The Bay School is excited to welcome visitors back to the Art Speaks Gallery, starting Tuesday, May 19. The gallery will be open limited hours during Virginia’s Phase One of Re-opening, Tuesday – Friday, noon – 4pm, and Saturdays by appointment. Staff and visitor safety and comfort are the highest priority, so the gallery will be limited to ten guests at a time, and face masks will be mandatory for staff and visitors. A hand sanitization station will be at the front door. Guests are asked to please sanitize their hands upon entering the gallery, and to refrain from touching any artwork or objects. Staff will be happy to assist customers with items they are interested in purchasing. Guests are also asked to maintain appropriate social distancing between parties while in the gallery or on the patio. During Phase One, visitors will not be allowed to bring in food or drink and will not be allowed to use the Bay School’s restroom. The Bay School plans to maintain these hours and guidelines as long as Phase One lasts, but may adjust as needed. The school’s website, social media, and outgoing phone message will have the current open hours listed.
The spring gallery exhibition, Sculpture and Garden Art, has been extended to June 23. Viewing and purchasing will still be available online for those who are not yet ready to venture out. Curbside pick-up and free local delivery will continue to be options, along with shipping. The gallery will be hosting pop-up sales featuring gifts for graduates and Father’s Day over the next few weeks. Gib Pulley is the May featured Artist of the Month, and her watercolor paintings can be found in the gallery and online. Gib will be in the gallery Tuesday morning, May 19 at 11:00 to record a live Facebook talk about her work.
We asked our teachers what they have been doing during the quarantine
Nan was set to attend a show in Richmond in March that was to coincide with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). Not long after she was finished setting up the conference was cancelled and the gallery was closed.
From Nan: I have been selling a few pots to people who saw photos of that show and wrote to ask about buying them. It's been great! A real relief, given that my normal outlets for selling have shut. If anyone is interested, I am happy to send snapshots, dimensions and prices of the pots here.
For more info on Nan you can visit http://www.nanrothwellpottery.com. You will find resource information and links to several short demos.
Check out Nan's online store https://nan-rothwell-pottery.square.site/ During May Nan will be contributing 30% of online sales to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank https://www.brafb.org/
Nan is also teaching online. Her courses can be seen here https://www.teachinart.com/take-your-throwing-to-the-next-level.html
You can also find Nan on Facebook facebook.com/NanRothwellPottery/
Nan's preferred email contact is nan@nanrothwellpottery.com
We asked our teachers what they have been doing during the quarantine
Just Another Ordinary Day: Kathleen Noffsinger
As I try to inspire my creative self while self-isolating during Covid-19, I remind myself that I now have lots of time to paint! So why is my time spent doing other things? Well it’s because I cannot seem to actually open my palette. Instead, I am “organizing” my studio, planting my garden with flowers to photograph and paint and forgiving myself when I do nothing at all. I have read 4 novels and revisited all of my gardening books and favorite online gardening websites. Thankfully, I can keep up with my weekly watercolor class through our new private Facebook page! Yes, I give them lessons and homework and they call it Noffsinger University! I look forward to actually seeing my students in person and teaching classes and workshops again … I miss my artist friends!
I am spending lovely afternoons on our dock with my husband, Tom, feeding our freshwater fish, our pair of Canada geese (Clyde and Penelope who are expecting their goslings to hatch any day) and enjoying the antics of our resident Great Blue Heron, whom we have just named Willie Nelson to make life in isolation more fun. Willie enjoys the pleasures of fishing as much as Tom does! With my camera in hand I photograph Willie as he gives me new compositional ideas for my Heron paintings!
On my easel and my newest work-in-progress is “Just Another Ordinary Day”, 24” x 24”, Oil and Cold Wax Medium - A huge butterfly on an osprey nest! I hope to finish it by the end of April. And I am excited to share the news that my new oil painting “Flamingo Party” has been juried into the Art Speaks 2020 show coming soon to the Bay School gallery.
I will be posting updates on classes, shows, new paintings and prints on my website at www.kathleennoffsinger.com and I invite you to visit and leave a comment on the contact page. If you are in the market for a new painting or commissioned artwork, I would be happy to talk with you about your ideas! And no matter how you are spending your isolation, I hope you stay healthy and have as much fun as possible! Here’s to a very happy and joyful Spring!
Use this link https://bayschoolarts.asapconnected.com/StaffDetails.aspx?pk=70075 to check out the great classes Kathleen will be offering at the Bay School.
Use this link https://www.bayschool-arts.com/collections/kathleen-noffsinger to see the artwork Kathleen has in our galery.
We asked our teachers what they have been doing during the quarantine
Before the corona virus pandemic, I was working as a full-time Art Teacher for Suffolk Public Schools, and had several Silver and Copper classes on my calendar from March through December. Now the Public Schools are closed, metal clay classes are cancelled through May (and probably will be for June too)…sigh. I miss my elementary school students and the enjoyment of teaching metal clay classes. I tearfully took all my bags of metal clay supplies, and several kilns to my backyard studio for storage. Will just have to wait this out. I will be so happy to return to the Bay School when this is all over.
What I am doing now: I am still employed, and spend my days checking emails and answering questions that come up through the school system. I have a Google Classroom for Art and I post lessons, You Tube videos and Kahoot activities to my students who have access to a computer. I’m on my fourth week of this and it’s no fun.
What I am Working on Now:
In January of this year (pre-pandemic) I was fortunate to take a silver clay class with Master Artist Lora Hart. That was a real treat. The challenge was to construct a hollow form inspired by ancient amphorae. Think of the shape of a Greek urn…only jewelry sized…
The technique was very challenging. I built my form over a solid base, cut it off of the base in two pieces, and put it back together. That alone was a true challenge. Once I did all of that, I faced another challenge to design/ decorate it, build a lid, and design a way to make it wearable. Not sure if this will be a wearable piece, or a fancy vessel…. It is not finished…Ideas?
Cindy is offering some great classes at the Bay School! Use this link to see what she has on our calendar through the end of the year. https://bayschoolarts.asapconnected.com/StaffDetails.aspx?pk=70078
See some of Cindy's beautiful work in our gallery with this linkhttps://www.bayschool-arts.com/collections/precious-metal-clay-jewelry-by-cynthia-quesenberry
Our first gallery exhibition of the year is a solo show featuring the sculptural work of Patrick Andrews. Patrick's sculptures consist of as many repurposed objects as possible and his award-winning metal work ranges from the whimsical to functional. He uses patinas and cut shapes to explore surface, scale and space in a way that alters his materials into works of poetic beauty.
Gallery Coordinator, Saraya Cheney, had the opportunity to ask Patrick a few questions to gain a bit of insight into his creative inspirations and his origins as an artist:
SC - How would you describe your work to someone who has never seen it?
PA - I use scrap metal, found objects and raw material to make sculptures, lamps, bells and functional art. By using reclaimed or re-purposed materials I can give these items a second chance at life and help to reduce the amount of material destined for landfills.
SC - Where do you say that you get your inspiration from? Does it come from one particular place or multiple places?
PA - I am frequently inspired by nature and other artists. In nature, the organisms or residents will frequently adapt to the environment in which they find themselves. This adaptability can result in entirely new species or behaviors. Some of the most vibrant colors and shapes I have seen have been in nature. Even after a natural disaster such as an earthquake or forest fire, nature is able to re-assert itself in newer and stronger ways. The skills and techniques of other artists have inspired me to look at what I make or do and realize I need to evolve as well. That is one reason I am frequently changing what I am making. In order to learn and grow.
SC - What or who do you think has been the biggest influence in your artistic career?
PA - While I visited the usual museums and an occasional gallery growing up, I think the Internet has become one of the biggest influences on my artistic endeavors. The Internet has allowed me to see art and artists from around the world. I have been able to see styles, colors, and techniques that I never knew existed. I have even used it to contact some artists for advice. The Internet has also allowed me to show my work to the world and I have been fortunate to find that others like what I make.
SC - What’s something you’ve struggled with creatively the most?
PA - Color choices, combinations, or finish is frequently a challenge for me. I have found that while I can see in my mind the idea of what I want to make, the color or finish can have a dramatic impact on the final product. There are some pieces I have made where, as soon as I was finished, I knew it was a success and other times when I look at something and realize it just doesn’t work. Sometimes it is that the paint did not adhere correctly or had drips or runs, or other times that the color selection was just plain wrong. I had one bell that I ended up having to repaint four times before I was happy with it.
SC - Have you always been making work from salvaged items or is this something that is relatively new? What does it mean to you to be able to take something, alter it and create something entirely new?
PA - I remember being in grade school or middle school and walking along railroad tracks, out in the woods, or on the beach. I would come across pieces of metal, interesting looking rocks, sticks or seashells and drag them home. In my mind they always became something else. As an adult I have been able to purchase tools and equipment to bring those ideas to life. I also tried to instill that idea in my children. I still have containers of Popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, crayons, and colored pencils my children used in school and have been known to raid those boxes for current projects.
SC - What prompted your work to head in that direction?
PA - One of the most important things I learned is to not look at an item as what it is, but what it can become. I apply that same philosophy to people and try to look for the hidden potential of what they can become. While I think I have been somewhat artistic my whole life, I have found that I now have the time and means to bring that to life.
SC - What is your favorite piece that you have created?
PA - It would be a dogwood branch sculpture I made for my house. I was on a portion of Virginia Beach one fall day about eight years ago and I found a large pile of metal rebar. The waves had twisted the pieces together like a plate of spaghetti. In addition, the salt water and sand had eroded portions of the metal so that instead of its usual look, it now looked very textured and organic. I had no idea what I was going to make with this, but I knew I had to have it. That rebar sat in my back yard until the following spring when the dogwood trees started to bloom. I now knew what the rebar was to become.
SC - Do you ever get blocked creatively? How do you work through it if you do?
PA - To borrow a quote from William Faulkner – “I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately I am inspired at 9 o'clock every morning.”
While I have had times when I question what I am doing and if it is worth it, I consider myself lucky in many respects. I have stacks of paper with sketches or ideas for various projects. When I find that I am tired of a particular style or item, I will frequently change the type of material I am using or the style of work I am attempting. This allows me time to take a break and regroup. I have also found that if I need inspiration, I can also just start cleaning up my pile of scrap metal. Moving those pieces of metal around is akin to re-arranging the letters in your rack in the game of Scrabble, in that, sometimes a piece just jumps right out at you.
I also recently read an article where another artist offered advice along these lines. “Make what you need to make in order to pay the bills. Occasionally, make what you want to make and that is fun for you. Soon you find that this last group of items is what pays the bills.” I interpreted that as meaning that the audience can see when an artist is making something from the heart.
Patrick's solo show ALTERED: Exploring the Artwork of Patrick Andrews opens on Friday, January 26th with a reception from 5-7pm. Refreshments and drinks will be served.
Bobbie Skerrett has been involved with the Bay School for the past 3 years. Her next class, Clay Relief Tiles, is on Thursdays, March 23 & 30 6pm - 9pm.
Bobbie attended the University of Colorado from 1969 to 1971. After that she spent time at the Feminist Studio Workshop in Los Angeles, CA. She also taken classes at the Penland School of Crafts in Pendland, NC. From 1998 - 2002 Bobbie sold her work at the oldest farmers market in the country in Olde Town Alexandria. Bobbie is currently a member of the Pottery Studio at the Bay School.
A few questions to Bobbie:
What made you start teaching?
I started teaching wheel throwing because I wanted the students to see how fun it was to move the clay.
What do you get out of teaching?
There's an expression that takes place in the class room when people catch on to what they are being told and run with it. It is inspiring to watch students discover something new and find a connection.
Tell me something people would be surprised to find out about you.
Something people would probably be shocked to learn about me is that I do feminist art.
Rita Cutler has been teaching classes at the Bay School since 2002. Her next class, Beginner Rug Hooking , is on Saturday, Feb 11 10am - 3pm. Register early to secure your spot!
Rita has revived the art of primitive and homespun rug hooking. She is the owner of the Primitively Hooked Studio in Mathews County. Rita combines traditional and new motifs with unique and striking color schemes.
A few questions to Rita:
What made you start teaching?
I love working with my hands and I love color and texture. Therefore the art of rug hooking has always appealed to me. I searched for someone who could teach me this old craft/art for many years while living in Va. Beach and continued the search when we moved to Mathews 20 years ago. Finally my persistence paid off and I have been hooking now for 18 or so years. When Wendy Wells approached me about teaching hooking at the Bay School I immediately said yes! I felt it was a small step in saving this beautiful old craft.
What do you get out of teaching?
I love teaching because again it helps to carry on the craft and I love seeing what my students will create. Each piece is always unique and I love seeing each persons take on it. At the end of the day I love walking away knowing that there are a group of new hookers out there!
Doris Hackworth has been teaching pottery classes at the Bay School since 2014. Her next class, Beginner Wheel Throwing, is on Saturday, Jan 28; Feb 4, 11, & 18 from 1pm - 4pm. Register early to secure your spot!
Doris Hackworth discovered the joy of wheel thrown pottery in 1981 through community college ceramics classes in CA. Nearly 30 years later in 2009, she took to the wheel again and has been taking classes ever since at the Bay School, the Visual Arts Center in Richmond, Nan Rothwell Pottery in Charlottesville, The Cultural Arts Center in Glen Allen, and the John C. Campbell Folk Art School in NC. Doris’ emphasis is on form and function. She loves making pots that have a job.
A few questions to Doris:
What made you start teaching?
I have always been a teacher in my heart.
What do you get out of teaching?
I take huge satisfaction in promoting the joy of handmade pottery and being a part of adults finding a creative outlet they enjoy.
Tell me something people would be surprised to find out about you.
You might be surprised to know that I taught community college biology for a while and also worked for a language school teaching English to German speakers.
Shop Local is a monthly event held at The Bay School every third Thursday of the month. This month, we're proud to be featuring Mathews' very own, Rebecca Grow and her beautiful, functional 3D watercolors.
Rebecca first discovered her love of watercolors two years ago in a class taught by Kathleen Noffsinger, right here at The Bay School. Since then, she's developed a unique way of displaying her watercolors in a 3D format. Come stop by The Bay School this Thursday, July 21st, to get to know Rebecca and experience her process first hand. Rebecca has also graciously offered a 10% discount on all of her work on that day only. What a wonderful opportunity to encourage and support our local artists!
For more information on Rebecca, you can visit her website: rebeccagrow.com and be sure to keep an eye out for an article featuring Rebecca in the August edition of Chesapeake Style Magazine.
This week the Bay School has come alive with the amazing creativity of kids and teens from our local communities. Our Free Weeks of Art are in full swing and the attendees have been diving right in, exploring the world of myth & legend! Mermaids, dragons, Medusa masks and loads of Pandora’s Boxes line the shelves of the classrooms, adding splashes of color and touches of whimsy to the atmosphere. All of the work created in our Free Week of Art is eligible to be displayed in our Kids Art Show coming up in August, from the 12th-20th. Any kids or teens who wish to have their work in the gallery during that time can either leave their work at The Bay School or bring their work in from August 4th-6th. Along with works from the Free Weeks of Art, we are encouraging those who currently attend, or who have attended, any of our Outreach Programs to participate, as well any children who have taken a class at the Bay School in the last year. The show is one of The Bay School’s proudest moments as we celebrate the imaginations of our community’s budding artists.
Joining in on the creativity this week is the Virginia Cooperative Extension Mathews 4-H Program. Gallery and Outreach Coordinator, Saraya Cheney, has been joined by 30 Cloverbud Campers who are all incredibly excited to create works of art based on the theme of “water”. The campers have enjoyed learning about watercolors, making sea creature windsocks, exploring the deep with submarine silhouettes and creating ocean themed sculptures from clay.
Though these past few weeks have been packed with activity within The Bay School walls, plenty of art has been taking place in other locations around Mathews and Gloucester. Many of our Outreach Programs are still inspiring members of the community with Bay School Teaching Artists visiting the Mathews Active Lifestyles Center, Riverside Convalescent Center in Mathews, The Mathews Boys and Girls Club, The Brambles Day Support Center and The Laurel Shelter. Each of these programs provide an artistic respite from the summer heat and a way to connect with the creativity within so many members of the local community.
