Lin Barnhardt
Lin Barnhardt creates works of art with clay that aren’t your normal pottery, His use of clay, which allows him to mold such details in his buildings and canvases like shakes, roof lines, lights, and window and door detail, is why his 3D works of art are so highly sought after. Seeing pictures of his work really doesn’t do it justice. You have to see it in person to get an actual feel for the detail and design. It’s as if someone has taken a picture of the location and then pressed it into an enchanting 3D landscape. Lin graduated from Appalachian State University, Boone, NC in 1974 with a BS degree in art education. Undergraduate concentrations were in painting and printmaking. He later attended graduate school at Appalachian obtaining an MA degree. Lin Barnhardt has taught art at the secondary level in the public schools of North Carolina including ten years at Apex Senior High, Apex, and two years at A.L. Brown High, Kannapolis. He served as a faculty member at Mt. Pleasant Middle School, Mt. Pleasant NC from 1988-2006. In May of 1997 Lin Barnhardt began his current approach of incorporating his interests in architecture, sculpture, and painting into one art form. Moose Drug Store, a local icon in downtown Mt. Pleasant, became the subject for his first clay reconstruction. He received a Regional Project Grant from the Arts Council in 1998. The project centered on churches of Charleston with the series titled - Bird Sanctuaries Lin Barnhardt and his work later met the approval of the Piedmont Craftsmen selection committee. He juried into the organization in 1999. After receiving local recognition Barnhardt began entering competitions at the national level. In 2000 his work was accepted into ten exhibitions including "Feats of Clay" in Lincoln, CA.
With the recommendation of Piedmont Craftsmen, the North Carolina Arts Council
selected Barnhardt in 2001 along with three other artists from the state to
design/create an ornament for the White House. The "J.W. Cannon House" miniature
was chosen by the White House staff to be featured on HGTV's Christmas special
hosted by Joy Philbin. The film crew spent eight hours filming The year 2002 brought new direction for Barnhardt's work as he partnered with two of his favorite artists/friends Elsie Popkin and Ginger Spangler on collaborative pieces. To be included in the show "Capehart and Former Students" with retired professor Noyes Long was another highlight. Having long admired the work of Edward Hopper, Barnhardt began to formulate plans for a new series attributed to subjects once painted by the noted American artist. Numerous letters of inquiry were sent to chambers of commerce, historical societies, and local art groups in search of existing structures. "Edward Hopper's Childhood Home" located in Nyack, NY was an appropriate stop during a trip to New England. Homage to Hopper was endorsed by the Arts Council in 2003 and awarded funding. Four of the initial tributes included collaborations with Clara Couch, Debra Fritts, and Chuck and Andrea Kennington. Barnhardt retired from his teaching position in January 2006. Within weeks he was hired as Visual Arts Director for the Cabarrus Arts Council where he manages the Arts Council Galleries - Historic Cabarrus Courthouse in downtown Concord. In 2008, Barnhardt began to explore and develop wall relief sculptures. This new genre consisted of "Home Fronts" concentrating on single architectural facades, and "Streetscapes" comparing and contrasting neighboring units. The approach allowed for a combination of front/side views of structures, as well as the proportioning of adjacent buildings. Lin Barnhardt pottery is definitely not what you would expect when you think of typical Seagrove Pottery, but it’s like a breath of creative fresh air to have an artist of this caliber mold and shape clay into these beautiful creations. Lin has pieces currently for sale and does take commission work as well. His progressive designs and imagination in creating these timeless architectural pieces have inspired us all. Back to Seagrove Area Potteries Lin Barnhardt Online
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utilitarian
ware or design. Lin creates intricately detailed models of homes and streetscapes for customers all over the world. The clay canvases and clay buildings
that he creates are incredibly accurate reproductions of some of the finest
architectural locations throughout the United States.
Barnhardt in his
studio/home for the two-minute segment.
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