Historic Bear’s Mill’s Clark Gallery will feature the earthenware pottery and wood panels of Richmond, Indiana-based artist Thomas Hill at the upcoming “Art At the Mill” exhibit opening Friday, July 30 with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. The artist will share information about his work, methods, and inspiration in a brief talk beginning at 7 p.m. The exhibit will continue through Sunday, August 22; “Art at the Mill,” curated by Jan Roestamadji and Julie Clark, is free and open to the public.
Ms. Clark says the she is really excited about “Art At the Mill” hosting a rare solo artist in the Clark Gallery. “Thomas Hill’s creative wood work will fill the Gallery walls with beauty, while the display of his ceramic pieces on numerous pedestals will delight and fascinate art lovers and curious on-lookers alike,” Ms. Clark enthused. According to Ms. Roestamadji, this is a unique exhibition featuring an emerging artist whose creativity and mastery of his craft keep increasing. “We are so lucky to host this display of earthy, rustic, minimalist pottery, along with wood panels exploring shapes and lines in various media, all created by the same talented individual; I am sure that many visitors will be taking a piece home with them to enhance their own living spaces,” she said.
Thomas Hill grew up in rural Indiana amid countless cornfields and landscapes rich in natural resources; instilled with an inquisitive spirit, the youngster often tinkered with various objects, trying to find out not only how they worked, but also why they worked. While a high school senior, Thomas began working with wood, spending vast hours assembling simple pieces of furniture whenever he had an idea. That intrinsic curiosity led the young man to more intense tinkering, exploring whatever project took his fancy, and eventually switching his college major from Physics to Art. As an Art student, Thomas discovered a passion for clay, an interest that he now combines with building renovation and exploration of unconventional material as he practices his art.
Thomas’s work in wood and clay combines an interest in historic sculpture from Europe, Korea, and Japan with an attraction to local materials he found while wandering through the natural environment of his childhood home. The ever-inquisitive artist traveled to England to apprentice with potter Nic Collins before achieving his Art degree from Earlham College, and has worked as an assistant to Marshall, North Carolina potter Josh Copus. Thomas says that his body of work has evolved through experimentation with materials new to him, finding inspiration in the character and texture developed by objects exposed to time and the elements. “I have begun a journey by adding these weathered forms and aged surfaces around me to my own material library, discovering how I might incorporate these characteristics into my handmade objects,” he explained.
Intriguing paintings by Paula J. Dalton which explore land and sky through geometry as well as the fascinating work of Collette Fortin and Berry Davis who create solid glass sculptures with primarily oceanic themes will continue to be on display in the Clark Gallery through Sunday, July 25. The Clark Gallery and the Mill Shop are operated by Friends of Bear’s Mill; the Mill and surrounding grounds are the newest addition to Darke County Parks. Bear’s Mill is located at 6450 Arcanum-Bear’s Mill Road, about 5 miles east of Greenville. “Art At the Mill” is funded in part by a grant from Darke County Endowment for the Arts, and can be viewed during regular Mill store hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The park and trails are open daily from 8 a.m. until sunset. For more information, contact Bear’s Mill at 937-548-5112 or www.bearsmill.org.