January's presenter is Sylvia Coppola, a master craftsperson, and a skilled potter who has worked with clay since 1976. She earned her Bachelors in Fine Arts from Western Carolina.

Sylvia Coppola founded Duck Creek Pottery in 1989 in Union County. She teaches pottery classes and workshops: Duck Creek Pottery; Red Sky Studio, Rising Sun Pottery, Wild Acres Retreat, at her studio, and Mint Hill Arts.

Her work has evolved from round wheel thrown forms to thrown and altered work, which sometimes includes hand built pots. Teapots are one of her specialties. Her glazes produce warm, rich colors of plum, brown, tan, blue and greens.

  Coppola will demonstrate making "Pouring vessels". She will talk about  the whole process of centering the clay, pulling up the pot, shaping the form, putting parts together and finishing the piece.

This will be an exciting evening. We will get to hear and watch an experienced potter explain her craft, and spur our interest in the art of pottery making.  Connie Agard

 

• Judy Horne of Fast Frame Matthews Festival for sponsoring the January postcards. Check your postcard for a great offer-$40 off any frame purchase! Extra cards are available at the gallery
• Carpet to Go Harris Blvd.for donating carpet for artwork intake
  
• April McDermott for acting as intake captain for January. Tony Billotto, Melanie Boone Vicki Crossman, Carole Davis, Terry Edwards, Suzanne Ledermann, Helene Main, Brenda Roberts, and Mary Beth Thomas for manning intake
  
• Anthony Billotto, Melanie Boone, Larry Ferguson and Tami Henson hanging the show and rearranging the gift shop
  
• Phyllis Tarrant for acting as liason with Charlotte Quilter's Guild
• Tony Billotto for contributing the Exhibit write-up to this newsletter
  

• Tom Billotto for providing live music at the December Reception
  
• Soma Grill in Matthews Festival for donating delicious goodies for our December Reception
• Shirley Harris for planning and shopping for the December Reception, and Patti Duncan and Bill and Ann Litaker for set up and wine serving
• Christian Billotto and Rachel Spring for contributing appetizers and helping with serving and clean-up
• Christian Billotto for taking photos at the show
• Luis Ardila for hanging the offsite exhibits in December and Romie Mizell for coordinating
  
• Judy Mizell and Shirley Harris for generating the Winter/Spring class schedule and Carlos Alvarez Cotera for designing the new Education Brochure
  
• Connie Agard for contributing the speaker write-up to this newsletter