Gardner-Webb art major Brad Lail, who is traveling in China, runs into a group from Randolph County, N.C., including Dwight Holland. (I've written about Lail's China trip previously.)
An extraordinary person (as Lail discovers in meeting him), Holland has long been a leader in the arts community in Randolph County. I found some bio info:
An extraordinary person (as Lail discovers in meeting him), Holland has long been a leader in the arts community in Randolph County. I found some bio info:
Dwight M. Holland (Guest of Honor) was a primary mover to bring art to the Asheboro area schools many years ago by becoming the first art teacher in their schools. Mr. Holland was also instrumental in establishing the Mooring Art Center in Asheboro which hosts the annual North Carolina Potter's Conference. Retired from a career as Curator of Design and Planner of the North Carolina Zoological Park, Mr. Holland returned to the Zoo as Interim Director for a year. He continues working during retirement by being involved with many national consultations on artificial habitats. His recent project is the artificial rock outcropping in front of Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh.
In 1998, Mr. Holland approached the East Carolina University School of Art and Design for the purpose of donating his extensive collection of pottery and contemporary ceramics. His interest is to provide a "hands-on" experience to others with ceramic works that are ordinarily placed in "untouchable" museum collections. In addition to the ceramics works, accompanying transcript interviews and audiotapes of thirteen Seagrove potters are available for research purposes. Since East Carolina University School of Art and Design has a large studio ceramics program within North Carolina, the Dwight M. Holland Ceramics Teaching Collection is under development and is housed in Jenkins Fine Arts Center at ECU.
