The Art League of Hendersonville has opened The Stuart Glassman Clay Studio at Art Place, a state-of-the-art facility with multiple kilns, pottery wheels, slab rollers and an array of tools. The studio, which honors the late Dr. Stuart Glassman, a distinguished physician and accomplished clay artist, was made possible by support from the Community Foundation, the Arts Council of Henderson County and private donors including Dr. Glassman’s wife Barbara. A ribbon cutting will take place at Art Place Studios on Friday, March 8, at 12:30 p.m.
Instructor Molly Angel, left, with Shawn Barry
The Glassman Clay Studio will feature a robust calendar of classes, workshops, demonstrations and open studio sessions with firing opportunities. Some of the initial classes will include 4-week sessions of handbuilding and wheel throwing, as well as a one-time handbuilding mug lesson. “Having a local ceramics community in Hendersonville is very exciting for other potters in the area,” says studio manager Hannah Gambino. “It’s amazingly generous of Barbara Glassman to help us grow this community space with nearly every tool and material a potter could need. Uniquely, our space has an excellent and large array of spring molds and stamps of animals from Stuart Glassman’s collection that we are able to share with students.”
Glassman’s mold
Mrs. Glassman, a potter herself, was seeking a way to honor her late husband and make use of his extensive array of pottery equipment after his death in March of 2023. “Kismet led me to The Art League and their interest in creating a Clay Studio,” she says. “I feel a great sense of hope and excitement as it has come to fruition which has helped me navigate through my grief. I chose this path because working and creating in clay allows one to feel a connection to not only the materials but to one’s self. There are many processes involved to achieve the final piece and the outcome is almost always a surprise. People of all ages and abilities can find satisfaction in a clay studio, from coping with a not-so-great day to pushing yourself to a new level. It nurtures confidence, along with humbleness. Much like life, there are delights and disappointments. Stuart enjoyed it all.”
Art Place Studios is located at 2015 Asheville Highway, Hendersonville. The Glassman Clay Studio welcomes visitors Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Find class registration and more information at ArtLeagueHVL.org or directly at GlassmanClayStudio.as.me.
