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Peters Valley School of Craft

Lecture

Virtual Artist Lecture with Steven R. Carty

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Join us for an inspiring lecture with basket artist Steven R. Carty. Carty, a resident of Mount Holly, NJ, creates intricate woven baskets out of natural materials, interweaving local materials which he gathers from the wild, mostly close to his home near the Pine Barrens, a practice his Lenape ancestors may have followed. His weaving inspiration comes from the land from which he gathers many of his materials; the creeks, forests, and shores of South Jersey. Lately he has turned away from using native plants to utilizing invasive plants, such as wisteria, in his work.

This lecture is in conjunction with the exhibition “Traditional Basketry and Beyond: Steven R Carty.” This exhibition will have a collection of Carty’s work and tools that will be on display at the Peters Valley Gallery March 19-April 24. For more information about the exhibit visit www.petersvalleygallery.org.

This project is made possible in part through the Mid Atlantic Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Find out more about Mid Atlantic Arts on their website at www.midatlanticarts.org.

Virtual Artist Lecture: Suhag Shirodkar

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Join us for an inspiring artist lecture with ceramist Suhag Shirodkar. Suhag is a self-taught ceramist with over two decades of experience making tile by the cuerda seca method. Cuerda seca (literally, in Spanish, dry cord) is a technique by which colored glazes are constrained within elaborate line patterns using an oil-based resist. Cuerda seca is believed to have originated in Central Asia during the second half of the 14th century.

In her talk, Suhag will guide us through cuerda seca’s bright and beautiful journey down the centuries and share her experiences as a ceramic artist specializing in cuerda seca tile. You can see some of her work at www.flameback-studio.com.

The lecture is free to attend; be sure to register on Zoom in order to receive the link to tune in!

If you are interested in practicing cuerda seca in your studio, Suhag’s book Cuerda Seca: The Definitive Guide is available on Amazon and on the Schiffer Publishing website at schifferbooks.com.

For any ceramic artist who has ever dreamed of making cuerda seca tile, this practical and comprehensive handbook covers every aspect of the process, from formulating the right clay body to final installation. Studio layout, equipment, tools, materials, design methods, and printing techniques are discussed clearly and succinctly, with an eye toward making you comfortable and confident with the process. Design considerations and constraints are illustrated with real-life examples, so that you can make informed choices about patterns and glazes. Delve into cuerda seca’s history and context in the societies of India, the Middle East, Spain, and the western United States to understand the roots of this stunning tile. The exuberance of cuerda seca will inspire you to take this delightful art form further and higher still. An invaluable resource for individual ceramists and production studios alike, this is the perfect companion on the cuerda seca journey.

Peters Valley is pleased to offer this lecture, and thanks Schiffer Publishing for funding a mini-series of virtual artist lectures Spring 2023.

 

 

 

Artist Lecture: Thomas Mann

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Peters Valley is pleased to host a lecture with professional designer, sculptor & jewelry artist, painter and Artrepreneur Thomas Mann.

Thomas has served on the Board of Directors of the American Crafts Council (publisher of American Craft Magazine and ACC Craft Fairs), SNAG The Society of North American Goldsmiths (publisher of METALSMITH magazine), the CAC contemporary Art Center, New Orleans and Planned Parenthood of LA.

He is the owner and director of Gallery I/O, New Orleans since 1988. Thomas exhibits his work in galleries, shops and stores across the US and internationally and most recently, was the Artist in Residence for two months in Hobart, Tasmania, AU, sponsored by Despard Gallery, and in Allentown, PA sponsored by Penn State University and Center City Corp. He has been teaching his workshop, Design ƒor SurvivalTM- Entrepreneurial Thinking & Tactics for Artists since its inception in 1989 at the Penland School for Crafts in North Carolina.

Thomas Mann was involved with the creation of Peters Valley back in the 1970s. We are thrilled to have him back on campus for this talk as well as to teach his Master Design workshop Aug 26-30!

His lecture presentation “The Artist as Artrepreneur” tracks his personal career development in parallel with the American Crafts Council and the American Crafts Movement from the 1960’s until now, and includes the 10 major factors that have dramatically changed the way that artists must conduct themselves and their businesses in order to survive.

For more about Thomas Mann visit his website: https://www.thomasmann.com/

This is a hybrid program. Attendees are welcome to join online via Zoom or in person at the Peters Valley Dining Hall Pavilion.

Artist Lecture with Rick Wright

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Peters Valley had the pleasure of hosting Philadelphia-based photographer Rick Wright as an artist-in-residence during the fall of 2021. During this lecture, Rick will discuss how his camerawork evolved as he photographed the ancient buildings and ancient forests of Peters Valley.

Ansel Adams’ quip that “bracketing is for wimps” served as a guide during Rick’s time here. Placing faith in his meter readings, past experiences, and trusty view camera made for great accidents, errors in exposure, and unexpected captures. Releasing himself from the burden of perfection led to insights—even the occasional revelation.

Take this opportunity to see Peters Valley from someone else’s perspective, and bring your questions!

For more about Rick Wright, visit his website: http://rickwrightstudio.com

Artist Lecture: Ernest Aryee

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Join us for an inspiring lecture with ceramist Ernest Aryee. Ernest is a creative professional whose experience spans the fields of ceramics and business. Born in Accra, Ghana, Ernest credits his education in Ghana and the vibrant creative and intellectual atmosphere within his family for influencing his decision to be an artist.

He holds degrees in Art from College of Art, KNUST Ghana (B.A.), Royal Academy of Art and Design (Koninklijke Academie voor Kunst en Vormgeving) ‘s-Hertogenbosch The Netherlands (pre-graduate credits),  and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, IL (MFA).

He is widely traveled as an artist and educator.  He has been active internationally as a  lecturer, workshops presenter, and in artist residencies in The Netherlands, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, the United States, and  Ghana, where he organizes the “Accra Sculpture Invitational” residency program. His business experience includes several years in the role as International Sales and Customer Service Representative for Nidec-Shimpo America Corporation Ceramics Division. He maintains a studio in the Chicagoland area and in Ghana. His passion for teaching has led to the creation of inter-cultural opportunities for artists to experience the arts of Ghana.

For more about Ernest visit his website: https://www.ernestaryeestudios.com/

 

Artist Lecture: Bud Scheffel

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Join us for an inspiring lecture with Bud Scheffel, a world class professional artist specializing in the construction of kinetic sculptures, mobiles, stabiles, and custom commission work. He has had over 1000 successful exhibitions to his credit and is an award winning artist that continues to expand his vision of contemporary art. Bud is recognized as one of the top mobile designers in the country and has been featured on all social media platforms, and a variety of published articles and TV broadcasts for nearly 40 years. 

Bud’s body of work has been showcased in the Smithsonian Institution, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Chicago Botanical Gardens, and a broad range of other nationally recognized art establishments. Bud has been commissioned to create and install large scale industrial projects throughout the United States.

For more about Bud visit his website https://www.budscheffel.com/

This lecture series is FREE to attend! Please be sure to register in order to receive the link to tune in.

Artist Lecture: Elizabeth Belz

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Join us for an inspiring lecture with blacksmith Elizabeth Belz! Elizabeth is a blacksmith, educator and the owner of Black Widow Forge, LLC located in Grand Marais, MN. She was the blacksmithing apprentice at the Metal Museum in Memphis, TN for two years where she trained under master metalsmith Jim Masterson. Elizabeth was a craft education intern at North House Folk School, Grand Marais, Minn, in 2016, and a resident artist with the Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, in 2017. Elizabeth has shown her work, competed and taught blacksmithing throughout the United States and internationally and is currently an Arrowmont 2021-22 Artist in Residence.

This lecture series is FREE to attend! Please be sure to register in order to receive the link to tune in.

For more about Elizabeth visit www.elizabethbelz.com

Peters Valley School of Craft of Layton, NJ and the Pike County Public Library of Milford, PA thank the Richard L. Snyder Fund and the Greater Pike Community Foundation for funding this series.

Artist Lecture: Ellie Richards

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Join us for an inspiring lecture with furniture designer and sculptor Ellie Richards. Ellie is interested in the role the furniture and domestic objects play in creating opportunities for a deeper connection between people and their sense of place. Ellie looks to the tradition of both woodworking and the readymade to create eclectic assemblage, installation, and objects exploring intersections of labor, leisure, community, and culture. She maintains an active teaching schedule sharing the fundamentals of woodworking and artistic practice with a breadth of audience including appointments at Yestermorrow Design/Build School, Appalachian Center for Craft, and Haystack Mountain School of Craft. She is currently a resident artist at Penland School of Craft 2020-2023.

This lecture series is FREE to attend! Please be sure to register in order to receive the link to tune in.

For more about Ellie visit www.ellie-richards.com

Peters Valley School of Craft of Layton, NJ and the Pike County Public Library of Milford, PA thank the Richard L. Snyder Fund and the Greater Pike Community Foundation for funding this series.