Fired Works pottery exhibition features over 6,000 pieces

The 8th annual pottery exhibition and sale came to Macon to host the “Fired Works” exhibit.
Fired Works, the South’s largest pottery exhibition and sale, lasted nine days from April 13-21 was located in the Round Building in Central City Park.
Other special events took place, such as “Clay in the Classroom” workshops, “Pickin’ & Pottery”, “Cocktails and Clay”, clay workshops for children and teens and many more.
A special preview party was held on Friday, April 12 with food and live music.
The exhibit featured over 6,000 pottery pieces, along with their artists and the inspiration behind their creations.
At least 50 artists attended the event with their work, many of whom came from areas around Georgia.
Some of these cities include Farmington, Bishop, Waleska, Tucker, Barnesville and Marietta.
This event brought new artists, as well as tourists, to the area.
Two of the artists in attendance were Boyce and Cameron Covert.
“This is the eighth year that I’ve been a part of this event, and I love being able to participate in the community,” said Boyce Covert.
“Displaying my work and being able to spend time with friends is always a joy.”
A resident of North Carolina, Connie Haynie, heard about the event in Athens and decided to travel to Macon in order to witness the exhibit for herself.
She said the number of pieces was a major difference that sets this event apart from others.
While most of the artists had previously participated in this event, 20 new artists participated for the first time, including Juana Gnecco of Athens, Roger Jamison of Juliette and Barry Gregg of Decatur.
Heather Wakefield, the Fired Works curator, said the event brings artists from all over the state to Central Georgia to see a variety of pieces that have all been made into something special, considering each piece came from the same material.
She also went on to say that each year the exhibit grows larger, with this year being the largest to date.
Wakefield is a former student of Cameron Covert.
Covert has taught ceramics at the University of West Georgia for 35 years in Carrollton, Ga.
“By participating in this event it allows me to see other works of clay and meet new people,” said Covert.
Jan Beeland, the Executive Director of the Macon Arts Alliance, said she’s extremely thrilled to have this event take place in Macon, and this has been the biggest event yet.
The purpose of Fired Works is to offer a platform for artists and to promote the rich history of pottery in Central Georgia.
Fired Works is a program of Macon Arts Alliance and is supported by numerous sponsors and community partners.
To learn more about the annual Fired Works event, visit http://www.firedworksmacon.com.