Discover Creative Georgia
Locally produced crafts, arts and performances showcase
communities across the state
8/10/09 Get to the heart of Georgia’s communities through their
creative cultures and indigenous arts. Discover the people and places
that make communities unique: potters, artists, theatres and galleries
that allow visitors to take home a piece of Georgia.
Travel to northeast Georgia to experience a tradition that has been
around for more than 100 years of handmade pottery. The Northeast
Georgia Folk Pottery Museum in Sautee and the Mark of the Potter in
nearby Clarkesville will shed some light on this fascinating folk
tradition that has served both functional and artistic purposes over
generations. Both locations sell pottery, detail the tradition’s
history and feature one-of-a-kind “face jugs” handmade pieces that don
eyes, a nose, a mouth, ears and curious facial expressions. Learn
to make your own pottery at Etowah River Pottery in Dahlonega, or
discover gourd-inspired pottery at The Gourd Place, also in Sautee.
Also, don’t miss the Hambidge Fifth Annual Georgia Pottery Show near
Clayton, where more than 30 Georgia potters will have their work on
display until Sept. 8.
Blue Ridge also offers a variety of places for arts enthusiast to
visit. Turning Leaf Wood Art and Twigs to Furniture carry
decorative and functional handmade wooden pieces made by local artisans,
and Fishbone Studio features mosaic work from local artist Betty Wassmer.
Another must-see is the ironwork of blacksmith John Beatie on display at
the Beatie Blacksmith Gallery in Mineral Bluff. Also, be sure to
check out a performance at the Blue Ridge Community Theater, which has
“The Fantasticks” and “A Christmas Carol” among its scheduled
performances for 2009.
For other community theater productions in Georgia, visit the Winder
Cultural Arts Center in Winder for comedies “The Curious Savage” and
“Bus Stop” in 2009 or the Waycross Area Community Theatre in Waycross,
which is performing “Little Shop of Horrors” and “The Sound of Music” in
the coming year. The Tater Patch Players in Jasper will perform the
musical comedy “Smoke on the Mountain,” which follows a family of gospel
singers during the Depression of the 1930s. Theaters across the
state also tell Georgia-crafted stories. Georgia’s Official
Folk Life Play, “Swamp Gravy”, for example, offers a newly written story
performed each year in Colquitt based on real life stories of community
members. The latest production of Swamp Gravy is scheduled for October.
The middle Georgia town of Lyons also recounts local history every year
in its production of “Tales from the Altamaha,” based on the writings of
a local attorney and businessman, Col. Thomas Ross Sharpe, who lived
there between the 1940s and 1960s. The productions are held in the
spring at the Blue Marquee Theater in Lyons.
West of Lyons in Buena Vista is another essential visit for Georgia
arts lovers: Pasaquan, a seven-acre arts site that includes six major
structures, concrete sculptures and painted walls designed by eccentric
Georgia-born artist Eddie Owens Martin. A visit will detail the
artist’s vision and his relationship with the South and spirituality.
Another inspirational arts site is Paradise Gardens, a four-acre
property designed by Southern Baptist minister and folk artist Howard
Finster. The site includes Mr. Finster’s gardens, a museum, a folk
art chapel and the Finster Folk Art Gallery.
Several Atlanta hotels introduce visitors to the work of Georgia
artists. The St. Regis Hotel and the W Atlanta-Buckhead hotel,
both in Buckhead, exhibit works from local artists and photographers.
The Whitlock Inn in Marietta and the recently remodeled Georgian Terrace
in Midtown also showcase pieces by local artists and scenes of local
events. Paintings in the restaurant of the Georgian Terrace, for
example, commemorate the premiere gala of “Gone With the Wind,” which
was held at the hotel in 1939.
Visiting local galleries is another great way to see Georgia-made
art. The Seen Gallery in Decatur recently featured Georgia artist
James Dean, who has garnered a following for his paintings of “Pete the
Cat,” a little blue cat depicted in a variety of scenes. The
Joseph House Art Gallery in Columbus also features work from local
artists including watercolors, oil paintings and art glass.
Gallery RFD in Swainsboro is a non-profit that encourages business
development through the arts and features exhibitions from local
artists. The Soda Shop Gallery in Sylvania and The Gallery
in Savannah also showcase Georgia-made work. Not far from Savannah
is another arts must-see that chronicles the cultural history of
African-Americans along the Georgia Coast, the Ogechee Kunda Cultural
Center in Riceboro. A living museum that carries local and African
art, the center profiles the history and arts of Gullah culture in
Georgia.
Georgia’s museums, theaters, hotels and galleries tell the story of a
rich history and culture through the arts. Learn from local
artists in towns and communities across Georgia. Plan your next
arts-inspired trip at
www.exploregeorgia.org.
