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Metal artists Mary Beth Planck visits the PAL Gallery.

Mary Beth Planck’s garfish earrings.

Pocosin Art School of Fine Crafts.

Metal artists Mary Beth Planck visits the PAL Gallery.

Mary Beth Planck’s garfish earrings.

Pocosin Art School of Fine Crafts.

Tucked away on the banks of the Scuppernong River, at the end of Main Street in Columbia, The Pocosin Arts School of Fine Crafts has been attracting students, teachers, tourists and art enthusiasts from surrounding communities and distant shores since its inception in 1995.

The tiny gem has a shining reputation as a catalyst for collaboration between instructors and students whose work may one day hang in galleries and shops across the globe.

It was Feather Phillips, who saw the need for the school as a way to bring the talents of the community and the diversity of its residents together. An Art and English teacher, Phillips and her family relocated to the area in 1987 filling their need for a place with “clean water” in support of her husband’s boat building.

The artist soon realized the talents of the residents as she watched locals craft art from piles of wood, heaps of metal and scraps of fabrics. Her goal was to bring those creations to the public as a way of introducing the various cultures of the community to each other.

Her quest to showcase and develop local talent continues to this day and has blossomed into a jewel in the world of folk art.

Offering something for everyone, whether novice or professional, the school has a variety of community classes for adults and youth in a variety of media. Community classes are led by Pocosin Arts’ resident artists and local area artists.

However, the institute’s expansion, largely due to its art world reputation and online classes and workshops, has spread worldwide. Instructors include such notable artists as Metalsmith Lola Brooks, Ceramicist Bede Clarke and Woodworker Christina Boy.

Keeping with its tradition of making art out of something, local metal artists were challenged to, “Find something, anything, on the beach and make earrings with it.”

That’s exactly what Edenton resident and artist Marybeth Planck did.

“The challenge was to make earrings out of anything on the beach. I found these wonderful Garfish upper and lower jaw bones and I went to work on them,” she said. “Before I began the project I heard crunch, crunch, crunch and my dog had eaten the upper jawbones. I took the lower jaw bones and used them and it worked out perfectly.”

The jawbone earrings are highlighted by a metal backdrop of waterfall copper which Planck designed and created as a Pocosin Arts Metal Guild student.

The challenge “Treasures Reclaimed: Earring Challenge” is on tour and currently showing at the Perquimans Art League Gallery in Hertford.

While the school has gained national recognition highlighting it’s programs and acclaimed instructors, it has not abandoned its roots in the community.

Pocosin Arts’ Summer Art Camp offers youth the opportunity to experience the world of art through fun, interactive programs in week-long sessions for students ages 6 and up. Camps for younger students will take place in the afternoon (1pm to 4pm), while camps for older students will take place in the morning (9 a.m. to noon).

For more information on summer camps and workshops, visit pocosinarts.org/summerartcamp.

John Foley can be reached via email at chowannews@ncweeklies.com.

Thadd White can be reached via email at twhite@apgenc.com.

www.ChowanHerald.com 423 S Broad St Edenton, NC 27932 Main Phone: 252-482-4418 Customer Care Phone: 252-329-9505

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