Bulldog Pottery
Draw + Decal

Bruce Gholson and Samantha Henneke Artist Biography

BRUCE GHOLSON

Born in 1953 in Evansville, Indiana, Bruce Gholson moved as a young child to Stillwater, Oklahoma where his father was a professor of Biochemistry at Oklahoma State University. While attending college in 1973 at OSU, Bruce took a ceramics class and has been making pots ever since. He later transferred to the University of Georgia in Athens where he received his BFA in ceramics in 1978. He lived and worked as a full-time studio potter in Floyd, Virginia until he went back to graduate school at the New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, in Alfred, New York. He received his Masters of Fine Arts in 1997 and moved to Seagrove, North Carolina with Samantha Henneke in August of 1997.

SAMANTHA HENNEKE

Samantha was born in Tallahassee, Florida in 1970 and moved with her family to Blacksburg, Virginia where she celebrated her first birthday. Both parents worked at Virginia Tech, her father is a professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics and her mother worked as an executive administrative assistant in the Physics department. Samantha attended Virginia Tech and took a ceramics class in the spring of 1991, immediately falling in love with clay. She then transferred to the New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University in the fall of 1992. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Ceramics in 1995. She lived and worked for two more years in Alfred where she met Bruce Gholson. Samantha and Bruce moved to Seagrove, NC in 1997 and founded Bulldog Pottery.

Bruce Gholson and Samantha Hanneke Artist Statement

Our work is an eclectic mix of form, imagery, and pattern. Ideas for our pieces evolve from working with ceramic material and observing the interplay between glaze, clay, and fire. The imagery on our pieces is evocative of memories and interests that have resonated in our lives. In our studio, there is a collaborative environment that provides us with support to express ourselves as individuals, more than we could achieve on our own. We brainstorm for ideas be testing clays, glazes, surface treatments, and playing off of each other's intuition about the materials and processes. Together we develop and share a "treasure trove" of clay and glaze vocabulary.

Bruce Gholson and Samantha Henneke Artist Resume

BRUCE GHOLSON

Education:

MFA in ceramics at New York State College of Ceramics, in Alfred, NY.

1978-80 BFA in ceramics at University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

1974-76 Houston Fine Arts Museum School of Art, Houston, TX.

1971-73 Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK.

Selected Recent Exhibits:

2008 "Bulldog Pottery: New Works", North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Art Gallery, 60 pieces, October 3-November 2, Raleigh.

2008 "Potter's Market Invitational", sponsored by the Delhom Service

2008 Featured Artist along with Samantha Henneke at AKAR Design Gallery, September 29 - October 19, Iowa City.

2008 National Teapot Show VII, Cedar Creek Gallery, Creedmoor, N.C.

2008 AKAR Yunomi Invitational, AKAR Design Gallery, Iowa City, Iowa.

Ron Meyers invites 10 former students, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas.

2007 "Potter's Market Invitational", sponsored by the Delhom Service

2007 Bulldog Pottery Exhibition at the London Square Gallery, May 5 - July 4, Norfolk, VA.

2007 "The Natural World", 90 pieces of Bulldog Pottery in group exhibition, Gregg Museum of Art and Design, January 25 - May 13, NC State University, Raleigh.

2006 "30 x 5: 30 Potters X 5 pots", AKAR Gallery, Iowa City, Iowa.

2006 "Bulldog Pottery: New Works", North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Art Gallery, October 6 - November 26, Raleigh.

"Potter's Market Invitational", sponsored by the Delhom Service League, Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina.

2006 "Sid Oakley: Artist, Mentor, Friend", Gallery of Art and Design, NC State University, Aug 24 - Dec 20, Raleigh, NC.

"North Carolina Pottery from the Elizabeth and Leo Kohn Collection", Mint Museum of Art, Aug 5 - Nov 5, Charlotte, NC.

2006 "International Cup", competitive show, sponsored by the Clay Studio of Missoula, Allegra Print and Imaging, Helena, Montana.

"Color and Memory", Invitational, The Rye Arts Center, Rye, NY.

Tea Bowl Invitational, Hardeman Gallery, Mercer University, Macon, Georgia.

2005 "Potter's Market Invitational", sponsored by the Delhom Service League, Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina.

National Teapot Show VI, Cedar Creek Gallery, Creedmoor, N.C.

2004 "Southern Mugs", Southern Pottery Workcenter and Gallery, Columbia, South Carolina.

2004 "Flora, Fauna, Fossils, Crystals. And Clay", 117 pieces of Bulldog Pottery at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Art Gallery, October 1- November 28.

2004 "A Family Affair", Pannonia Gallery, Blacksburg, Va.

2004 "Southern Pitchers", Southern Pottery Workcenter and Gallery, Columbia, South Carolina.

2004 Seven Studios from Seagrove: Legacy Takes a Detour, Burroughs- Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC.

2004 Teapot Show, Hodges Taylor Gallery, Charlotte, NC.

2003 "30x5: 30 Potters X 5 pots", AKAR Gallery, Iowa City, Iowa.

2003 Four Potteries--a Group Show at Moring Arts Center's Main Gallery, Asheboro, N.C.

2002 National Teapot Show V, Cedar Creek Gallery, Creedmoor, N.C.

2002 The MFA Gloryhole: Selections from the Last Ten Years, Schein -Joseph International Museum, Alfred, N.Y.

2001 Solo Exhibit, Cedar Creek Gallery, Creedmoor, NC.

2001 American Shino, Babcock Galleries, New York, NY.

2001 9th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National, Lancaster Museum of Art, Lancaster, PA.

2000 Pitcher Show, North Carolina Pottery Center Exhibit, Seagrove, NC.

Education:

1992-1995 New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, BFA in Ceramics, Cum Laude, Deans List: four semesters.

1988-1992 Virginia Polytechnic Institute, GPA 3.2

Selected Recent Exhibitions:

2008 "Bulldog Pottery: New Works", North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Art Gallery, 60 pieces, October 3-November 2, Raleigh.

2008 "Potter's Market Invitational", sponsored by the Delhom Service

2008 Featured Artist along with Bruce Gholson at AKAR Design Gallery, September 29 - October 19, Iowa City.

2008 National Teapot Show VII, Cedar Creek Gallery, Creedmoor, N.C.

2008 Gen X: Post-Boomers and the New South, Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, Alabama.

2007 "Potter's Market Invitational", sponsored by the Delhom Service

2007 Bulldog Pottery Exhibition at the London Square Gallery, May 5 - July 4, Norfolk, VA.

2007 "The Natural World", 90 pieces of Bulldog Pottery in a group exhibition, Gregg Museum of Art and Design, January 25 - May 13, NC State University, Raleigh.

2006 "Bulldog Pottery: New Works", North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Art Gallery, 130 pieces, October 6-November 26, Raleigh.

2006 "Potter's Market Invitational", sponsored by the Delhom Service League, Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina.

2006 "North Carolina Pottery from the Elizabeth and Leo Kohn Collection", Levine Gallery, Mint Museum of Art, Aug 5 - Nov 5, Charlotte, North Carolina.

2006 "Color and Memory", The Rye Arts Center, Rye, New York.

2006 Tea Bowl Invitational, Hardeman Gallery, Mercer University, Macon, Georgia.

2005 "Potter's Market Invitational", sponsored by the Delhom Service League, Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina.

2004 "Southern Mugs", Southern Pottery Work center and Gallery, Columbia, South Carolina.

2004 "Flora, Fauna, Fossils, Crystals, and Clay", 117 pieces of Bulldog Pottery at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Art Gallery, October 1 - November 28.

2004 "A Family Affair", Pannonia Gallery, Blacksburg, Virginia.

2004 "Southern Pitchers", Southern Pottery Work center and Gallery, Columbia, South Carolina.

2004 "Seven Studios from Seagrove: Legacy takes a Detour", Burroughs-Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC.

2003 "Four Potteries", a Group Show at Moring Arts Center's Main Gallery, Asheboro, North Carolina.

2001 "Strictly Functional Pottery National", Lancaster Museum of Art, Lancaster, Pa.