Mentoring

January 20 - March 10

functional stoneware by
Marsha Owen
ceramic sculpture & vessels by
Roberta Wood

Opening Reception
Friday, January 20, 6-9 pm

“Mentoring” brings together the pottery of Marsha Owen and the sculptures and sculptural vessels of ceramics newcomer Roberta Wood. As Wood explores striking, double-walled and layered forms inspired by nature, architecture and graphic arts, Owens brings to the table her stoneware pottery, designed to celebrate and elevate the preparation of food. “Mentoring” reflects the artists’ cooperative efforts, as Wood’s search for surfaces to complement to her sculptural forms has been guided by Owen, who lent her knowledge of glazes and provided space in recent kiln firings.

Marsha Owen’s pursuit of well-crafted pottery began in the seventies at the NC State Craft Center, followed with work as a resident potter at Penland School of Crafts under the tutelage of Jon Ellenbogen and Becky Plummer, Bill Brouillard, and Steve Howell. Her subsequent training includes study with many outstanding Penland artists over the course of nine summers, and a stint at Alfred University, where she focused on glazes. Throughout her study, Owens operated her own pottery studio in Raleigh, NC, where she continues to make stoneware pots useful in everyday life. Owen returned to Penland in 1991 to teach a summer session and, now teaching locally, her willingness to share her craft with Wood is no surprise.

Wood's background as a fine arts major, studio teacher in painting and drawing, and most recently owner/director of Roberta Wood Gallery of Fine Art in Syracuse, New York, informs her current exploration of clay.   Working diligently at Claymakers since 2009, Wood has supplemented her study with workshops at Penland and Arrowmont School of Crafts, and studied privately with Marsha Owen and her husband, Rick Moss, at their studio in Raleigh.

     Wood                                                                                                             Owen