The Potters’ Path self-guided tour will include a stop in Bethel this weekend! It will feature 14 artists at 7 different locations. Bethel potter Frank Kara, whose diverse body of work is ever-changing, will host one of the tour’s stops. Other artists will include Bethel artist Tom Carruthers and ceramicist Kiichi Takeuchi of New York. Visitors will have an exclusive chance to explore diverse creations and meet the creators behind the works. The event locations (see map here) will be open on Saturday October 5 and Sunday October 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m each day.
Kara set up the local stop for the public’s enjoyment. “They can spend part of their day to see creative works and meet the artists in their studio space,” he said.
His art combines music and design into pottery, to create “simple, organic and evocative forms from clay.” Recently, he’s also been incorporating wood and metal into his sculptures.
Kara started pottery in high school and after graduation, attended Berklee School of Music, where he began exploring the shapes and sounds of indigenous instruments.
After college, he worked with his father at the family’s sign shop, while performing music and playing percussion instruments. He renewed his ceramics hobby and began making drums that he could perform with, taking pottery workshops and classes.
“Music is what got me back into pottery. During a concert, I saw a percussionist playing a clay pot instrument and an Udu drum, and right away went back to pottery to make one for myself. Over the years my work has evolved from instruments to Japanese-style garden bells, teapots, saki sets, and sculptural vessels.”
Having his art viewed by others allows him to share the experience he had creating it.
“The most important part of my work is the feeling you get when viewing it or holding it, to see the form and feel the soul of each piece,” Kara explained.
Kara, along with the other artists will showcase their creations together in a large modular studio. Bethel Arts Chair Janice Chrzescijaneks is encouraging the public to take advantage of this unique opportunity to meet local talent and get to know the creators.
“He’s always been a friend of Bethel Arts. Frank has been in a lot of our exhibits that we’ve done. He is one potter that we’ve coordinated with. Every artist is going to open up their studio or their home, so you will travel to all those locations. We’re happy to promote it,” Janice Chrzescijanek, Chair of Bethel Arts said.
Tom Carruthers
A printmaker, Tom Carruthers’ art blends Asian, Native American, Latin American, and Mexicana art.
Printmaking is a journey for him. “It’s always fun and lends itself to all kinds of creative opportunities. I typically create my prints through several methods (often combining many) including but not limited to monotypes, collagraphs, drypoint etchings, linocuts, woodblock, Chine collé, and lithographs. Most recently, I have been transferring my drawings to prints by using a process called photogravure,” he said.
Currently, Carruthers is working on a series of drawings of barns which he will reproduce using the photogravure process.
“Printmaking is a wonderful medium. There are so many directions you can take it. It's always curious and a constant discovery of stretching your imagination to combine different printmaking methods to achieve the result that you see in your mind's eye,” he explained.
Carruthers grew up in a household where the virtues of the visual and performing arts were integrated into every aspect of family life, so much so that creativity became part of the family’s DNA.
As a young person, Thomas found himself immersed in art projects with his mother while also learning to develop an ear for music and a lifelong love of jazz, from his father. This led to an early career as a professional musician and band leader and a subsequent pathway to producing and promoting live music and film events.
During this time, he never lost sight of his love for printmaking and strong visual messaging and continued to channel his passion and sense of connection to color, composition, and imagery to create the graphics for his company’s marketing materials. Now eager to focus that passion on a career in the visual arts, Thomas is honing his printmaking skills and working on a collection of collagraphs, monoprints, and etchings.
Kiichi Takeuchi
Ceramic artist Kiichi Takeuchi has been working in computer science for 25 years and made many apps in his career. Raised in Tokyo, he completed his college education in the United States. He met an instructor/ceramicist, Johnna Woods, at Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus and in 2021, learned the introduction of hand building and wheel throwing from her. In early 2022, he took private classes with Min Choi at Clay Space Brooklyn where he progressed to an intermediate level of wheel throwing. He has continued perfecting the artform and will have works on display this weekend.
In addition to the local artists, other stops on the Potters’ Path tour will feature artists Hayne Bayless, Louise Harter, Mike Perham, Pascal Chmelar, Trevor Youngberg, Zach Dunn, Barbara J. Allen, Brenton Duhan, Greg Cochenet, Deborah Heid, and Andrea Dove.
Works by the late artist Chris Durante who had a frame shop in Danbury and taught at Norwalk Community College will be for sale at Kara's studio. He said proceeds from those sales will go to a scholarship fund for the college."He has been an incredible mentor to many and well known by all the area artists," Kara said.
For more information about Frank Kara’s open studio this weekend at 32 Dittmar Road, email frank@karakupottery.com
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