The Stokes County Arts Council will host local artists Tony Farrar and David Kirkland in the Apple Gallery July 26 through August 22.
An opening reception will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 28, at the council, located at 500 N. Main Street, Danbury, N.C. The public is invited to attend the opening reception and meet the artists.
The exhibit and opening reception are free and open to the public.
Tony Farrar, the potter behind the wheel, currently is a Stokes County, N.C., and Hanging Rock community resident. His roots stem from Nelson County. He graduated from Ferrum College with a fine arts degree. Farrar is seasoned in the potter community, having studied with master potter Chip McKinney at Fingers Inc. in Roanoke, as well as mentored under the guidance of master potter Dave Gardner of North Carolina. Farrar also studied glaze calculations with Warren Moyer at the Sawtooth Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. and glaze formulations with John Britt.
“My work is solely an inspiration from nature. There is spirituality in taking clay or a piece of earth to make vessels and forms for usage – it’s a connection,” Farrar said. “Motivation to create is two-handed – one is guided with your mind and the other is (guided) with your heart. Molding clay into vessels is hard and physical work, however it is very rewarding. It teaches one patience and is an expression of free-form,” he said.
“Developing and making of one’s own glazes requires testing and adjustments to acquire a quality result. I like to focus on pleasing form and quality rather than quantity, and more on the factors that satisfy people who enjoy an intimate experience when using my wares,” Farrar said. “When one places their mouth on a mug, it must feel right to be able to enjoy the experience of holding the mug and drinking from it.”
TFara Pottery is currently featured at Rockfish Gap Country Store located at 8860 Rockfish Gap Turnpike in Afton. Check it out on Facebook or visit the website at https://www.tfarapottery.com for more information.
David Kirkland is a native of Stokes County and grew up in Walnut Cove, N.C. He is the youngest of five siblings, attended Stokes County schools and is a graduate of South Stokes High School. After high school Kirkland attended the Art Institute of Philadelphia where he studied graphic art and advertising. Following art school, he served as a graphic artist in a Winston-Salem marketing company where he designed for a range of companies and individual clients.
It was also during this time that he began coaching basketball at the high school level along with youth league and AAU travel teams. He continued coaching for 25 years, and was part of two state – and one national – championships. In 2004, he was selected to coach a 17U U.S. National Team that would play in World Youth games in Holland, Amsterdam.
During the late 1990s, Kirkland considered a career in education, and started his pursuit of a degree in elementary education (BS) at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Following his quest, he served in multiple roles in education, including teaching elementary school. He taught grades four and five in High Point and Greensboro over a span of 17 years.
After serving as a teacher and other leadership roles, Kirkland was recruited to become a North Carolina Principal Fellow, which prompted him to return to school to obtain a degree in school administration. He earned a Master in School Administration (MSA) degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After earning his MSA, he moved into school administration.
Kirkland continues to enjoy learning and setting goals. He will earn his Education Specialist (Ed.S) degree from Gardner-Webb University in July, along with securing a superintendent’s license from the state of North Carolina. In August, he will begin the journey of writing his dissertation as he moves closer to earning his Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.D) degree.
As Kirkland continues to enjoy serving and lifting others in education, he still finds some time to take on free-lance art jobs along the way. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and seeing the world.
Even though Kirkland’s art will be on display, he does not relish the spotlight. He feels honored by simply being asked to participate, and hopes those who see his art in August will discover that his love for art is broad and extends beyond literal meaning. Most of the pieces displayed are acrylic and watercolor mediums and contain texture and vibrant colors, which is symbolic of nature.
For more information, contact the Stokes County Arts Council at (336) 593-8159 or visit www.stokesarts.org.
