Nancy Jacobsohn:

Ceramic Artist and Sculptor

Nancy has been a Sculptural ceramic artist for 30 years, specializing in both human and animal forms. She has taught workshops regionally and nationally.

February 18-19, 2011

Friday and Saturday 9am-4pm

Location: Studio of Sarah Rolland

Located in Bethel 30 minutes west of Asheville NC

About Nancy

I don't know when the urge to create began.  It has always been there from earliest memory.  It started with painting and drawing, but once I discovered sculpture and particularly clay, over twenty years ago, I was totally obsessed.  There is a prose poem by Byrd Baylor that states, "Clay remembers the hands that made it."  I love the fact that you connect directly with the clay with your fingers and it responds like a living thing.  Although many images inspire me and I sculpt a variety of subjects, the image of the horse and women's stories are my passion.

In 1996, after many years as an educator, administrator and part-time artist, I made the commitment to devote all of my resources to sculpture.  I moved to join my new husband on a farm  in the Tennessee Mountains between Sparta and Monterey.  I took with me my horse, Rusty for inspiration.  I use the image of the horse in my sculpture to represent many things both subconscious and mythological.  The horse represents power and grace, but has historically also represented life's journey toward death.  My intention is not to create a "realistic" portrayal of a horse, but to explore the gesture, the moment, that special emotional connection that women seem to have for the horse.  Ancient Chinese and Etruscan images of the horse have strongly influences my stylized creations.

As a woman and an educator, I have been drawn to stories of women's lives. I have been fascinated by individual narratives that describe physical and emotional hardships endured.  Most of these women have not attained any particular prominence in the public world.  They are largely neighbors, friends or casual acquaintances, but they have poignant tales of experiences that have challenged their spirits and will to survive.  My goal is to capture something of their story and their spirit in my sculptural representations.

I use a variety of construction techniques.  My pieces are mainly coil built, but slab methods and solid modeling (with subsequent hollowing of the shape) are also employed.  I smoke-fire, raku, saggar-fire or glaze the sculpture depending on the desired finish.  I am especially drawn to smoke and saggar firing because of the added life the fire imparts to the image. No matter how excited I may be about a finished sculpture, there is always an overwhelming sense of anticipation about the next one to grow out of the clay.

From Sarah: Let’s have some fun! These winter weekend workshops have consistently been a great time to gather as artists to get inspired, encouraged and launched into a new season of creativity.. We will all glean from Nancy’s perspective, skill, experience and passion. We will also draw from each other as we spend time together. 

Registration:2 Day Workshop Fee       $125.00                    Capacity: 20 Artists

Check Payable to: Sarah Rolland Pottery       

Mail Check to: Sarah Rolland 324 Smokey Cove Rd Canton NC 28716

Email: sarah@rollandpottery.com Phone 828-648-0770       Hotels:  Comfort Inn, Canton NC            Waynesville Country Club, Waynesville NC