NORTH CAROLINA POTTERY CENTER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2007 North Carolina Pottery Center Board of Directors

Tim Blackburn (Huntersville) was raised in the community that bears his family’s name, Tim Blackburn is the grandson, great grandson and grand nephew of Catawba Valley potters.  In addition, Tim is related to several of the pottery families of the Valley.

Tim’s interest in Catawba Valley pottery dates to childhood excavations of Blackburn family pottery sites and the inheritance of family pieces.  He began collecting Catawba Valley pottery in earnest in the early 1990’s and continues to actively collect. 

He currently works for Wells Fargo Century, a Wells Fargo Bank subsidiary, as Senior Vice President and southern regional manager of business development for commercial finance products.  He has 26 years of experience in the commercial finance field with such companies as Bank of America, GE Capital, Barclays Bank PLC and BB&T.

 Richard Garkalns (Asheboro) a native of Randolph County and graduate of East Carolina University.  Richard is a Vice-President with Insurance Associates of the Triad.  Richard has been collecting local Randolph Co. pottery for more than 20 years, and says his appreciation for pottery started with Hal Pugh’s early salt glaze.  

Richard has keen interest in community activities, and has served as President of a number of organizations such as Asheboro-Randolph Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Randolph Co., YMCA of Randolph-Asheboro, Kiwanis Club of Asheboro, and the Asheboro Jaycees.  Currently Richard is on the boards of the Randolph Co. Friends of the Zoo and the Board of Deacons at First Presbyterian Church of Asheboro, and is active in the Rotary Club of Asheboro. 

Linda Carnes-McNaughton (Pittsboro) is Collections Manager/Lab Director of the Cultural Resources Program, Fort Bragg.  She has researched and dug up traditional pottery all over the Southeast; for her dissertation at UNC, she explored the Loy (Alamance) and Seagle (Lincoln) kiln sites.  She has been an active board member of the Center, and served on the search committee for the new director.  Linda is author of many professional papers and articles, including The Mountain Potters of Buncombe County, North Carolina: An Archaeological and Historical Survey. 

Meredith Heywood (Seagrove) is a potter and also serves on the Gallery Committee of the Randolph Arts Guild.  She began visiting Seagrove in 1959 and moved there in 1976.  A potter for the past 25 years, she has been actively involved with the Pottery Center since its inception, and is currently co-chair of the auction committee.  She and her husband Mark operate Whynot Pottery.

Fran Irvin (Southern Pines) is an active board member, and currently co-chairs the auction committee. An avid pottery collector for over 20 years, she sees the Center as a unique institution which can link potters across the state, explore historical traditions, and educate the public on all phases of pottery making. 

Everette James (Chapel Hill) originally from Robersonville, NC is an honors graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke Medical School, and the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. He served as a physician in Vietnam.  He taught at Harvard, Johns Hopkins, University College London, and chaired the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences at Vanderbilt. He has published over 500 articles and 20 books covering medicine, American art, folk art, N C decoys, NC pottery, NC Quilts, and Southern furniture. His book, North Carolina Art Pottery 1900-1960, has contributed to even greater appreciation for this art form.  He has received numerous awards, most recently the Governor’s Long Leaf Pine Award for service to the state. He and his wife live in Chapel Hill.

 Hal Pugh (Randleman), a potter for 33 years, is the owner and operator of New Salem Pottery.  A native North Carolinian with a degree in Anthropology, Hal is actively involved in historical research concerning the material culture of the Carolinas.  As a member of NCPC, Hal has served on the community relations committee and Executive Director search committee, and gave a presentation on Quaker potters during the 2001 annual lecture series. 

Caroleen Sanders (Concord and Rock Hill, SC) is a beautician and a traditional Catawba Indian potter. She grew up watching Catawba potters at work, particularly her mother, Verdie Harris Sanders. More recently, she has studied under contemporary masters such as Nola Campbell and Earl Robbins. She is now a frequently requested teacher and demonstrator, and was featured at the 1996 annual Day of the Catawba Festival. Caroleen donated four of her pieces to the Center before it opened and is a powerful advocate for the Catawba tradition.

 David Smith (Asheboro) is a business owner and current member of the Asheboro City Council.  A Community volunteer, he is serving as the 2007 Chairman of the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce.  He has collected pottery for many years and his interest in the NCPC is the enhancement of the center as a regional tourism and educational destination.

Stan Haywood

Phil Kemp