Elynn Bernstein
An exhibit titled Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, featuring works by members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, will be on display beginning February 6 and running through May 3 at the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
On display will be pieces by six Guild artists working in clay, fiber, glass, and jewelry. Curator Nikki Josheff says these elements are critical tools in the process of creating art. “Whether it be the flame for a firing, or water for wet felting, each of these artists are masters of manipulating such properties into a fine piece of craft,” says Nikki. She adds, “It was also the natural simplicity of the individual’s work that captured the theme of Elements.”
Artist, Kristin Schoonover
This is the first exhibit at the Folk Art Center for new Guild member Tina Curry from Bristol, Tennessee. Her piece titled “Nomads” (shown here) plays with all four of the themes. “My (raku firing) process takes the clay body from the earth and through fire, air, and water to unveil its beauty,” says Tina. Within the first five months of being accepted into the Guild, she says she feels already that her “creativity is boosted from immersing myself in the network of talented artists.”
Artist, Tina curry
The Guild is comprised of nearly 900 artists from Maryland to Alabama. It is an educational nonprofit organization founded in 1930 “to bring together the crafts and craftspeople of the Southern Highlands for the benefit of shared resources, education, marketing and conservation.”
The Folk Art Center is the headquarters of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. It is located at Milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. To learn more, visit craftguild.org or all 828.298.7928.
Artist, Hayden Wilson (Photo by Steve Mann)
