Three Potters Keynote Lecture with Guest Speaker Michael Sherrill

Michael Sherrill Web Banner

We invite you to join us for the Three Potters' keynote lecture by acclaimed ceramics artist Michael Sherrill, titled 'Cradle of Craft'.

Sherrill is a nationally recognized and critically acclaimed artist who works in mixed media to create botanical sculptures that are celebrations of natural beauty and demonstrations of immense technical ability.

Cradle of Craft

At the time when the Industrial Revolution was changing the world; the people who lived in the beautiful Southern Appalachian mountains were still dependent on their own skills for making the things needed to support their lives and to nourish them, body and soul. Being somewhat isolated and slow to let go of the “old ways” created a culture that supported and preserved craft. Not only was North Carolina the birthplace of Forestry study, but it also became the birthplace of Penland the School of Craft. When I was in high school I aspired to become a potter. In my opinion, the mountains were the most likely place for me to learn, in a culture that was still making things. I have had a birds-eye view of those who have come before me as well as my contemporary fellows and the current generation. I’d like to share with you my observations as I’ve been a part of this art-craft movement and share with you my insights about where I live and work and why it’s so important to the bigger craft and art scene. 

About the Artist

The son of an inventor/motorcycle racer and warrior princess/homemaker, Michael Sherrill has lived in the western North Carolina mountains since 1974. He considers himself a materials-based artist experimenting primarily in the media of metal, clay, and glass. At the heart of his interest is the intersection of where humans and materials meet in both handmade objects and the natural world. Michael’s work is in several public collections including the Smithsonian’s Renwick Museum of American Craft, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Mint Museum, the Museum of Art and Design, Corning Museum of Glass, and Takoma Glass Museum, among others. In 1993, the Year of Craft, Michael was selected for the White House collection, which traveled to venues around the United States. His piece, “Incandescent Bottles,” now resides in the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. In 2003, Michael was honored as Artist of the Year by the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, in Charlotte, North Carolina. As part of the International Ceramics Symposium (World Ceramic Exposition Foundation), Michael was one of 10 artists invited in the summer of 2004 to participate in a residency creating outdoor sculptures to be placed permanently at the International Ceramic Museum in Inchon, S. Korea. His other residencies include: Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts (2005), John Michael Kohler Arts Center (2006), and Museum of Glass (2010). Michael is the 2010 United States Artists Wingate Fellow. Most recently Michael was honored by the James Renwick Alliance as the 2019 Master of the Medium, Clay.

Schedule of Events

Save the Dates:  September 29
4-6 pm | Atrium  Pottery show and sale | Featuring work by Eric Knoche, Joey Sheehan, Will Dickert, and Michael Sherrill 
4:30-5:15 pm | Bascom Terrace | Keynote address by Michael Sherrill, "Cradle of Craft"

September 30, 10 am-4 pm | Bascom Terrace 
Symposium: Elements - Form and Fire 
Featuring Eric Knoche, Joey Sheehan, and Will Dickert

Event Information

Event Date September 29, 2023 4:30 pm
Event End Date September 29, 2023 5:15 pm
Cut off date September 30, 2023
Capacity 100
Available place 0
Individual Price FREE
Instructor Michael Sherrill
Categories Special Events, Lectures & Seminars, Ceramics, Adult, All Skill Levels Welcome, Skill Level 0: No Experience, Skill Level I: 1-2 years' experience and above, Skill Level II: 2-5 years' experience and above, Skill Level III: 5+ years' experience/professional

Sorry, the event is now full and we could not accept more registration