The Steffen Thomas Museum of Art is delighted to announce the installation of a new, highly anticipated temporary exhibit: “North Carolina Living Treasures 2009: Cynthia Bringle and Norm Schulman.” Founded in 1987 by Dr. Gerald Shinn, Professor Emeritus from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, the North Carolina Living Treasures award is presented biannually to celebrate the talents of professional North Carolina artists.

This year’s recipients boast distinguished careers in the art of pottery. Cynthia Bringle has earned worldwide recognition as a highly accomplished potter and ceramics teacher. She studied painting and pottery at the Memphis Academy of Art, where she earned a BFA and a MFA from Alfred University in New York.

Bringle lives in Penland, N.C., where she conducts workshops and classes at the Penland School of Crafts. She also teaches courses and conducts seminars at Arrowmount, Haystack and other institutions. The recipient of numerous awards, including the NC Award for Fine Art and Fellow of the American Craft Council, her work is included in private and public collections throughout the world.

Norm Schulman has worked as a master ceramist and teacher for over five decades. He received a BS in art from New York University, and an MFA in ceramics from Alfred University. He served as Professor and Head of Ceramics and Glass at Rhode Island School of Design and Head of Ceramics at Ohio State University.

Schulman’s works are featured in many private and public collections including the Smithsonian, American Craft Museum and Museum of Art and Design in New York.

The current traveling exhibit of 118 works by the 2009 award recipients was first displayed at the UNCW Art Gallery in Wilmington, N.C. last January. STMA received the pottery from the Fayetteville Museum of Art this month, where Hathia and Andrew Hayes installed it. The display, which also features ceramic sculpture by Steffen Thomas, continues through Saturday, Sept. 12. A special celebration reception for this exhibit will be held at the museum on Saturday, August 29th at 5:30 PM in conjunction with the STMA Annual Meeting.

The Steffen Thomas Museum, located at 4200 Bethany Road in Buckhead, is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. For more information and directions, please call (706) 342-7557 or visit www.steffenthomas.org.