Join us for a presentation by Michael Hamlin and Julie Wiggins, members of the Thrown Together Potters collective, and participants in the center’s current exhibition, “Flower Power: Pottery and Plants” Michael and Julie’s slide talks will address their work, process and inspiration.

Michael Hamlin grew up a small suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Early on, Michael developed a desire to work with his hands. As an elementary student, he visited the library so often to check out pottery books, the librarians began asking him to consider different subjects. Yet, his fondness for handmade crafts never diminished. In 1987, he bought and installed a kiln in a friend’s basement and taught himself how to hand build, make glazes and fire his work. Michael later graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Columbus College of Art and Design in 1996.

Michael has a great passion for gardening and flower arranging. He uses the plants and flowers he grows as tools of inspiration for designing the vases and bowls he creates. Michael says, “My aesthetic is influenced by midcentury modern, Scandinavian design as well as twelfth through fifteenth-century Persian ceramics, Sung Dynasty vessels and Japanese Ikebana arrangements. I look at how the vessel will interact in interior settings: Will it detract from the whole interior or will it enhance an environment?”

Originally from Jacksonville, North Carolina, Julie Wiggins graduated with a BFA in Ceramics from East Carolina University. In 2005, she received an honorary degree from Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute in China, where she focused her studies on traditional Eastern techniques. Julie has nearly a decade of experience as an educator, including courses taught at Clayworks and The McColl Center for Visual Art.

Julie’s functional pottery is created in porcelain and glazed in soft grays, greens, blues, and yellows. “As a studio potter, I make objects of enjoyment that strike a balance between uniquely functional forms and narrative design,” Julie says. Her work features decorative inlay floral designs in dark slip, contrasted against a light porcelain background.

Julie has fond memories from growing up, surrounded by warm blue skies, expansive beaches, and bright green farmland. Though her work as a ceramicist has taken her to Europe, Mexico, Morocco, and beyond, she still holds a place in her heart for the easy-going Southern lifestyle.

A potluck at 6 pm will begin the evening’s events, followed by the presentations at 7 pm. Come out for a great night of food and community!

Location: The NCPC Educational Building located behind the North Carolina Pottery Center.

This presentation is free and open to the public. This ongoing lecture series is facilitated by Josh Floyd, the Artist-in-Residence at the Pottery Center.