Sayre And Schulman At The Gregg

Earthcasts, Ceramics and More

Thomas Sayre

Raleigh-based artist Thomas Sayre, co-founder of the multi-disciplinary design firm Clearscapes, is probably best known to locals for the Gyre, the monumental earthcast rings he created at the NC Museum of Art. Although internationally commissioned, Sayre is also the mastermind behind other Raleigh creations. His local works include the Shimmer Wall at the Raleigh Convention Center, the illuminated World Wall at Marbles Kids Museum, and the Pas de Chat outside the Progress Center for the Performing Arts on Lichtin Plaza. Beginning January 22nd at the NCSU Gregg Museum of Art & Design, Sayre will exhibit two new bodies of work. A group of site-specific earth casts made from tree spades will be shown alongside large tree “paintings” that were made by arc welding over carbon, pastels, and iron oxide on pre-laminated fiberboard panels. In addition to the above photos, check out the videos under the process tab on Sayre’s website.

Thomas Sayre: New Work
January 22nd- May 10, 2009
Opening reception January 22, 2009 from 6-8pm
Sayre will speak at the Gregg for the Artists & Objects lecture series on Thursday, February 5, 2009 at 7pm

Norm Schulman

Norm Schulman: A Life in Clay will open concurrently with the Sayre exhibit. Schulman, who resides in Penland, NC, has been a ceramic artist for over 50 years, as well as a teacher and mentor for a host of ceramic artists. Schulman is widely collected, known for his broad scope of contemporary ceramics and creations that range from double-walled vessels to sculptural “three-dimensional paintings.” Schulman’s technical savvy is seamlessly interwoven with profound creativity and artistic experimentation. His life and work are commemorated in this exhibit, featuring over 40 works that span 1962 through 2005. Schulman was recently quoted, “I wanted to start all over again and get back to the essence. I’ve been working [with clay] for 50 years, and I’ve been constantly changing and developing, making one series after another. But I’ve always wanted to do what I’m doing right now…taking care of my own creative needs.”

Norm Schulman: A Life in Clay
January 22 – March 29, 2009
Opening reception January 22, 2009 from 6-8pm
Schulman will speak at the Gregg for the Artists & Objects lecture series on Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 7pm
The exhibition, catalog and tour of the exhibition are made possible by the generous support of the Windgate Charitable Foundation. Additional support is provided by Highwater Clays, Inc. and Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts. The catalog of the exhibition will be available at the Museum front desk. This exhibition was organized by the Asheville Art Museum and Curated by Frank Thomson.

Director Dr. Charlotte Vestal Brown Retires

It should be noted that these two spectacular exhibitions mark a special occasion. Effective March 1, 2009, Charlotte Vestal Brown will conclude her 26 years as Director of the Gregg Museum of Art & Design. I had the privilege to work with Charlotte as an intern, an employee, and as a photographer for her most recent book, The Remarkable Potters Of Seagrove: The Folk Pottery of a Legendary North Carolina Community. I am indebted to Charlotte for her professionalism as well as her friendship, for the knowledge she shared and the collection she built, and for the encouragement she offered me as an artist. We at New Raleigh wish to extend our congratulations and best wishes. For more on the Charlotte’s legacy, see her farewell note.

Sayre images courtesy of Matt Gay
Schulman images courtesy of the Asheville Art Museum

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Design Norm Schulman Thomas Sayer Charlotte Brown

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