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Sam Feldstein
Mary Wyker, private tutor and 28 year old resident of Chapel Hill, works on soldering an enro or Japanese male purse in a metalsmithing course taught by product designer Mary Ann Scherr in the Crafts Center Tuesday. "I started taking pottery at the Crafts Center. Later I saw Mary Ann teaching jewelry and I thought 'I have to try that.' I've taken 7 classes with Mary Ann and Sissy [Marshall] and loved every one" Wyker said. According to Scherr, the basic metalsmithing course is 6 weeks long and consists of learning about etching, applique and metal construction. "I enjoy teaching because I learn so much from my students" Scherr said.
The Crafts Center is hosting “The Marsh: Reflections on a Place,” a new exhibition of woven art by NC State alumna Mary Kircher.
The exhibition, running now through Nov. 8, showcases colorful pieces inspired by the salt marshes along the North Carolina Coast.
“We are definitely looking for [artists] that people cannot just appreciate the beauty of their pieces, but who also look at where they can go with [the skills] they are learning here and where they can take their art,” said Jo Ellen Westmoreland, assistant director of the Crafts Center.
Kircher, who graduated from NC State in 2011 with a master’s in art and design, used techniques such as shibori, ikat, double weave and tapestry to create scenes of salt marshes.
Beginning with white yarn, Kircher dyes and then weaves her yarn using a loom. She also uses a basket-weaving technique called coiling. Her techniques allow for texture and movement to be captured in her pieces.
Kircher’s exhibition progresses from calm landscapes to bright works — capturing the motion of the water and wind. Kircher’s abstract work creates opportunities for each person to experience something different.
Kircher’s technique allows for the pieces to have emotion and presence, said Alondra Garcia, a senior studying environmental design in architecture.
“There are some folds that come out of [Flow],” Garcia said. “It blends seamlessly once it hits the canvas; it looks like they are waves coming out of it, which is really, really cool and pretty
hard to do I imagine. It is very nice to look at; it’s really calming.”
The Crafts Center always tries to incorporate and support local artists and graduates. The center also looks for artists who are masters at their craft, according to Westmoreland.
The Crafts Center feels Kircher showcases the best of both her artistic ability and her craftsmanship.
“Creativity is an important part of someone’s lifestyle,” Westmoreland said. “It serves as an outlet as well as an in- spiration being an artist or creating artwork.”
Kircher’s work is also currently on display at the Roundabout Art Collective and at the Artspace Upfront Gallery in Raleigh.
The Crafts Center is holding a reception for Kircher’s exhibit Oct. 29 from 5:30 until 7:30 pm.