Join us on Friday, October 7th at 6 pm for a slide talk by Chapel Hill potter Ronan Kyle Peterson (Nine Toes Pottery) and a participant in NCPC’s current exhibition, “Penland Clay: Shaping North Carolina Ceramics.”

Ronan Kyle Peterson grew up in Poplar, a small community deep in the mountains of western North Carolina. He attended the UNC-Chapel Hill and in 1996 received a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Anthropology, with a minor in Folklore. His interest in Folklore led him to John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, where he began taking classes in ceramics. After working for two years with two potters in the Asheville area, he attended Penland School of Crafts. Initially, he intended to stay for a two month Concentration in Wood and Soda Fired Pottery with MacKenzie Smith, but two months turned into four years. After Concentration, he applied for and was accepted into the Core Student program. During the two-year intensive work exchange program, he had the opportunity to study with a number of internationally known artists and craftspeople.

Ronan says, “Essentially, I am dealing with affects of agents of growth and decay and how these agents shape and embellish the surfaces of stones and the skins of trees…The vessels are not intended to be actual representations of trees and rocks, but abstractions and stylizations of these natural phenomena. Employing an earthy background palette stretched across textured but quieter surfaces, I wanted to upset that quiet earthiness with intense splashes of vibrant color, patterns, and glossy surfaces not commonly associated with tree bark or the rough surfaces of rocks amidst fallen leaves. I am interested in inflated volume and thick line qualities that reference comic style drawings and how that can apply to interpreting the natural world. With my ceramic vessels I hope to create a comic book interpretation of the natural world with a focus on the rocks and trees and their role in the perpetual comedy of growth and decay.”

Ronan’s slide talk will focus on his life, work, and inspiration. A potluck at 6 pm will begin the evening’s events, followed by the slide talk at 7 pm. Come out for a great night of food and community!

Location: The NCPC Educational Building located behind the NC Pottery Center at 233 East Avenue, Seagrove, 27341.

This presentation is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Center at 336-873-8430. This ongoing lecture series is facilitated by Emily Lassiter, the Educational Program Manager at the Pottery Center.

NOTE: Due to a scheduling conflict, October’s Clay Talks! with Ronan Kyle Peterson will be held at 6 pm on Friday, October 7th, rather than Thursday.