2016 A.R.T. Artist Hank Hall in National Ceramic Competition!

"Parade Ready"

(wheel-thrown and altered/mixed media teapot)

©Hank Hall

Hank Hall's "Parade Ready" teapot has been selected for the bi-annual 21^st San Angelo National Ceramic Competition hosted by the San Angelo Museum of Fine Art (SAMFA) in San Angelo, Texas. Hall's piece is one of 115 chosen out of 721 submitted works from across the U.S. and Canada. Juror Christy Johnson, retired Director of the American Museum of Ceramic Art in Pomona, CA, will speak about the exhibit and present awards at the opening reception on April 15 at SAMFA. 

Hall's "Parade Ready" has already received regional attention after being juried into the River to River Ceramic Exhibit at Coe College as part of the third bi-annual Iowa Clay Conference in Cedar Rapids in 2015 and the "Best in Show" award at the Iowa Crafts: 42 Exhibit at the Charles H. MacNider Museum in Mason City, Iowa, also in 2015.

"Parade Ready" is a wheel-thrown and altered teapot with a mixed media lid and handle, painted metal wheels, and a wooden ramp base. The non-functional teapot is made of bisque-fired cone 6 stoneware sprayed with green glitter paint on the outside and glazed inside. Hall says he likes to "break all the rules for making traditional teapots" and tries to "satisfy his own aesthetic" when creating a new piece. He adds, "If others get a kick out of my work, then it doesn't get any better than that."

Hall will attend the opening reception in San Angelo with the added benefit of participating in a day-long ceramic workshop with acclaimed ceramic artist Ron Meyers from Athens, Georgia. Meyers' workshop at the Old Chicken Farm Art Center in San Angelo will focus on wheel-thrown and altered clay. Other activities for selected artists include a Clay Symposium at Angelo State University that weekend.

Hall, an Artisans Road Trip participant, creates his one-of-a-kind clay, drawing, and mixed media pieces in his home. His work is represented at Art on 16th in Old Town Spirit Lake and at Summerwind Gallery (former location of Side Street Art and Framing) in Arnolds Park opening May 1. More information on Hall's work and artistic process can be found on Facebook at Hank Hall. 

2015 A.R.T. Artist Hank Hall Teapot Selected for Regional Exhibit at Coe College!

“Parade Ready” – a mixed media teapot by Spirit Lake artist Hank Hall – has been selected for the juried show “River to River” at Coe College, in conjunction with the third bi-annual Iowa Clay Conference at The Ceramic Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The River to River exhibit will highlight the richness and diversity of ceramic art within Iowa and across eleven other Midwest states. The show runs from September 11-October 3 at the Sinclair Galleries on the campus of Coe College with a reception on Friday, October 2, from 6-8 pm is part of the Iowa Clay Conference that weekend.

Juror for the exhibit is Bede Clarke, Professor of Art at the University of Missouri since 1992. He received his Master of Fine Arts from The University of Iowa (1990) and a BFA from Eckerd College (1982).  Bede’s work is found in public and private collections in the U.S. and abroad.  He maintains a studio in Columbia, Missouri, where he produces his ceramic art work and continues to exhibit worldwide. Currently, he is working with wheel-thrown wood-fired stoneware vessels and large wall tiles emphasizing abstract drawing and color. He is interested in making work, which “like a good meal leaves a healthy, full feeling.”

Hall’s “Parade Ready” is a combination of bold and whimsical elements. It includes a wheel-thrown and altered teapot with a mixed media lid and handle, metal wheels, and a wooden ramp base. The teapot is made of bisque-fired cone 6 stoneware, sprayed with green glitter paint on the outside and white-glazed inside.

Hall explains, “My number one goal when making teapots is to satisfy my own esthetic sense of what makes for an entertaining, inventive, and personal teapot form. If others get the same creative kick out of them as I do, it doesn’t get much better than that!”

Hall creates one-of-a-kind clay, drawing and mixed media pieces in his home studio in Spirit Lake, IA. After 34 years of teaching art in Marshalltown, Graettinger, and Spirit Lake and an additional 10 years teaching private classes and running an art business, he now focuses on developing new work. Several directions of his imaginative work include teapots with mixed media embellishments; abstract drawings started with remote-controlled cars and robots; and colorful abstract paintings. An important early influence on his art was studying under Bauhaus-trained, master potter Marguerite Wildenhain at Pond Farm Pottery in Guerneville, CA in the summers of 1973 and 1974. For more information, contact Hall at 712-330-6007.

See You at the Side Street Gallery in Arnolds Park!

Artists to meet and greet at the Side Street Gallery's

Open House Saturday - June 20, 2015!

"©" the artists work shown - upper left - clock-wise: Linda Fries, 

Timothy J. Arand-McIlrath, Barb McGee, Deb Manly, Holly Zinn, 

Karen Ruddy, Marisa Sidles, Irene McCoy, Bruce Morrison, (center) Hank Hall.

Meet and greet artists of the 2015 Artisans Road Trip this Saturday (June 20) afternoon (Noon-5PM) at the Side Street Gallery in Arnolds Park, Iowa!  Stop by and see the works of the artists, ask questions or just join in celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Side Street Gallery and the retirement of the gallery founder Mari Stewart!  The Side Street Galley will close for the season in July and open again next spring under new ownership.

 

Plan a day at the Lakes - there is plenty to do and enjoy!  And be sure to stop by the Side Street Gallery and enjoy the best artwork the region has to offer!

 

Hope to see you there!

Adult Clay with Hank Hall Continues in August

Creative summer fun is available at Art on 16^th in Olde Town Spirit Lake. 2013 Artisans Road Trip artist Hank Hall will offer another Adult Clay class on Fridays, August 9, 16, 23 and 30, from 1:00-3:00 pm. Participants will hand-build functional &/or sculptural forms using slabs and coils and personalize them with carvings, add-ons, and color. A few openings in clay classes for youth ages 9 and above are also available. 

A retired Iowa high school art teacher of 34 years, Hall holds a Masters degree in Art Education/Ceramics from the University of Northern Iowa. He also studied under renowned 20^th Century potter Marguerite Wildenhain at Pond Farm Pottery in Guerneville, California for two summers. He teaches art classes, produces his signature teapots and other mixed media work, and represents other area fine artists at Art on 16^th.

More information about classes and artists represented at Art on 16th is available at www.arton16th.com, shhall@mchsi.com or 712-330-6006. 

2013 Artisan Road trip Artists Participate in Nobles County Art Center's April Annual Area Show

Artwork examples © (top left clockwise) David Strom, 

Timothy Arand-McIlrath, Hank Hall and Bill Lieb
(Click on image for a larger view)

Four Artisan Road Trip artists currently have artwork in the April Annual Area Art Show at the Nobles County Art Center in Worthington MN. Timothy Arand-McIlrath, Hank Hall, William Lieb, and David Strom are exhibiting work in the exhibition.

Bob Tieger was the juror and selected the awards. He is from Aberdeen SD, a former art instructor at Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon. The exhibition opened April 7 and continues through the month of April.

Arand-McIlrath is exhibiting "Doilied",discharged screen printed fabic with crocheted yarn as well as two other mixed media pieces.  

Bill Lieb is exhibiting two sculptures. Space Maneuvers #4 was selected for the Honorable Mention award. The piece was cut from a single piece of steel, ground and polished, bent, patinated black, painted in spots with acrylic paint, and then waxed.

Hank Hall is represented with "Black on Black Teapot Triptych", which was selected for a Merit Award.

David Strom's "Winds and Bins", black acrylic paint, white craypas , corrugated paper and hi tec silver floral spray on a heavy 300 lb arches paper., was also selected for a Merit Award. 

(Examples illustrated above are examples of each artist's work - not necessarily what is currently on exhibit in this show)

Nobles County Art Center is located at 407 12th Street, Worthington, MN.b Contact the art center for more information at 507-372-8245 or by email at noblearts@knology.org .  The gallery is open weekdays 2:00-4:30.

Hank Hall in 6th International Texas Teapot Tournament

 Hank working on "Celebrating Line & Dots" teapot

Here's an update from A.R.T. participant Hank Hall…

Two of Hank’s signature teapots are currently showing in the 6^th International Texas Teapot Tournament presented by C.A.M.E.O. and 18 Hands Gallery in Houston, Texas. Celebrating Line & Dots and Squirt II are among 80 exhibited teapots from across the county, England and Singapore. The juror for the exhibit Piero Fenci is a distinguished ceramic artist and educator with an MFA in ceramics from Alfred University in Alfred, New York.  

"Celebrating Line & Dots"

© Hank Hall 

18 Hands Gallery is a premier ceramic arts gallery located in the Historic Heights District in Houston. CAMEO (Clay Arts Museum and Education Organization) of Houston sponsors exhibits of emerging artists, workshops and demonstrations in support of its core mission of supporting education and appreciation of clay as a form of art. The exhibit opened at 18 Hands Gallery with a reception on January 12 and runs through January 27.

"Squirt II "

© Hank Hall

Hall’s fascination with making teapots started when he studied under Bauhaus-trained Marguerite Wildenhain at Pond Farm Pottery in Guerneville, California during the summers of 1973 and 1974. His goal now is satisfying his own esthetic sense of what makes an entertaining, inventive, and personal teapot form. According to Hall, “Sometimes I entertain myself by searching store aisles for hardware gadgets, trinkets, wire, and other materials to fashion into a teapot lid or an embellishment. Recently I have been decorating my teapots with dots and lines to bring my interests in drawing and clay together.”

Hall is a full-time working artist in Olde Town Spirit Lake where he has renovated the late Joe Lieb’s wood-working shop into an art studio and gallery called Art on 16^th. The gallery features outstanding work by area fine artists - including Hall’s teapots, pottery, drawings, and paintings - and started the tradition of the area’s First Friday Art Trek in 2007. For more information go to www.hankhallarton16th.com or Facebook. 

2012 A.R.T. Artist Hank Hall

Circus Arrival Teapot - © Hank Hall (2012)

This 2012 Artisans Road Trip artist spot light is on Hank Hall of Spirit Lake!

Hank Hall - proprietor and resident artist of Art on 16^th in Olde Town Spirit Lake - continues his fascination with making one-of-a-kind teapots. Recently, his “Circus Arrival” teapot was selected for the 23^rd Annual Teapot Show “On the Road Again” which opens in Chicago on April 1. For the third year in a row, Hank has entered and been selected for this prestigious exhibit of hand-crafted teapots.

“Circus Arrival” includes wheel-thrown and altered clay parts, acrylic paint, and a handle made from copper tubing, resin elephants and a wooden ball. The high-fire glazed interior also makes it a fully functional teapot. Hank says he enjoyed figuring out the handle and searching for the “right elephants” to complement the elephant-like body. “Circus Arrival” will be on display at Watertower Place on N. Michigan Avenue in Chicago between April 1 and May 15, at Chiaroscuro gallery, Suite 3050.

Hank has participated in the Artisans Road Trip at Art on 16^th since he re-purposed Joe Lieb’s long-time woodworking shop into an art studio and gallery in 2007 and before that at Carnegie Hall Artworks, also in Spirit Lake. Generally viewed as a potter and mixed media artist, Hank continues to create one-of-kind teapots along with his distinctive abstract drawings and paintings. An Iowa Arts Council-sanctioned teaching artist, he also offers art classes to people of all ages to help them turn up their creativity and experience success working with materials. His extensive schedule of summer art classes is released to the public by April 1. Along with Hank’s work, Art on 16th represents the work of nearly 20 other area fine artists and has regular hours starting in May, with appointments available year round. More information about Hank and Art on 16^th is available at www.hankhallarton16th.com or by calling 712.330.6007.

Join us again soon for more great artists and happenings from the 2012 Artisans Road Trip!

Off Season?

(Clock-wise from the left - Mari Stewart's mobile "Luminous Tear Drops",

"Out-of-the-box" drawing class with Hank Hall and "Art on a Card" exhibit 

at Arts on Grand in Spencer.

If there were an "off season" for the Artisans Road Trip you'd be hard pressed finding it!

A.R.T. artist Mari Stewart of the Side Street Gallery and Frame Shoppe in Arnolds Park, recently exhibited in the Rock Rapids Annual Art Show. The annual show is put together by the Rock Rapids Business Women and is in its 46th year.  Mari's mobile "Luminous Tear Drops" was awarded 1st place in the three dimensional division. 

On the teaching side of art - Hank Hall is holding his "Out-of-the-box Drawing Class", an adult drawing class that started November 2nd, Wednesday afternoons at Art on 16th in Olde Town Spirit Lake.  Classes run for four weeks.

And, as mentioned in the last A.R.T. blog - "Art on a Card" continues at Arts on Grand in Spencer. This exhibit features several A.R.T. artists and their select artwork is available as Christmas/Holiday Cards for purchase at Arts on Grand.  This fund raising event supports the arts in Spencer.  The exhibit (sponsored by Woolverton) runs through December 10th.

Watch for more from artists of the Artisans Road Trip!

2011 Artisans Road Trip Artist Hank Hall

Hank Hall working on a teapot in his studio

This 2011 Artisans Road Trip spot light is on Hank Hall!  Hank Hall, Spirit Lake native, invites you to stop during Artisans Road Trip at Art on 16th, his creative laboratory in the heart of the Iowa Great Lakes.

"Irrigating Nebraska"  

(drawing © Hank Hall)

Hall’s eclectic gallery plus studio is located on 16th Street across from the post office in Olde Town Spirit Lake! 

"Saturated Fat Friday"

(art work © Hank Hall)

Hall’s goal at Art on 16^th is to present remarkable art for sale by area artists and to offer quality art classes for students of all ages and levels.

It's just around the corner!  Be sure and take in the artists of the 2011 Artisans Road Trip Friday - September 30 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday - October 1st and 2nd from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day!

See you there!

News and Happenings at A.R.T.

"Don't Hate Me Marguerite #1"

©Hank Hall

Artisans Road Trip Artist Hank Hall has recently had one of his Teapots accepted into the 22nd Annual International Teapot Show "On the Road Again" at the Chiaroscuro Gallery in Chicago!  Hank's piece "Don't Hate Me Marguerite #1" was his accepted work and is the second year in a row for Hall to be in the prestigious show.

Other happenings for A.R.T. artists include the Algona exhibit at the "Gallery @ the Library", as mentioned in the previous blog.  We're including some photos of this exhibit for you to view here!

As mentioned before - the Algona Public Library hours are 9:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Fridays, and 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturdays (Closed Sundays).  Take it in if you're in the neighborhood!

Artisans Road Trip Artist Hank Hall

Hank Hall

This A.R.T. highlight introduces Hank Hall!

Hank Hall is a full-time artist in Olde Town Spirit Lake where he has renovated a 1948 wood-working shop into an art studio and gallery called Art on 16th. He taught middle school and high school art in Iowa for 34 years and continues to teach clay, painting, drawing, and sculpture classes in his studio. He is very proud of the fact that many of his students have studied art in prestigious art institutions and pursued art-related careers.

Celebrating Clay Cone 6 Stoneware

Hank’s creative skills were shaped early in his career by two summers of intensive training at Pond Farm Pottery in Guerneville, CA with Marguerite Wildenhain. A Bauhaus-trained master potter considered to be one of the ten most significant clay artists of the 20^th Century, Wildenhain demanded high quality craftsmanship and then encouraged him to develop his own signature work.

Dotted Teapot

Today Hank creates one-of-a-kind teapots with mixed media embellishments and other functional and sculptural forms. His artistic goal is satisfying his own esthetic sense of what makes for an entertaining, inventive, and personal form. “If others experience a creative kick, then I think that’s as good as it gets.”

Hank’s artwork has been exhibited nationally, and he has earned several best of shows in recent juried art exhibits.

For more information visit www.hankhallarton16th.com.

Check back again for more on events, activities and artisans of the 2010 Artisans Road Trip!