News & Events

Panel Highlights WNC Craft Organizations Modeling Green and Sustainable Practices

March 3, 2011

Modeling "green" and sustainable approaches to craft while producing beautiful and meaningful works will be the focus of a moderated panel discussion at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, at UNC Asheville's Owen Hall, 3rd floor conference center.

The event, sponsored by UNC Asheville's Center for Craft, Creativity & Design (CCCD), highlights two WNC organizations – EnergyXchange of Burnsville, and Jackson County Green Energy Park of Dillsboro – that use methane gas captured from adjacent landfills, solar energy, and other sustainable practices to fuel the studios of potters, glassblowers and blacksmiths, as well as greenhouses.

The panel, moderated by Dee Eggers, associate professor of environmental studies at UNC Asheville, includes Dan Asher, executive director of EnergyXchange; Tim Muth, executive director of Jackson County Green Energy Park; glass and metal artist Hayden Wilson, artist in residence at Jackson County Green Energy Park; and potter William Baker, artist in residence at EnergyXchange.

"Craft media are not all inherently 'green,'" says CCCD Executive Director Stephanie Moore. "So it is important to highlight these two organizations that are pioneers of environmental sustainability and also have business models that are pertinent to the 21st century."

Both EnergyXchange (EE) and Jackson County Green Energy Park (JCGEP) use methane gas from capped landfills along with other alternative energy sources to fuel their artistic tools - ceramic kilns, glass furnaces and blacksmithing workstations - and power working greenhouses. These organizations serve as business incubators for the artists in residence, working as partners with local businesses and county governments to use these renewable resources to provide economic development as well as business learning opportunities.

CCCD is bringing attention to these two unique and forward-thinking organizations through this panel discussion and with its current exhibit, "WNC Models of Sustainability in Craft Making," on view through April 22. Artists featured from JCGEP are: Clayton Hufford (glass), Hayden Wilson (glass & metal), Julie Boisseau (mixed media) and Laurey Masterton (glass). Artists in residence featured from EE are: Lisa Gluckin (clay), Joy Tanner (clay), Michael Hatch (glass), and William Baker (clay).

The mission of the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design is to advance the understanding of craft by encouraging and supporting research, scholarship and professional development. The Center is located 5 miles west of Hendersonville at 1181 Broyles Road adjacent to the UNC Asheville Kellogg Center. Gallery hours are noon- 5 p.m. weekdays. Visitors are invited to walk the Perry N. Rudnick one-mile nature and public art trail following a visit to the exhibition in the Craft Center galleries. For more information see www.craftcreativitydesign.org or call 828.890.2050.