Hangin' with the cool kids

Last night Dan and I were invited for dinner at the home and studio of Fred Johnston and Carol Gentithes. More suffering for the sake of our art. Man, Carol and Fred are one talented duo. I was absolutely blown away with their work. Work you really wouldn't expect to find out here in the back country of NC.

There is a lot of politics in Carol's work that I like. Got my eyes on a Grumpy Frog of Donald Trump. There is a narrative in a lot of the work that needs explaining to ya. Fred can spin a story and keep embellishing each time ya hear it so that you think it is a new story. Carol's story is passive aggressive and shows up in the work.

Fred's work when I first saw it a few years ago I figured he had aboriginal roots. The narratives suggest it to me but with a contemporary flare. Beautiful strong forms with precise decoration. The display of the work makes you think you are in a museum. 

This morning I headed out to David Stuempfle's studio to fire the wood kiln and who would appear but NC pottery legend Cynthia Bringle. She is at Ben Owen's helping fire his anagama. Wanna be a cool kid hang out with the wood firers.  Cynthia brought her own bottle of bourbon Peg Legged Porker that is made by her nephew in Nashville who has a BBQ restaurant and makes bourbon. He lost his leg in high school and apparently is over weight hence Peg Legged Porker. The 12 year old bourbon is $100 a bottle so a wee nip for breakfast was rather precious.