Bartow Artists Honored at Annual Rose Lawn Festival

CARTERSVILLE, GA -- Seven artists were chosen as winners among a field of 150 vendors at the 42nd Annual Arts Festival at Rose Lawn held Sept. 16 in Cartersville. A total purse of $1,000 was awarded, with three Bartow County artists taking home honors.

Serving as judges for the festival were Durinda Cheek of north Georgia and Regina Hines of Ball Ground.

“I was very impressed with the quality of the participants, which made the final decisions of awards most difficult," Cheek said.

Emerson artists Ronnie and Brhonda Payne were chosen as Best in Show for their handcrafted pottery.

“The Lord has blessed Brhonda and I with what he has allowed us to do,” Ronnie said of Saturday’s honor.

The Paynes have been commended previously at the festival, winning Rose Lawn Best in Show in 2007, first place in 2012 and garnering a second place win in 2016.

“The fact that Ronnie and Brhonda have been reviewed by many different judges, yet have taken home four awards since they first exhibited at Rose Lawn in 2002, is a confirmation of their craft,” said Rose Lawn Director Jane Drew.

Ronnie was first introduced to pottery by Cass High School art teacher Bill Amos in 1977.

“This is when I knew I wanted to learn to make pottery,” Payne said. Twenty years later he began to realize his dream with a four-year apprenticeship with potter Ron Cooper, while “working nights and spending about six to seven hours a day at Cooper’s shop.”

Payne Pottery opened in 2001. The husband and wife team work closely together in the shop; Ronnie turning pieces, and Brhonda decorating them with sculpted flowers or scenes creating story jars or jugs. In addition, Brhonda builds roosters, face jugs, makes mice and pottery pendants (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

Payne Pottery is a working studio open to the public at 97 Old Old Alabama Rd SE in Emerson. Select pieces are also available for purchase at the Bartow History Museum in downtown Cartersville. The pottery studio will hold its annual Christmas Open House from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m the first three Saturdays in December. Be sure to visit Payne Pottery's website for more information.

Local woodturner Drew Oxford of Cartersville received third place in Heritage Crafts. Oxford was also honored at Rose Lawn with a first place win in 2016 and a second place honor in 2015.

“Anytime you win an award in the company of so many talented artists it means something,” said Oxford, who has his sights set on Best in Show. “I’ve taken home three awards in four years exhibiting at Rose Lawn and these were all awarded by different judges; so, I am hoping that Best in Show will come.”

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Oxford credits a neighbor who helped him create a simple gift for a girl who later became his wife.

“I was hooked,” He added.

From there he turned to YouTube videos posted by talented woodworkers to teach himself, “starting small, but growing every year.”

At arts and crafts festivals, Oxford only exhibits his woodturning; but his workshop is filled with many other woodcraft products and special orders from furniture to accessories. Visit OxInTheShop.com for more information and a schedule of upcoming festivals where Oxford is exhibiting.

Additional winners in Heritage Crafts were:

• First place: Robert W. Freeman of Lawrenceville for his ammunition art.
• Second place for Tim Byess of Waleska for horseshoe art.

Fine Arts winners were:

• First place: Alan Young of Ellijay, wildlife paintings;
• Second place: Anne Wing of Acworth, jewelry; and Anita Foster of Dallas, also jewelry.

The Arts Festival at Rose Lawn was hosted by Bartow County Government, and sponsored by the Cartersville-Bartow County Convention & Visitors Bureau. The 2018 dates are Sept. 15-16, but if you want to visit the Rose Lawn sooner than that, its spring festival, May Market at Rose Lawn, will be held May 5-6, 2018. Admission is free, and artists may learn more about the events at www.roselawnmuseum.com.

Photo 1: from left to right are Ronnie Payne, Brhonda Payne and Jane Drew, Rose Lawn director.

Photo 2: Drew Oxford, left, with presenter Michele Sim

Photo credits: Rose Lawn Museum