Author and Potter To Speak at Craftsman Farms Banquet

It will be an evening to remember for years to come.

The annual Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference kick-off party sponsored by the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms on Thursday, February 16, will feature noted North Carolina potter, historian and author Rodney Leftwich speaking about the art pottery tradition in Western North Carolina.

The evening of casual fun and entertainment will take place in the Homespun Shops of Biltmore Industries (see article on Home Page), just steps from historic Grove Park Inn, site of the 25th National Arts & Crafts Conference from Friday, February 17 through the following Sunday.

The evening will begin with local Asheville beers and wine during cocktail hour in the Estes-Winn Memorial Automobile Museum (open just for us!), before the first of two dinner seatings in an adjacent 1917 Arts & Crafts building. The North Carolina, bluegrass string-band Country Farm is sure to liven things up even more with toe-tapping performances throughout the evening.

We’ll cap off this enjoyable evening with a fascinating presentation by our featured speaker, well-known author, historian and art potter Rodney Leftwich. A native of Western North Carolina, Rodney Leftwich is a full-time potter, deeply inspired by the history of North Carolina pottery. He exhibits his work at Arts & Crafts Conference each year, has written numerous articles and essays on art pottery, and has personally researched and collected works by the region’s early potters. His talk, The Pottery Tradition of Western North Carolina, will cover a range of topics including the utilitarian origins of art pottery in the Asheville area, and the works of Walter B. Stephen and others.

Each all-inclusive party ticket includes: museum and gallery visit, cocktails, live music, pottery lecture by Rodney Leftwich, dinner and dessert. Tickets for this fund raiser are $140 each. Seating is limited and advance reservations are required. Please use this link for additional information and to make reservations.

http://www.stickleymuseum.org/blog/