhere. Four artists will join the program. Anne Lemanski is a mixed-media artist relocat ing from Chicago, IL. She has spent time at Ox-Bow school in many roles including staff member and artist-in-residence. Jeweler Angela Bubash recently completed an MFA in Metals at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Former core stu dent Jenny Mendes comes to Penland from Chesterland, Ohio. She hopes to expand her ceramic work both in size and concept during her residency. Thor Bueno and Elaine Williams, a glass blowing team and couple, recently completed the MFA program at Alfred University. Thor has done residencies at Urban Glass, Tacoma Glass Museum, RIT, and Alfred. Elaine has had residencies at Corning Museum of Glass and Pilchuck, and has been on staff at Pilchuck. CORE STUDENTS Linnie Kendrick, Brook Spurlock, and Kevin Waddell completed the core pro gram in February. Linnie Kendrick returned to her home in Arlington, VA, but spent the latter half of the summer assisting in Penland’s glass studio. Kevin Waddell has established a woodworking studio in nearby BakersGlle. Brook Spurlock spent some time this year studying art thera py in California; she will return to Penland this fall as studio cissistant in weaving. Joining the core program this year were Aaron Sober, Cynthia Rohrer, and Amy Jacobs. Aaron Sober, from Keene, NY, is an aspiring studio potter. Cynthia Rohrer comes to Penland from San Francisco, CA. She is focusing on metals to build her portfolio for graduate school. Amy Jacobs most recently lived in Savannah, GA. She is working primarily in textiles and hopes one day to open a com munity art center. Continuing their second year in the pro gram are Day Dotson, Annalisa Jensen, Brian McGee, Elizabeth Stokes, Melissa Sullivan, and Robert Young. BOARD OF TRUSTEES Trustees Cricket Crigler and Carol Cole Levin finished their board terms in November 2003. We wish to thank Carol for her lively input and ongoing networking on Penland s behalf. Carol brought many artists, arts adminis- Dana Moore trators and art enthusiasts to visit the school, provided us with magazines for insight and inspi-' ration, and continu ally shared her many resources with us. Likewise, we are indebted to Cricket Crigler for her great Iron; A New Vocabulary, humor, her assistance - will travel to two with fundraising ideas and contacts, and most especially her love of glass. Joining the board in November were Shelton Gorelick, Steven LeBlanc, Beverly Mclver, and Rob Pulleyn. Shelton Gorelick, of Charlotte, NC, brings to the Penland board expertise in the fields of finance and real estate. He and his wife, Carol, are avid collectors and support ers of craft. Steven LeBlanc is chief execu tive officer of Summit Properties in Charlotte, NC. He brings much experience in real estate management and develop ment, finance, business planning, as well as a love of the arts. Beverly Mclver is an accomplished painter and a Penland instruc tor. She is a native of Greensboro, NC, an associate professor at Arizona State University, and is currently living and work ing in New York City through a year-long Marie Walsh Sharpe residency. Rob Pulleyn is the founder of Asheville-based Lark Books, publishing a variety of craft and art books. He is also a ceramic artist and a fre quent Penland student. GALLERY It’s been a banner year at the Penland Gallery. Visitation is up noticeably in response to the unusual level of media attention the school has received during this anniversary year. This season began with a remarkable exhibition of objects, docu ments, and photographs related to Penland’s history (see page i). This was followed beautifully by a show titled Alchemy, which looked at contemporary mate rials and techniques, new uses of familiar materials, and the creative process of transforming these materials into inspired objects. The third exhibi tion of the year was titled Iron: A New Vocabulary, and featured artists who are bringing a new aesthetic and vocabulary to the field of studio iron. This show has been crated for touring and will show again next year at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC (February 15 — March 25) and Deland Museum of Art, Deland, FL (April 29 — July 3)- On exhibit through October 24 is The Object and Its Place, an exhibition of work created at Penland by Penland students. The final show of the year presents work by Penland’s nine core students—our full-time students who also function as part of the staff. This show runs from November 2 to December 19 widi an opening reception on November i 2. a Penland Gallery other venues next year. RESIDENI ARTIST PRO-AM OPENINGS In 2005^, Penland School will have two openings in its three-year resident artist pro gram. Studios will be available which are appropriate for clay, iron, metals, wood, or sculpture. The resident artist program provides low-cost housing and studio space in a stimu lating community atmosphere for artists at transitional points in their career. Penland resident artists are full-time, self-supporting studio practitioners. The primary basis for selection is the strength and quality of the applicants’ work. Residents must also have a clear objective for the time of their residency and be willing to live and work as part of a close-knit community. Applications are due on October 29, 2004. For complete information, contact Dana Moore, program director, at 828.76^.5^75^3 or danamoore(^penland.org.
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