Friend, Artist, Potter, Promoter, Visionary.
No man did more to define the famous "Seagrove Area Potteries" or to nurture the traditional arts and crafts in the heart of North Carolina than Richard Gillson. His personal mission was to promote the Seagrove pottery tradition and create the most inclusive, creative, open, democratic, consistent and accessible organization in the Seagrove area.
Richard was optimistic that his final crusade would see the 26-year-old Museum of North Carolina Traditional Pottery finally established in a permanent home -- a new Information Center/ Educational Center/ Museum, "All inclusive Site," in downtown Seagrove at the old historic Seagrove grocery store building. The new museum facility would tell the story of the pottery tradition in the five-county Seagrove area, which includes Randolph, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, and Chatham counties. This area is currently home to the largest group of working potters in the nation, and is rich in North Carolina's pottery heritage that has continued in Seagrove for over 200 years.
This new and modern facility, transformed from the old downtown grocery store building, would enable the Museum to continue it's mission - to preserve and perpetuate the pottery tradition of the Seagrove area; to educate new generations about the simple and elegant beauty of Seagrove traditional pottery; and to serve as an information center to help the public discover over one hundred Seagrove area working shops and galleries.
The Museum is in the process of developing a large showcase of area pottery that represents the various styles and forms available in the area's pottery shops. Unfortunately, the old grocery store is in need of critical and urgent repairs. Richard was there with his customary hands-on approach.
It was there that Richard determined to see the dream of a lifetime made tangible.
It was there that Richard climbed a ladder to determine why the heat would not work.
It was there that Richard suffered a fall from that ladder which lead to his untimely death.
It is there that Richard's dream remains alive.
Richard Was A Friend.
Through his mother's family in England, Richard descended from a 400-year pottery tradition. He knew many of the greatest names in North Carolina pottery during the 20th century, and legendary North Carolina potter, Nell Cole Graves, thought so highly of him that she left him her entire interest in the J.B. Cole Pottery.
Richard chose the path of service to others. Often at great personal sacrifice, his goal was to help the potters of the Seagrove area. Many of his friends wondered how, or why, he would sacrifice so much of his time at such great personal expense. That was Richard -- a great man, a close friend to many, who was determined to promote the pottery community he loved so dearly.
Richard Was An Artist And Potter.
Richard was an accomplished potter in his own right. His studio, Holly Hill Pottery, is one of the largest that ever existed in the Seagrove area. Over the years, Richard poured more and more energy into promoting the pottery community, often to the detriment of his own business interests. That is the kind of passion and yearning he had to finally realize a 30-year-old dream -- to establish a permanent home in Seagrove by creating a pottery museum and information center.
Richard Was A Promoter.
Richard Gillson was one of the original founders of the Museum of North Carolina Traditional Pottery, and 26 years ago, he created the now famous Seagrove Pottery Festival. The annual November festival continues to be a high quality, "invitation only" display of the area's finest potters and crafts people, and has been named "One of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast" by the Southeast Tourism Society.
Under Richard's leadership, the museum helped start the N.C. Pottery Center by donating nine acres of valuable commercial real estate, a large house, historic pottery, financial support and staffing to the Center over a period of many years.
Richard Was A Visionary.
Recently, Richard had embarked on his most ambitious crusade ever - to create a permanent home for the Museum of North Carolina Traditional Pottery in Seagrove. In 2005, under Richard's leadership, the Museum purchased a historic old grocery store with high visibility and plenty of parking on Potters Highway in Seagrove. It was there that he determined to see the dream of a lifetime made tangible.
The new Museum, headquartered in downtown Seagrove, will present opportunities to create even more experiences that are educational for visitors. The thousands of school children and others who will pass through the Museum's doors each year will have a chance to learn about and enjoy the simple, elegant, and functional beauty of 200 years of traditional pottery through displays and by watching visiting artisans demonstrate their skills. In a time when so many things are made by machines, the Museum wants people to know how potters today use their hands to form vessels of clay just as their families have done for generations.
A Tribute To Richard Gillson -- The Museum Needs Your Help.
The Museum is presently working out of the front portion of the facility, which has been newly painted and carpeted. Each of our hundred plus Seagrove area potters has been invited to display their pottery, which will educate and inform the public about the various styles of Seagrove pottery and the Museum will serve as a guide to area galleries.
Richard did a lot for the arts before died. He brought to every challenge that he ever tackled the enthusiasm of a true believer. He was convinced that generous people would support any good idea for which people are willing to work hard. The goal is within reach, but much needs to be done.
Repairs and upgrades to this important Museum facility are urgently needed.
Support us today as we prepare to transform our new building into a home where the world can see, enjoy, and learn about traditional North Carolina pottery. Help us preserve a craft, a way of life, and a community's history for future generations. Most importantly, help us build upon the 30-year-old foundation laid by our friend Richard, an artist and potter, a promoter and visionary.
Please give your tax-deductible donation to ensure that his dreams and visions remain alive. The Museum of North Carolina Traditional Pottery, is a non-profit entity organized under Internal Revenue Code §501c (3), therefore all gifts are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
Donate Now. Together, We Can Keep Richard's Dream Alive.
Use the paypal button above to donate via any major credit card. Donations may also be mailed to Museum of NC Traditional Pottery, P.O. Box 500, Seagrove, NC 27341. The Museum office can be reached at 336-873-7887 and is open Monday through Saturday from 10AM to 3:30 PM.