Jim Sockwell
James (Jim) Sockwell | |
|---|---|
 Sockwell in 2013 | |
| Born | James Alexander Sockwell[1] April 20, 1942 |
| Education | Middle Tennessee State University |
| Years active | 1965– |
| Known for | Ceramics, Marquetry |
| Spouse |
Sheilah Sockwell (m. 1962) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Juried member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild |
Jim Sockwell (born April 20, 1942) is an American pottery and marquetry craftsman who spent most of his adult life in Spruce Pine, NC.[2] Sockwell is a juried member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild in both disciplines.
Early life
[edit]Sockwell studied art at Middle Tennessee State University. Afterwards, he owned and operated Tanglewood Pottery in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. In 1972, he moved his family to Spruce Pine, NC and opened a pottery studio in Gillespie Gap, North Carolina. [3]
Career
[edit]Ceramic Period: 1965–1978
[edit]Sockwell's Ceramic Period (1965–1978) is characterized by Asian-inspired design[4] and live demonstrations in Gillespie Gap, North Carolina.[5] He specialized in functional stoneware pottery that was fired in a reduction atmosphere. His pieces were hand-signed "Sockwell" that may also include a date.
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Marquetry Period: 2005 –
[edit]Sockwell's marquetry period started after retirement from surveying. He used exotic and native wood veneer to make realistic scenes. The woods were almost exclusively their natural color, but in select instances Sockwell would use wood that had been dyed. The wood grain was carefully incorporated into the design. [6]
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Artistic legacy
[edit]Sockwell art is routinely sold on ebay and etsy.
References
[edit]
- ^ McGee, Donna. "The Marks Project." Last modified March 29, 2022. http://www.themarksproject.org/marks/sockwell
- ^ https://www.themarksproject.org/marks/sockwell |language=en
- ^ Marquetarians of the Carolinas https://www.carolinamarquetry.com/member-profile-jim-sockwell/#:~:text=Jim%20has%20been%20a%20master,on%20the%20Blue%20Ridge%20Parkway.
- ^ URL = https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/jim-sockwell-north-carolina-studio-485871534
- ^ "Blue Ridge Parkway". docsouth.unc.edu. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
- ^ "Jim Sockwell". Piedmont Craftsmen. Retrieved 6 February 2025.