Cynthia Bringle
North Carolina

Stoneware, Gas-fired
Functional
9"w x 5.5"d x 7.5"h

Artist Statement
Making work has been my life and joy for over 50 years. I suspect there will never come a day when I'm not fascinated by how each piece takes shape. There's simply no detail about the process, whether trimming, altering, or glazing, that I don't enjoy. The same holds for the excitement I feel opening the gas or wood kiln after a firing. When a kiln comes out, I look to figure out what will come next. Each pot is a one-off, be it a vase or mug. My pleasure is in the making, and I hope yours is in the use.

About Cynthia
The arts have been calling me since I was a child growing up in Memphis, TN. I took my first painting class as a teenager and could have made my first sale at age 14. I turned it down because I wanted to keep it.
Certain I was destined to be a painter, I enrolled in the Memphis Academy of Art. However, a required class in clay and a chance to throw at the kickwheel caused me to reconsider. The following year, after a few more classes, everyone knew if you wanted to find me, the clay studio was where I'd be.
After graduating with my BFA from the Memphis Academy, I moved to New York to earn my Master's in Art from Alfred University.
After several summers teaching at the Penland School of Craft, I realized the North Carolina mountains were calling me. Although only a few studios existed at the time, I had a sense it would become a community of artists. I have been living in the Penland Community since 1970.
I know I am privileged to live in this magical place where I am constantly inspired by nature's wonders and so many amazing potters who live nearby or take classes here. The years have passed quickly, but the one thing that never changes or diminishes is my joy of transforming an ordinary lump of clay into beautiful, functional objects that enrich my customers' everyday experiences.

*Teapots that are sold must remain on display in the gallery as part of the exhibit until the show closes on September 10, 2020.  After the show closes, teapots will be carefully packed and shipped by September 26 or available for pick-up at the gallery.