October Issue 2001
Charleston ClayWorks in Charleston, SC, Presents Workshop with Leah Leitson
Leah Leitson from Asheville, NC, will be demonstrating her pottery techniques in Charleston, SC, on Oct. 20. Charleston ClayWorks, a unique and intriguing studio located downtown on Meeting Street is excited to bring Leitson to Charleston to host its first pottery workshop. There will also be a gallery opening and slide show of work by Leitson on Friday evening to kick off the workshop.
Charleston ClayWorks, owned by Susan Filley, was previously called simply ClayWorks and was located in a charming historic building tucked away down on Pinckney Street. When the building was sold the pottery closed down for six months before Filley could find another suitable site and start over. The new location is right on Meeting Street and offers a more spacious studio, a better gallery, and more artwork and artists. Filley has lived in Charleston for six years and works as a studio artist out of her Mt. Pleasant, SC, home. With a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Ceramics, Filley has lived and worked in many different places across the country. Since moving to Charleston in 1995, she has worked for the Gibbes Museum of Art, helped with local arts agencies, taught with the Artist in the Schools program, exhibited at many national exhibitions, conducted workshops at national Craft Centers throughout the country, and serves on the board of major national ceramics organizations.
Filley felt there was a great need for more ceramics programs in the Charleston area. In 1999, she applied for and was awarded an Artist project Grant from the SC Arts Commission. With that assistance and their show of support, she committed herself to her idea and opened the first studio. Filley had a nice location but space for just five potters and only a small gallery. With the relocation, Charleston ClayWorks now has a much larger building with fifteen shared and private studio spaces, kilns and various types of studio equipment and a very beautiful gallery representing ceramics from across the country as well as many of the resident studio potters. The gallery has attracted the attention of many visitors to Charleston including the curator of the San Francisco Craft Museum, the Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater Museum, and the editors of Southern Living magazine. A feature article about Charleston ClayWorks is being planned for sometime in the near future. Be sure to visit the studio and gallery on your next visit to Charleston.
The workshop Altered Functional Forms on
October 19-20 will feature Asheville artist Leah Leitson. She
has conducted workshops at Penland Craft School, Arrowmont School
of Art and Craft, and Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts in Asheville.
Leitson has been awarded residencies at Archie Bray Foundation
and Banff Center for the Arts and holds an MFA in Ceramics.
Known for her beautifully altered functional pottery, Leitson's
work has been in many national exhibitions. Her pots are concerned
with the integration of function ideas, historical forms, and
Leitson's unique approach to throwing. She throws many upside
down forms, combines simple ideas into embellished concepts and
creates with a distinctive flair. Having worked with clay for
over 20 years, she will share her ideas about making functional
pots for a living and working with clay. The cost of the workshop
is only $45 and includes lunch. The slide show and Friday reception
are free and open to the public.
Leah Leitson Workshop:
Oct. 20, 9-4pm, $45 -includes lunch.
Slide Presentation: Oct. 19- at 6:30 pm.
For registration and further information check our SC Commercial
Gallery listings or call 843/853-3345 or 971-9934.
Mailing Address: Carolina Arts, P.O. Drawer
427, Bonneau, SC 29431
Telephone, Answering Machine and FAX: 843/825-3408
E-Mail: carolinart@aol.com
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Carolina Arts
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Copyright© 2001 by PSMG, Inc., which published Charleston
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