Wilcox County
Clay and Mixed Media Art
Functional,
Dysfunctional, and Wearable Art - inspired by the art and culture of ancient
Asia fused with regional Alabama heritage and folk art.
Growing
up as an only child, she was encouraged to experiment with and appreciate art
from a very young age. Traveling throughout the Black Belt counties, taking
photographs with her mother for work, Kristin developed a love and appreciation
for this rich, cultural region and its people. As a teenager, she spent hours
watching her neighbor and renowned artist, William Harris, paint at his Possum
Bend Store, sharing stories and tips on painting along the way.
Kristin
graduated with a BFA in Ceramics/Art History from the University of Montevallo,
where she gained the skills she has used to succeed in her career - from the
opportunity to construct and fire three large kilns, to learning to hang
gallery exhibitions and developing a passion and enthusiasm for Art History.
Kristin spent eight years as the Curator of Collections at the Hermitage Museum
& Gardens and as Ceramics Instructor at the Hermitage Visual Arts School in
Norfolk, Virginia. This period of her life forged a love of ancient Asian
pottery and ceremonial bronzes, American Arts-and-crafts furniture and
architecture.
After
moving home in 2009, Kristin was re-introduced to many Black Belt artists, who
have re-instilled that real art is in the soul and cannot be taught. The
people, stories, traditions, art and history of this rich cultural region have
inspired Kristin and shaped her desire to share the treasures of the Black Belt
with the world. In addition, the opportunity to work with regional folk artists
and living legends has reinforced her love for her home, and has heavily
influenced her current body of art.
She is
the owner of Possum Pottery & Jewelry, has taught art at BBTCAC, the Birmingham Museum of Art, and across the region, and was juried in to the Kentuck Festival of the Arts in 2018.