Penland Pottery Pilgrimage

Field Trip to Penland School of Craft

November 21, 2026

Julie Wiggins

Ceramic artist Julie Wiggins holds a BFA from East Carolina University and an honorary degree from China’s Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute. Recognized with Our State Magazine’s NC Best in Craft and Best in Show at the Mint Museum Potters’ Market, her work is in the Mint’s permanent collection. A nationwide instructor, Wiggins operates her studio in Bakersville, NC

Julie Wiggins makes porcelain pots for the home in Bakersville, NC. She is a flower lover, beauty hunter, explorer of things that make your heart sing.

https://juliewigginspottery.com/pages/about

Penland School 

of Craft

Explore Penland’s historic campus nestled in the mountains and learn about its century-old tradition of fostering creativity and innovation in the craft world.

We will visit the Penland Gallery and explore the ceramic studio.

https://penland.org/

A foundational figure in the studio craft movement, Penland-based ceramic artist Cynthia Bringle is an American Craft Council Fellow and North Carolina Living Treasure. Known for her functional stoneware, her work is housed in major collections including the Smithsonian and Mint Museum. In 2024, TACS featured her ceramics alongside textile work by her twin sister, Edwina, in Bringle: A Tale of Two Makers, held in conjunction with the documentary film premiere at the Tryon International Film Festival.

https://www.cynthiabringlepottery.com/contact-page

Teresa Pietsch creates one-of-a-kind, functional pottery decorated with images from the natural world around her. She uses several processes to decorate each piece including a mono-print slip transfer method.

Teresa grew up in Washington State and graduated from Seattle Pacific University. She began working in clay at West Point Grey Community Studio in Vancouver, BC and at Claymakers Community Studio in Durham, NC. In 2010 she started as a full time studio potter as a resident artist at the EnergyXchange in Burnsville, NC. In the fall of 2013 she set up her own studio near Penland, NC.

https://www.teresapietsch.com/

Michael Kline is a prominent Bakersville, NC–based studio potter known for soda-glazed and wood-fired utilitarian ceramics. After earning his BFA from the University of Tennessee and completing a residency at the Penland School of Craft (1998–2001), Kline developed a signature style combining Southern stoneware traditions with Korean sanggam inlay and botanical motifs. A national educator, author, and featured artist on PBS’s Craft in America, Kline exhibited at TACS in 2025 alongside Crista Cammaroto’s Terra Forma exhibition.

https://www.klinepottery.com/

Itinerary

Meet at TACS Parking lot at 8:00

10:30 – 11:30am: Julie Wiggins

12 – 1pm: Lunch at Penland Gallery

1:30 – 2:30pm: Cynthia Bringle

3 – 4pm: Teresa Pietsch

4:30 – 5:30pm: Michael Kline

6pm: Departure

8pm: Arrive at TACS

Lunch Orders

Lunch is included in your registration package. Each will include a sandwich, side, and water. Please select a sandwich and side below. Email your orders to: administrator@tryonartsandcrafts.org.

*For complete descriptions, visit https://katiedsbagelsanddeli.com/

Sandwiches (Choose 1):

1. Italian Hero
2. Katie’s Wise Guy
3. Veggie Wrap
4. Chicken Salad Wrap

Sides (Choose 1): 

1. Potato Salad
2. Macaroni Salad
3. Cole Slaw
4. Dill Pickle Slice

Reservations

Secure your spot on this unforgettable journey by reserving your seat today. Simply click the link below to make your payment and confirm your participation in this exclusive field trip.

RESERVE