Local artist Mary Bennett has recently received the N.C. Arts Council Artist Support Grant to bring to life an original sculpture, permanently displayed in the Cowee School Garden Courtyard. Bennett, a self-taught mosaic artist, has only begun sculpture work this year.
“The N.C. Arts Council Supporting Artist Support Grants are for artists seeking to expand their creative endeavors and professional career,” explained Bennett. “The grant provided the means for me to create a large outdoor mosaic sculpture at the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center.”
She considers the grant award a “very significant step” in her career as an artist. She was one of six artists from Region 18 (Clay, Cherokee, Graham, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties) to receive an amount ranging from $500 to $1,000.
Before becoming a full-time artist, Bennett’s background included horticultural therapy and agricultural education.
“I taught horticulture, college prep, and career readiness courses at Jackson and Macon County schools and at Southwestern Community College,” she said. “I have always enjoyed drawing, painting, sewing, and love to delve into different mediums such as natural henna body art, and even up-cycling vintage furniture. Painting has been a key focus for a long time.”
Although she is currently teaching art classes at Full Spectrum Farms in Cullowhee, she noted, “Art is my profession now, being retired allows me to commit more time to create and explore artistic endeavors. In fact, it is due to the Artist Support Grant that it has been possible for me to explore a new form of mosaic work and add it to my body of work.”
She explained that before attempting the sculpture, her artwork filled the walls of her home studio.
“I have designed with cement mortar and various ceramic tiles, broken pottery, and vintage ornaments on the foundation wall of our house.”
Bennett shared how her artwork has given her a chance to form unique relationships with people.
“Friends heard about my mosaic wall art and began saving pieces of broken pottery to give to me for my designs. When people give me a broken mug handle from an overseas vacation souvenir or a plate from their wedding dinner set, they share a bit of their personal history, and I can preserve it.”
Bennett’s artistic focus is not only a valuable connection to those around her, but something personally important – a true passion.
“Mosaic artistry allows me to be creative in the medium and to explore designing outdoor spaces with unique forms and colors … make a lasting decorative piece of art that encapsulates my vision of repurposing ceramic waste, while preserving the small broken bits of daily life and the tiny stories of a community,”
The grant has allowed Bennett to bring to life her 3D sculpture of a woman, whom she describes as “born of nature, a protector of the woodlands, the rivers and wildlife. She is strong and wise, she is in motion, and she is looking ahead.”
Bennett has named her sculpture “Helen Agnes,” after her mother and her aunt. She used carefully selected porcelain ornaments, gifted seashells, ornate china plates, salvaged tiles, and many fragments of past Cowee School pottery creations to create the colorful outfit that decorates the sculpture. Bennett’s favorite additions to the decoration of her sculpture are the unique leaves that travel down the dress.
She is honored and grateful for being selected to receive the grant. “This project provided a wonderful opportunity to advance my development as a working artist. The grant allowed my idea to become a tangible sculpture. Without the funding I would not have been able to purchase all the construction materials required.”
The public can view her sculpture at its permanent display in the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center Garden Courtyard. A demonstration and a public opportunity to join Mary Bennett in a collaborative mosaic wall project is planned for August. More details will be provided on the www.coweeschool.org site.