For potter Holly Horan, the nourishing presence of nature, especially the Blue Ridge Mountains, enhances every activity.
Horan and her husband, sculptor John Pluta, own Noon Whistle Pottery in Stanardsville, where visitors can glimpse the influence of nature in Pluta’s whimsical garden figures and the vases Horan makes for arranging wildflowers that are popular with pollinators and pottery fans alike.
“It’s all another creative process, and it’s connected to nature,” Horan told The Daily Progress.
A devoted beekeeper who cares for seven hives, Horan both harvests honey and creates serving dishes for folks who like to drizzle local honey on pancakes or hot biscuits at home.
“I like to make pieces that help people entertain,” the potter said. Of the honey, Horan added, “It’s handmade by the bees, but I facilitate it along.”
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A sense of place deepens ties between the artist and her creations. Horan enjoys hiking with a group in nearby Shenandoah National Park, but she doesn’t have to wander far for inspiration.
“I see the mountains from my house. I love seeing the clouds in the sky,” Horan said. “We have a wildflower meadow, and that’s why I started making vases.”
Horan and her husband teamed up to found the Virginia Clay Festival, an annual September gathering that brings clay artists from across the state to Stanardsville for a weekend of pottery demonstrations, Irish music and art sales. The festival just marked its 10th anniversary last month.
“There are so many clay artists in Virginia that we knew it would be a great opportunity for the artists,” Horan said.
Coming up for Horan will be the Artisans Studio Tour, held annually in November since it was founded in 1994, which invites people into art studios in Charlottesville and across Albemarle, Greene, Madison and Nelson counties to meet artists, watch them create and establish connections between makers and collectors. This year’s tour, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 8 and 9, offers up-close time with glass, metal, wood, fiber, jewelry and ceramics creators; details are available at artisanstudiotour.com.
Art in Central Virginia has a way of shortening the distances between people.
“About once a week, someone from the other side of the world will come in, like Germany or Australia,” Horan said. “People like to hold things in their hands that are made by hand.”
Sessions, presented by the Wayne Theatre, is a monthly feature that profiles artists of all concentrations across Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. Have an artist that you think should sit down for a session? Email your nomination to Daily Progress features editor Jane Sathe at jsathe@dailyprogress.com.
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