Influence and Creativity: A Retrospective of Rock Creek Pottery & Inspiration and Discovery: Pathways to Expression

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Join Northern Clay Center on May 1st from 6pm to 8pm for the opening reception of exhibitions Influence and Creativity: A Retrospective of Rock Creek Pottery & Inspiration and Discovery: Pathways to Expression.

Co-curated by Michael Hunt and Shawn Ireland, Influence and Creativity: A Retrospective of Rock Creek Pottery offers an intimate look into, and a respectful celebration of, Will Ruggles and Douglass Rankin and their nearly 30 years of creating wood-fired pots at Rock Creek Pottery in Buladean, North Carolina. The exhibition in the main gallery will feature pots made at Rock Creek Pottery between the years of 1980 and 2007, as well as work made during their first few years as developing professionals in Wisconsin. A critical part of the narrative is the public recognition of the power of learning through tradition, so one will also find select works by the artists who proved to be most influential to Ruggles and Rankin. These artists include: Rob Barnard, Willem Gebben, Randy Johnston, Warren MacKenzie, Mark Pharis, and Michael Simon.

This retrospective exhibition will illuminate their life of work within the context of their inspirations, including exploration into their prolific making years, their deep investigation into all aspects of pottery making, and their innovative wood firing theory and kiln design.

Ruggles and Rankin showed that deep exploration into materials, touch, form, fire, kilns, and firing methods can all contribute to pots that enhance daily life. Their dynamic relationship with these elements, as well as their mastery of slips, glazes, and the atmospheric effects from wood, salt, and soda continue to inspire students.

Partnered with Influence & Creativity: A Retrospective of Rock Creek Pottery in NCC's main gallery, the exhibition, Inspiration and Discovery, Pathways to Expression, will honor how their work continues to shape American craft by serving as the inspirational links in a lineage of potters who respect deep roots and who acknowledge that a good pot can emerge naturally through trust in one’s intuition.

Ruggles and Rankin’s approach, through these varied interactions with students of the craft, provided a fervent love of discovery and exploration, and those learners continue to carry it forward in different ways in their own pots. The seventeen artists featured in the Galusha Gallery will offer writings about their personal experiences with Ruggles and Rankin as well as their own work to illustrate the ever-broadening sphere of influence of the nurturing and generous mentors at Rock Creek Pottery.

Participating artists in Inspiration and Discovery, Pathways to Expression are: Ben Carter, Caroline Cercone, Josh Copus, Naomi Dalglish, Michael Hunt, Shawn Ireland, Suze Lindsay, Linda McFarling, Kent McLaughlin, Jenny Mendes, Sequoia Miller, Karen Newgard, Ron Philbeck, Jane Shellenbarger, McKenzie Smith, Liz Sparks, and Jeff Supplee.

Learn more: https://www.northernclaycenter.org/exhibition/influence-and-creativity-retrospective-rock-creek-pottery