Workshops & Special Events
NOTICE
Due to COVID-19 Social Distancing Mandates possibly continuing into fall,
there is a chance that some of these events will be postponed or canceled.
Please check back here for updates or call the studio for more information.
Raku Firings
Each Spring and Fall, Rising Sun Pottery hosts a Saturday raku firing. All students and area potters are invited. Everyone brings pots and if there are enough potters attending, we have a pot luck lunch with Rising Sun providing the burgers and drinks. Otherwise, we "pizza" in! Fun is had by all as we make a day of raku, good food, and socializing. Our Spring Raku Saturday will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2020, and the Fall Raku Saturday is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2020. Both events start at 11 AM. Everyone is invited, so start making pots now for a day of fun, fire and smoke.
Hand-Building
Our hand-building classes are always a great success with the classes full of eager and enthusiastic potters. Those who attend always come away satisfied with the knowledge learned and the pots made. We have plans for
a hand building class in 2020 but have not
settled on a date yet. Check back here in later
for more details. Classes are small and will be
held on a Saturday. Course fee includes lunch,
snacks and drinks..
Wildacres Retreat Conference Center Workshops
The July 4th week pottery retreat is held at Wildacres Retreat Conference Center, located in Little Switzerland, NC, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. This workshop is a pottery retreat for
learning and socializing with other potters and making great pots. The studio is open 24 hours
Rising Sun provides a guest pottery instructor, and workshop leader Gary Lee is available to work with anyone who may want additional instruction. Gas cone 10, sagger and raku firings are available during the week. The workshop fee includes meals, lodging, firing fees, and instruction fees. The 2019 retreat was a great success with Sylvia Coppola of Duck Creek Pottery, Indian Trail, NC, as our guest instructor. There were cone 10 gas firings and several days of raku, sagger and horsehair firings. The workshop results were beautiful, presenter Sylvia Coppola wonderful, the margaritas cold, the weather was great and the location was out of this world!
For 2020, our 23rd Annual Summer "it was a dark and stormy night pottery guild" workshop will be held Sunday June 28 through Saturday, July 4, 2020. Cost is $480.00 and includes lodging, meals, and all fees. For 2020 our guest instructor will be an encore presentation by Sylvia Coppola. Call or e-mail for space availability.
The September workshop is a true retreat for potters who are looking for a week away from the everyday distractions at home. Gary offers instruction to improve on any techniques you may have problems with and for you to learn new methods in throwing. Or, if you are just looking for a workshop to "throw your life away" for a week in the beautiful setting of the North Carolina mountains, this is your chance. There will be gas cone 10 and raku and firings available during the week along with instruction on how to fire these kilns.
Our 2020 9th Annual Fall meeting of the "it was a dark & stormy night pottery guild" will be held Monday, August 24 through Sunday, August 30, 2020. Cost is $465.00 which includes meals, lodging, firing fees and instruction. Call or e-mail for space availability. This workshop is limited to 14 attendees.
Rising Sun Pottery also helps organize potters who wish to attend the Wildacres Retreat Conference Center annual Spring and Fall Artist Gatherings. In addition, Gary manages the studio during this week, so if you need help with anything, it is available. There are cone 10 gas firings, sagger, and Raku firing during the week. This event gives potters the experience of socializing with artists from other media fields: painters, jewelry makers, nature printers, and writers to name a few. The 2020 Spring Artist Gathering at Wildacres Retreat and the Fall Artist Gathering dates have not been announced yet. Go to Wildacres.org for 2020 event dates, application schedules, payment deadlines and costs, which include lodging (double occupancy), meals, gratuities, firing fees and other mountaintop activities during the week. Please do not send checks before application windows opens. All artists of any medium are welcome. Space is limited in the Pottery studio.
a day during your stay. Get tired of making pots? Take time to enjoy the Wildacres experience by taking advantage of the many quiet places to read or take in the fabulous views or enjoy one of the many hiking trails located on the property. Wildacres is on top of a mountain, so there is nothing to do except what you are there for. No TV, radio, newspapers and sparse cell phone coverage minimize distractions. If you wish, take a half-day "road trip" to a local pottery studio or visit Penland Craft School, which is only 30 minutes away.
Make "BIG" pots
Every few years we have a "BIG" pots workshop, a two-day challenge to
make big pots from thrown sections. Check back for the date and time for
the next "BIG" pots workshop.
Spring Mug Sale - Mugathon
For those of you who are not aware, we have temporary postponed our
annual Mug for Mutts and Cups for Cats Benefit indefinitely. However, we
will be continuing our support of the Humane Society of Lincoln County
by making a yearly donation equal to what we raised in 2018 at our 21st
Annual event. Hopefully we will be able to restart this event in the coming years.
Thank you for your support over the years. The Cats and Dogs very much appreciated
your support.
Fall Empty Bowl Soup Benefit
The 23rd Annual Empty Bowl benefit for Hospice Palliative Care of Lincoln County will
be held Tuesday, October 13, 2020 at 5 p.m. Our 22nd Annual Benefit held in October
2019 was an overwhelming success. We sold out of 337 bowls and took prepaid orders
for 30 more bowls! What a great outpouring of support from our community for Hospice in Lincoln County. The bowls are made by RSP students and instructors. Rising Sun volunteers make the wonderful Veggie Beef soup in-house and Monica Pendleton of Crouse, NC makes and donates the Potato soup. Thanks to the RSP students and Hospice volunteers who donate the delicious desserts and hours of their time. 75% of the gross proceeds benefit Hospice Palliative Care of Lincoln County.
209 South Academy Street Lincolnton, North Carolina 28092
©2020 Rising Sun Pottery. All rights reserved.
