CHARLOTTE — Regional art organizations are teaming up to host more than 30 potters from Western North Carolina on Saturday to showcase and sell their work.
The WNC Hurricane Relief Potters Market will be held Saturday, December 14 at the Park Expo Center in Charlotte from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event is being organized by The Mint Museum, Spruce Pine Potters Market, NC Pottery Center, Odyssey Clayworks, Potters of Madison County and Toe River Arts District. All of the potters are from areas impacted by Hurricane Helene and have suffered damage to their homes or studios or have lost income due to the cancellation of shows and events.
One of the potters participating in the event is Jenny Lou Sherburne, who’s from Bakersville. The Mitchell County town was hit hard by Helene.
“We lost our main road in for a while. We were without power and electricity,” she said. “It would be wonderful if folks came out. It’s just a beautiful show that’s really high quality.”
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Another potter participating is Jason Rojas, who says he lost thousands of dollars worth of pottery in the floodwaters.
But Rojas says he was blown away when he discovered two of his pieces in the mud, several blocks away from where they were being stored.
“It was so thrilling,” he said. “When I saw them, it was like, am I actually seeing this?”
The two pieces will be on display and for sale Saturday.
According to organizers, the event is an extension of two pottery shows: Spruce Pine Potters Market, which couldn’t happen this year due to Helene, and The Mint Museum’s Potters Market, an annual event.
The event is free to attend, you only have to pay for parking.
(VIDEO: Veterans group donates big rig truck to Hurricane Helene relief efforts)
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