A ceramics master class led by local artist Ronan Peterson will be offered the last two weekends of April.
For two weekends this April, The ArtsCenter and The Town of Chapel Hill’s Community Clay Studio will jointly offer a Ceramics Master Class led by local artist Ronan Peterson. This is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the two organizations that aims to enhance the course offerings of the two ceramics studios, as well as foster future joint efforts between The ArtsCenter and the Cultural Arts Division of the Town of Chapel Hill’s Parks and Recreation Department.
Chapel Hill’s Cultural Arts Administrator Jeffrey York calls the collaboration, “just the beginning. Both the Town and The ArtsCenter have excellent ceramic programs. Projects like this can showcase what is possible when arts organizations work together.”
The master class “Peeling the Onion with Ronan Peterson” is the result of the goal of the two organizations to offer next level education opportunities to their advanced clay students. Peterson, who is known for his unique ceramic surfaces and glazes, maintains Nine Toes Pottery studio and has had his work featured in Ceramics Monthly,Clay Times, the books 500 Bowls and 500 Plates and Chargers, and in multiple galleries across the United States.
Ronan describes his aesthetic saying, “Essentially, I am dealing with effects of agents of growth and decay, and how these agents shape and embellish the surfaces of stones and the skins of trees. These agents also serve key roles in interacting with my ceramic vessels. Mushrooms, seed pods, grubs and other growths serve as knobs and handles, allowing one to remove lids and discover what might be inside or underneath a covered vessel, like lifting a rock to have insects scurry in many different directions when subjected to the light of day.”
The workshops are nearly filled to capacity, with Section A taking place at The ArtsCenter from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 22 and Saturday, April 29 and Section B taking place at the Community Clay Studio from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 23 and Sunday, April 30.
We are confident that the success of this workshop will lead to future collaborative Masters Classes, so stay tuned! For press interest in covering the workshops, please contact Jeffrey York at 919-968-2750 or jyork@townofchapelhill.org.
