Jim Sockwell
James (Jim) Sockwell | |
|---|---|
 Sockwell in 2013 | |
| Born | James Alexander Sockwell[1] April 20, 1942 Tuscumbia, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | September 1, 2026 (aged 84) |
| Education | Middle Tennessee State University |
| Years active | 1965–2025 |
| Known for | Ceramics, Marquetry |
| Spouse |
Sheilah Sockwell (m. 1962) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Juried member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild |
Jim Sockwell (April 20, 1942 – September 1, 2026) was an American pottery and marquetry craftsman who spent most of his adult life in Spruce Pine, North Carolina.[3] Sockwell was 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, North Carolina, and opened a pottery studio in Gillespie Gap, North Carolina.[4]
Career
[edit]Ceramic Period: 1965–1978
[edit]Sockwell's Ceramic Period (1965–1978) is characterized by Asian-inspired design 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: 2005–2025
[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]Death
[edit]Sockwell died September 1, 2026, at the age of 84.[7]
References
[edit]
- ↑ McGee, Donna. "The Marks Project." Last modified March 29, 2022. http://www.themarksproject.org/marks/sockwell
- ↑ James “Jim” Alexander 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.
- ↑ "Blue Ridge Parkway". docsouth.unc.edu. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
- ↑ "Jim Sockwell". Piedmont Craftsmen. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
- ↑ "James "Jim" Alexander Sockwell". Sossoman Funeral Home. Retrieved 8 September 2026.