SBRANFPOTS@aol.com on fri 7 jun 96
The Appalachian Center For Crafts needs our help. I am all too experienced
when it comes to closed and backward minds using their power and influence to
shut down or otherwise undermine important institutions, for on more than one
occasion I have had to fight for the continued existance of a program or
curriculum of my own. A place like The Appalachian Center For Crafts has not
only a legitimite right to exist but a fundamental one as well. Yes it angers
me, because in a way what the board is doing is a form of discrimination. Not
discrimination in it's usual, more obvious manifestation, but indeed the same
force that drives bias and discrimination along racial or social lines drives
the cutting and elimination of programs like yours: an unwillingness to
understand and accept customs, practices, sensibilities, forms of
communication, areas of study, and influences beyond ones often narrow scope
of experience.
When it comes to art and craft, the best one can do (who is not a
practitioner) to understand the importance and passion of engaging in the
making of objects, is to accept the fact that they don't understand. To
understand that they don't understand, if you will. Yet it is not too much to
ask, nor is it too much to expect those individuals who make the decisions to
trust those that do understand, and to have a broader view of the importance
of different forms of education and communication. It is glaring
shortsightedness and narrowness to cut programs and curriculums just because
one doesn't have personal experience with or a direct connection to those
programs. Shame on them. Boo on them.
Let's do all that we can to help The Appalachian Center For Crafts in their
fight for survival. Each time a program is cut, a department is curtailed, a
curriculum is stifled or the ultimate: a school is closed, we all suffer a
loss. When we fight for someone elses program we fight for our own. Stand up
together for what we all devote our lives to.
Steve Branfman
The Potters Shop and School
Vince Pitelka on fri 13 dec 96
YiLi -
I am in charge of the clay program at the Appalachian Center for Crafts, and
would be glad to tell you a bit about it. If you send me your postal
mailing address I can send you a complete information packet.
The Appalachian Center for Crafts is part of the Art Department at Tennessee
Technological University, and is located 20 miles away from the main TTU
campus on the Highland Rim of the Cumberland Plateau, about sixty miles east
of Nashville, on a spectacular wilderness site overlooking Center Hill Lake.
We have one of the best fine craft studio facilities in the nation, with
concentrations in wood, fibers, glass, metals, and clay. Our ceramics
studio includes about 10,000 square feet of indoor space, plus generous
outdoor roofed kiln space. We are equipped for all kinds of firing,
including oxidation, reduction, bonfire, sagger, raku, soda, salt, and wood.
We support both traditional and contemporary, vessel/utilitarian and
sculptural approaches to clay, and we try to give our students a good sense
of professional studio life and the marketplace.
We offer the BFA degreee, plus one year and two year professional craft
certificates. Additionally we have the opportunity for independent
portfolio developement, without a specific degree objective. Although
enrollment in the clay program is currently higher than ever before in the
seventeen year history of this facility, we are still looking for more
students, and almost anyone truly seeking serious studio immersion can be
addmitted. We also have a year-round workshop programs, although the
primary workshops are concentrated in the summer months.
I should add that the future of our program and facility is a little
uncertain, as we are still experiencing something of a crisis over funding,
but we are guaranteed full operation at least through the summer of 1998,
and I am optomistic that accommodations will be reached which will guarantee
the future of this remarkable facility. I would not necessarily recommend
to someone that they begin a BFA degree with us right now, but our facility
is still an excellent place to come for a professional certificate or for
portfolio development.
Please contact me with questions and comments.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@Dekalb.Net
Phone - home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801
Appalachian Center for Crafts, Smithville TN 37166
Eydie DeVincenzi on wed 29 oct 97
------------------
Appalachian Center for Crafts is tucked away in the beautiful Tennessee
mountains (Smithville). I took a week-long class in colored clay from
Vince Pitelka. All the craft disciplines are close by and we were
encouraged to drop in on them: metal work, weaving, glass,
What I enjoyed most was the ability to work in the studio anytime, day and
night. Meals are served in a pleasant dining room and everyone is very
pleasant. I found that a large part of my experience was being able to
take walks around the quiet wooded area at the top of the mountain. Staff
people are very happy to take you on exploratory trips of the woods. I
found no reason to leave the campus during the week. In fact, I had a hard
time leaving at the end of the week=21
Eydie DeVincenzi
Talbott on thu 30 oct 97
Vince.. I would say that the below message is one tremendous endorsement.
Can you tell us more about the Center... I am sure others would like to
hear more details about the ACC. ..Marshall
-----------------------Original message----------------------
>Appalachian Center for Crafts is tucked away in the beautiful Tennessee
>mountains (Smithville). I took a week-long class in colored clay from
>Vince Pitelka. All the craft disciplines are close by and we were
>encouraged to drop in on them: metal work, weaving, glass,
>
>What I enjoyed most was the ability to work in the studio anytime, day and
>night. Meals are served in a pleasant dining room and everyone is very
>pleasant. I found that a large part of my experience was being able to
>take walks around the quiet wooded area at the top of the mountain. Staff
>people are very happy to take you on exploratory trips of the woods. I
>found no reason to leave the campus during the week. In fact, I had a hard
>time leaving at the end of the week!
>
>Eydie DeVincenzi
2nd ANNUAL CLAYARTERS' GALLERY - NAPLES, MAINE (Summer 1998)
Details will be forth coming!!!
http://fmc.utm.edu/~dmcbeth/cag/naples.htm
Celia & Marshall Talbott, Pottery By Celia, Route 114, P O Box 4116,
Naples, Maine 04055-4116,(207)693-6100 voice and fax,(call first)
Clayarters' Live Chat Room, Fri & Sat Nites at 10 PM EDT & Sun at 1 PM EDT
http://webchat12.wbs.net/webchat3.so?Room=PRIVATE_Clayarters
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Vince Pitelka on thu 30 oct 97
Dear Clayarters -
After Eydie DeVincenzi's wonderful endorsement of our facility, the
Appalachian Center for Crafts, I received the following message from
Marshall Talbott, and several other similar messages asking for further
information.
>Vince.. I would say that the below message is one tremendous endorsement.
>Can you tell us more about the Center... I am sure others would like to
>hear more details about the ACC. ..Marshall
I hope this does not seem mercilessly self-promotional, but we really do
need all the publicity we can get, especially with our still-precarious
situation. As mentioned in a post a month or so ago, the TTU administration
has finally done a complete turnaround, and is backing a proposal to get
special funding from the State of Tennessee to operate the center. I will
keep you all posted about that as it develops.
The Appalachian Center for Crafts is part of the Department of Music and Art
at Tennessee Technological University. Our facility was built in the late
1970s with a $5 millioin grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (the
largest federal grant ever allocated to craft media). Originally a federal
project, it was given to the state of Tennessee soon after completion, and
then placed under the stewardship of TTU in the mid 1980s. It maintained a
precarious existence through the 1980s, but has been on increasingly sound
footing since 1990, when Ward Doubet took over as Director.
The facility is located sixty miles east of Nashville on the Highland Rim of
the Cumberland Plateau. We are 20 miles west of Cookeville (and the main
campus of TTU) and are situated on a large wilderness tract overlooking
Center Hill Lake. We have extensive studio facilities in clay, glass, wood,
metals, and fibers. The clay studio alone includes 10,000 square feet
indoors, plus a large roofed area out back for kilns and storage. We have
approximately sixteen kilns of all kinds, a small clay warehouse, good
claymixing facilities, large classrooms, and semi-private studio space for
all advanced students.
On site we have three exhibition gallery spaces, and a large sales gallery,
a cafe, a small library, audio-visual facilities, conference rooms, etc.
When students achieve a sufficient standard of quality and craftsmanship in
their work they can submit it to the sales gallery for consideration. A
fair amount of the work in the sales gallery is student work, along with the
work of Craft Center faculty and craftspeople from throughout the Mid-South
region.
Central to the program is our academic mission, with the BFA degree and
Professional Craft Certificate programs (including one-year and two-year
certificates). We also have a portfolio development program for those who
simply wish to build the strength of their work for graduate school
application or personal development. Every summer we have an intensive
workshop program, with six weeks of one-week workshops divided equally
before and after the 4th of July week. Tentative workshops for this summer
include Bill Daley, Jeff Oestreich, Gail Kendall, and Paul Lewing. We offer
two workshops each week, so there will be twelve in all, we hope.
In the past we have also done Elderhostels in the early summer, but have
temporarily suspend them due to the current crisis. During the school year
we do craft programs on Fridays for local school children, plus a limited
number of evening workshops for the local community.
A primary thing which sets our facility apart from so many others is the
multi-tiered structuring of programs operating in symbiosis. Students
receive a broad cross-section of professional craft experience, and workshop
participants and local school children benefit from a facility which was
designed as a leading academic center for education, research and innovation
in fine craft.
Hope this proves interesting for some of you. Feel free to email or phone
me with any questions or comments. Best wishes to all of you.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Darrol Shillingburg on sat 1 nov 97
> On Thursday, October 30, 1997 10:32 AM Vince Pitelka wrote
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Dear Clayarters -
> After Eydie DeVincenzi's wonderful endorsement of our facility, the
> Appalachian Center for Crafts, I received the following message from
> Marshall Talbott, and several other similar messages asking for further
> information.
>
> >Vince.. I would say that the below message is one tremendous
endorsement.
> >Can you tell us more about the Center... I am sure others would like to
> >hear more details about the ACC. ..Marshall
>
> I hope this does not seem mercilessly self-promotional, but we really do
> need all the publicity we can get, especially with our still-precarious
> situation. As mentioned in a post a month or so ago, the TTU
administration
> has finally done a complete turnaround, and is backing a proposal to get
> special funding from the State of Tennessee to operate the center. I
will
> keep you all posted about that as it develops.
--------------------------snip--------------
Every summer we have an intensive
> workshop program, with six weeks of one-week workshops divided equally
> before and after the 4th of July week. Tentative workshops for this
summer
> include Bill Daley, Jeff Oestreich, Gail Kendall, and Paul Lewing. We
offer
> two workshops each week, so there will be twelve in all, we hope.
------------------snip------------------------------------------------
> A primary thing which sets our facility apart from so many others is the
> multi-tiered structuring of programs operating in symbiosis. Students
> receive a broad cross-section of professional craft experience, and
workshop
> participants and local school children benefit from a facility which was
> designed as a leading academic center for education, research and
innovation
> in fine craft.
>
> Hope this proves interesting for some of you. Feel free to email or
phone
> me with any questions or comments. Best wishes to all of you.
> - Vince
Hi All,
Couldn't agree more with you, Vince and Eydie. The Applachian Center for
Crafts is a wonderful place to learn clay as well as other crafts skills.
It provides a way to "coss over" to other disciplines and learn basic
skills in a week. One summer I took a metal vessels workshop (along with a
couple of clay workshops) and learned the basics of working in copper. I
have yet to incorporate that in my other work, but someday it will show up.
I tried for a couple of summers to work in a glass workshop as well, but
scheduling didn't work out. Some summer it will. There are many other
combinations possible during any summer schedule.
For a modest "studio fee" I stayed for three weeks one summer in between
workshops sets, did my own work and learned many new things from the
community at large. I found the craft community there very rich and open.
Darrol in Elephant Butte, NM
DarrolS@Zianet.com
http://www.zianet.com/DarrolS
vince pitelka on fri 25 jan 02
I had a number of requests from people interested in our workshops, asking
for more information about the Appalachian Center For Crafts, so here's the
overview.
We are part of Tennessee Technological University, but we are located about
20 miles away from the University approximately 60 miles east of Nashville,
on a wilderness tract overlooking Center Hill Lake. We have some of the
best studio facilities in the country in clay, glass, wood, fibers, and
metals. There is excellent fishing in Center Hill Lake and the Caney Fork
River, and numerous state parks and other interesting natural features close
by. I understand that 90% of the country's caves are within 100 miles of
us.
The Craft Center comprises about 90,000 square feet of indoor space
including state-of-the-art studio facilities, condominium-style housing,
three exhibition galleries and a sales gallery, administrative offices, a
dining hall, a library, audio visual facilities, and conference rooms.
The clay studio at the Craft Center includes 8000 square feet inside (air
conditioned), and another 2500 square feet outside under roof for kilns and
wood storage. We maintain a very complete raw materials warehouse, with
full clay-mixing facilities and glaze-mixing pantry. We have 16 kilns,
including electric toploaders and frontloaders, gas high-fire reduction, gas
salt, gas soda, raku, and two wood kilns. Our most addition is a 200 cubic
foot groundhog-anagama hybrid wood kiln which we call our "hoggama."
In other words, this is one of the very best places in the country to take
workshops. You cannot find better facilities our surroundings ANYWHERE!
And the food in the dining hall is excellent. Almost everyone who comes
here for workshops, comes back for more workshops.
The summer is our primary workshop season. During the academic year we
offer the BFA degree and several level of Professional Craft Certificates,
plus a portfolio development program for those simply wishing to strengthen
their work. Our progams are accredited through the National Association of
Schools of Art and Design. Our emphasis is the finest professional fine
craft education.
As mentioned before, if you would like a brochure for the summer 2002
workshops, please email your mailing address to Erika Smart at
esmart@tntech.edu
If you have any questions about the facilities or programs please email me.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
Michael Imes on sat 26 jan 02
Hello Vince,
I'm writing in response to your post on clayart. A good friend of
mine, Joe Molinaro (he teaches at Eastern Kentucky) also told me about the
Appalachian Center. I'm a pinch potter who's been working in clay for 30
years. I live in Wisconsin, where I moved from Kentucky, and I teach
ceramics at Carroll College, in Waukesha, WI.
I'm interested in the possibility of teaching a summer session sometime
at the Appalachian Center. I have taught at Penland (in '85 and '86 and at
Arrowmont (in '87, I think). Please send me information about how I might
apply to: Michael Imes, W275 N1204 Springhill Dr., Pewaukee, WI 53072 or
e-mail me. Thank you for your time and consideration. Best of luck with
your efforts at the Appalachian Center For Crafts.
Sincerely,
Michael Imes
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.
Karin Hurt on sun 27 jan 02
Hi Vince and Clayarters,
I took several workshops at the Appalachian Center for Crafts and am a
passionate fan of the Center, I am in awe of the dedication of the staff
(Vince especially), the quality of teaching is impressive. The surrounding
area is breathtaking and the people, students and staff, very friendly and
willing to share their knowledge and experience. The atmosphere for learning
is wonderful and there is a feeling of generosity that I have not encountered
anywhere else. The price of the summer workshops are more than affordable,
the best deal all around for your buck.
Karin
Laughing Bear Pottery
Arizona
Karin Hurt on tue 29 jan 02
I think that Vince should tell you all about the wonderful property at the
end of the clay, glass and metal building. A long path meanders through the
woods, along the way you will find clay pots, class blown objects that didn't
pass the critical eyes of the artist. As you work your way down the hill you
come to a point that gives you an awesome view of the lake. It's peaceful
there and you will find more samples of art left behind. When I participated
in workshops I took away so much more than I ever thought I would, and like
everyone else, always left something behind in the woods. It's something not
to be missed.
Karin
Laughing Bear Pottery
Arizona
barry r. geise on thu 30 may 02
Javamama and other workshop attendees:
You asked about things to do in the area over 4th of July weekend: =
Smithville Old Time Fiddlers Jamboree has been going on that weekend for =
30 years +. Blue Grass, traditional, music, dancing and attendant craft =
fair and food boothes will sure give you a taste of the local culture.
Been covered on major networks and a documentary on PBS; good down home =
fun.
Hope you enjoy the trip and workshop. The craft center will be a real =
treat for the time you're there. Tell 'em all I said "Hello"
Barry R. Geise,Potter
Mud & Company
402 Smith Street
Grand Mound, Iowa 52751
563/ 847-2844
Karin Hurt on fri 31 may 02
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
Not only is the teaching superb, the atmosphere and surroundings are out of
this world. If I weren't in week 4 of a foot to knee cast,e with a few more
to follow, I'd be there with bells on. Those of you going, you will take
something away from there that will stay with you always. Enjoy each moment!
Karin Hurt
www.laughingbearpottery.com
primalmommy on fri 31 may 02
This will be my third year, and I'm going to the Clennels workshop this
time.
Here's my impression: the area is lovely, one of those flooded river
resevoirs in what we Ohioans would call mountains. The cabins look like
they grew out of the hillside. Two folks to a room, and four rooms to a
cabin with a shared room in the middle, kitchenettes and a big table. I
have always enjoyed my roomies! It might be a glass blower or bead
maker, a weaver or woodworker, etc.... It has been my experience that
the first night folks are kind of shy, and later get to know each other
and chat on porches or at the big table/ shared space; I speed up the
process by parking myself at the big table with some snacks and
beverages the first night to "break the ice"..
The food is healthy fare... amazing salads, a meat and veggie option,
fresh fruits and veggie and baked good and good coffee. Mama Lea is
awesome. The building where the cafe is houses offices (where you'll
check in) a nice gallery/shop (also where we buy supplies and pay for
clay) and downstairs is a library and rooms for slides and such.
You can walk through the studios and see the blacksmiths working, the
metal stuff, glass stuff, wood shops, textile studios, papermaking. All
very open and friendly and accessible. The ceramics studio is the
cleanest and most organized I have ever seen; you could do surgery in
the glaze room. Lots of wheels, big tables for handbuilding, and out
back, nice kilns of every sort. Air conditioning too, which I suspect
will be a plus (I've gone to early june workshops in the past.) Very
nice clay, very reasonable price.
Next year I plan to come with my husband, too... he wants to find a
beginning woodturning workshop. And you can request whatever roomie you
like as far as I know (twin beds with locking under bed storage.)
Now I'm trying to make some not-too-dorky pots for the Clennel workshop
with lugs for handles.
Looking forward to meeting clayarters in Tennessee in July... it's my
annual time off from my 24/7, homeschooling mother of 3 job. The most
blissful part is the lack of interruption! What luxury to be able to
focus on mastery of the craft for a solid week, surrounded by people on
a similar mastery high, without having to stop for t-ball games, tying
shoes, laundry, making meals, helping with math problems, on and on...
parent potters do an intricate dance. I loved Kevin Crowe's comments in
the last CM: making 1500 pots takes him 5 months "when the moon is right
and it's not soccer season"...
I'd be happy to chat more about ACC -- primalmommy@ivillage.com
Meanwhile I'm busy doing the stuff I love best, ignoring the rest.
Working on a homeschool urban veggie garden, and planting my own as
well... hosting my in-laws for 2 weeks (and my hostess smile is wearing
thin)... painting my doors, porches and picnic table in clay colors with
wild black zigzags like old pottery... doing less and enjoying it more.
Making pots on sunny afternoons and helping coach t-ball at the Y on
cool spring evenings... Planting flowers because I'm trying to get over
my work-ethic, practical-thinking, productivity-per-square-foot approach
to life. More yoga, less list-chasing. Today I spent an entire day
making hot sour soup with all kinds of mysteries from the dusty, funky
asian market ... dried wood ear mushrooms and tiger lily buds... well
worth the effort.
Still around, still reading clayart...
Kelly in Ohio
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Dannon Rhudy on sat 1 jun 02
>
.......>Looking forward to .... Tennessee in July... it's my
>annual time off from my 24/7, homeschooling mother of 3 job. The most
>blissful part is the lack of interruption! What luxury to be able to
>focus on mastery of the craft for a solid week, .......
You could not be more right, Kelly. A week (or weeks) of being
able to focus just on what you're trying to learn - or teach, for
that matter - without interruptions is truly a luxury. Progress
shifts to high gear, no one calls you to the telephone, you don't
have to worry about dinner, meetings, ANYthing. Magical.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
>I'd be happy to chat more about ACC -- primalmommy@ivillage.com
>
>Meanwhile I'm busy doing the stuff I love best, ignoring the rest.
>Working on a homeschool urban veggie garden, and planting my own as
>well... hosting my in-laws for 2 weeks (and my hostess smile is wearing
>thin)... painting my doors, porches and picnic table in clay colors with
>wild black zigzags like old pottery... doing less and enjoying it more.
>Making pots on sunny afternoons and helping coach t-ball at the Y on
>cool spring evenings... Planting flowers because I'm trying to get over
>my work-ethic, practical-thinking, productivity-per-square-foot approach
>to life. More yoga, less list-chasing. Today I spent an entire day
>making hot sour soup with all kinds of mysteries from the dusty, funky
>asian market ... dried wood ear mushrooms and tiger lily buds... well
>worth the effort.
>
>Still around, still reading clayart...
>Kelly in Ohio
>
>
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________________________
>Sign up for FREE iVillage newsletters .
>>From health and pregnancy to shopping and relationships, iVillage
>has the scoop on what matters most to you.
>
>___________________________________________________________________________
___
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
clennell on sun 2 jun 02
>
> Now I'm trying to make some not-too-dorky pots for the Clennel workshop
> with lugs for handles.
>
> Looking forward to meeting clayarters in Tennessee in July... it's my
> annual time off from my 24/7, homeschooling mother of 3 job. The most
> blissful part is the lack of interruption! What luxury to be able to
> focus on mastery of the craft for a solid week, surrounded by people on
> a similar mastery high, without having to stop for t-ball games, tying
> shoes, laundry, making meals, helping with math problems, on and on...
> parent potters do an intricate dance. I loved Kevin Crowe's comments in
> the last CM: making 1500 pots takes him 5 months "when the moon is right
> and it's not soccer season"...
>
> I'd be happy to chat more about ACC -- primalmommy@ivillage.com
>
>
> Still around, still reading clayart...
> Kelly in Ohio
>
> DearKelly: glad you mentioned it. Sheila is planning on doing a morning
worshop on making cane handles and additions. Perhaps the ACC will send
floks a rememder to bring a glazed teapot, basket or someting to workon.
You could always put a cane handle on your bisque- only if you have great
control over your firings. Won't want to burn it off.
Looking forward to warping your mind. You sound like you live an altogether
too healthy life.
Cheers,
Tony
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________________________
> Sign up for FREE iVillage newsletters .
>> From health and pregnancy to shopping and relationships, iVillage
> has the scoop on what matters most to you.
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
Tony and Sheila Clennell
Sour Cherry Pottery
4545 King Street
Beamsville, Ontario
CANADA L0R 1B1
http://www.sourcherrypottery.com
clennell@vaxxine.com
Joyce Donahue on tue 4 jun 02
HeyKelly in Ohio,
Good to see your entry back on clayart, missed you at the last potter's
guild meeting. I take it your husband is well and there was no sequela
following his spell during your workshop. My life happenings seem to be
paralleling (stumble quickly over that word!)yours, minus those little
ones; Brendon's only here one night/two days a week..... In between
gardening however I'm painting, washing walls, wallpapering, redesigning my
computer room, throwing a few pots, running bisque and raku kilns,
listening to meditation tapes and falling rapidly into deep slumber
everynight.
Am going to Arrowmont in August for that week and also in October for a
long week-end.....Brian is going in October also - there is a John Jordan
workshop on wood turning and Brian's always wanted to study under
him......Linda Arbuckle is the Clay person that week........Like I said it
was good to see your name on the list again......Happy Potting. Joyce
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