2022 Spring Newsletter

SPRING

EXHIBITIONS | EVENTS | EDUCATION | ARTIST SERVICES

2022

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Northern Clay Center

NEWS & UPDATES

News & Updates

STAFF Please welcome staff members who joined us in autumn of 2021: • Building Maintenance Technician, Iris Smith, began on 09.27.2021 • Gallery Artist Liaison, Victor Sánchez, began on 10.14.21 • Sales Gallery Manager, Rachel Nusbaum, began on 10.18.21 • Sales Gallery Coordinator, Maria Hennen, began on 10.24.2021

FACILITIES In the near future, NCC will have two new lighting fixtures installed on the exterior of the facility to replace old and inconsistently functioning lights.

While somewhat unanticipated, this will provide better lighting in both the main parking lot and back parking lot.

STUDIO PROGRAM At the beginning of 2022, the Activity Measures Program will be reintroduced with a 9-month tracking timeline. The purpose of this program is to project the ability for each studio artist to adjust the individual categories and the aggregate total to their non-pandemic tracking timeline.

ARTIST SERVICES The 2021 Emerging Artist Residents moved in and have been quite busy in their studios. Jason Wang has been making forms similar to those from his application and working to create a new palette for surface treatments.

Persis Wade has been focusing her

efforts on a body of work that is a scaled down iteration of work from her final exhibition during undergrad. Joel Willson has been working to continue refining his forms while maintaining similar surface and firing techniques.

2021 BISQUE recipient, Zoe Kaplan, moved into their studio at the beginning of October and has continued to settle in to both the space and the community at NCC. Already taking advantage of the resources available from the community, and preparing to utilize those provided through their specific program, Kaplan is making strong headway to further explore and develop their work.

We are pleased to announce 2022 as the inaugural year of NCC’s BIPOC Residency Program. In an effort to promote both NCC, and more specifically the Artist Services programs, a small cohort of NCC staff will attend the resource table at the in-person NCECA event in Sacramento, CA during the month of March 2022.

EDUCATION Our latest safety policy, NCC’s COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate, has been received by the student community in an overwhelmingly positive way, and our system for collecting proof of vaccination information or exemptions has worked effectively.

Follow-ups have been necessary, but our communications were effective as all students arriving for classes were prepared for the new mandate.

The MN NICE 2021 - 2022 cohort is in full swing and has begun working in their studios as well as anticipating

upcoming events such as a private sodafiring workshop with MN NICE alumna, Clarice Allgood.

Adam Chau led a free virtual event for youth, called “Love Your Self(ie)” which reflected on themes from his exhibition, MESSENGER: a 21st century love letter.

During this one-hour workshop, Chau discussed self-portraiture through the ages and led a hands-on demonstration to create a selfie on a porcelain tile.

Students left with a bit of history and a whole lot of ideas relating to how we present ourselves in digital spaces.

We reached out to several partner organizations, including Kulture Klub, classrooms from school partnerships, and new organizations such as Juxtaposition Arts, as well as our students from our Teen Wheel program to invite youth from these communities to participate in the event.

OUTREACH This past November, NCC coordinated large school residencies with both Justice Page Middle School and Keewaydin Elementary. Over the 2021 - 2022 school year NCC will spend five hours with each class of 4th and 5th graders at Keewaydin Elementary. This fall, NCC is working with more than 500 middle schoolers at Justice Page, providing five hours of residency with every regular art class and materials support for the arts mural classes.

Bethune Arts Elementary has asked NCC to add more after-school classes in addition to those we already have scheduled, and will continue to work with teaching artist, Susan Obermeyer.

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Northern Clay Center

NEWS & UPDATES

Adoptee Bridge, a mentorship group NCC has worked with since 2018, had a onetime workshop with teaching artist Abigail Cooper where mentors and mentees worked together on a clay project.

The free Holiday Open House Virtual Workshop had 37 people attend the class live on Zoom. Those who didn’t attend live were still able to participate via access to the class recording and complete their artwork.

NCC ran a residency with the full 9th grade class (140 students) at FAIR School in downtown Minneapolis.

This residency occurred with visiting exhibitions artist Sharbani Das Gupta and local teaching artist Abigail Cooper. They focused on ecology and environmental impacts/changes that can be wrought by water and humankind.

Students observed clay landscapes as water was added to the environments and recorded the process through a stop-motion program to create a timelapse of the interaction.

We had two workshops with People's Center Dentistry as a part of their Pediatrics Friday initiatives. Before or after their dentist's appointment, kids were invited to create a unique project in clay with a teaching artist’s guidance.

Tours have begun again, though under slightly different, and highly structured circumstances. To allow larger groups into the building, NCC requires visitors to observe our education program vaccination protocols. Groups of no more than eight people at a time are moving throughout the building in a given space. The largest group we can

accommodate at present is 24 people, in three groups of eight in various locations throughout the building.

NCC hosted Art Educator Weekend workshops with both virtual and in-person opportunities to learn and grow as an arts community. This was the sixth year of these dedicated workshops which have been supported by the Minnesota State Arts Board and Aroha Philanthropies.

SALES GALLERY For the holiday season, the gallery was open seven days a week from 10 am – 5 pm. Visitors were still limited to four at a time, masks were still required at all times, and contact tracing forms were no longer required, except for special events. We will continue to monitor case numbers in the community in hopes that we will not have to limit guests again or close completely.

Our annual Holiday Open House was a success! We had all timed-entry spots fill so we could welcome our safe limit of guests on that day. The MN NICE Graduates held a small ceremony in the space at the end of the event.

We photographed and added over 800 pots onto the website for holiday shopping for our virtual guests.

The sales gallery participated in The Ceramics Congress, a virtual international conference, with even more new pots online and 24-hour access to several staff members for questions throughout the event. Thank you to

all who joined the event for valuable lectures and introductions to ceramic artists from around the world!

EXHIBITIONS Several exhibitions were able to accommodate in-person visits by exhibiting artists for lectures and workshops, and all originally-scheduled lectures and panels took place as paid opportunities for the artists either virtually or in person. In addition, all exhibitions were documented through a virtual 3D tour experience and will remain available as entertainment or teaching tools on our website.

The Artist Advisory Committee met virtually to plan the exhibitions cycle for 2022 and 2023.

More artworks were included online for sale to our virtual guests, and sales increased to pre-pandemic levels.

TECHNOLOGY We are reformatting the way that our secondary market sales are presented on the website to help buyers and donors understand what the program is, what it benefits, and how to participate.

We are adding content in artist bios, specifically teaching artists.

We created new events calendars using Google Calendars to streamline adding important public dates.

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Northern Clay Center

EXHIBITIONS

Memento Mori On view March 4 – April 16, 2022 Curated by Heather Nameth Bren Main Gallery Virtual 3D Tour on view March 10, 2022 Free public opening reception tentatively planned for Friday, March 4, 6 – 8 pm

The Latin phrase, memento mori, translates to, “Remember that you must die.” The purpose of this exhibition is to explore how artists have responded to themes of death in the wake of a modern global pandemic. Throughout the ages, contemplating death has been a major theme in the arts. Although the concept of death is unpleasant, facing the inevitability of death has numerous benefits: to remind of the temporal nature of our human existence, to inspire moral resistance to earthly pleasures, and to appreciate vitality of life and fleeting beauty, while acknowledging the permanence of death.

Clay and ceramic art have inherent metaphors of life cycles in the material stages of clay from its formation from the earth and once living organic matter.

Artists in this exhibition include: Marisa Finos, Jeanne Quinn, Arun Sharma, and Dirk Staschke.

Marisa Finos earned a BFA in ceramics from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, and an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond. She currently resides in Providence, Rhode Island, where she is a ceramics instructor at The Steel Yard and The Artists’ Exchange (Cranston, RI). She was awarded the American Craft Council Emerging Voices Award (Shortlist Artist) in 2019, and the Capacity-Building Grant from Rhode Island State Council on the Arts in 2021. The work for Memento Mori will be created onsite in the gallery, and will culminate in a performative element on

the evening of the exhibition opening.

Of the work, Vessels, Finos states, “Clay is skin, flesh, and bone. It bruises, bends, and breaks. Like the body, it is constantly in flux, able to disintegrate into dust, or calcify into permanence. For me it is an extension of my body, and a means to explore both its fragility in life and what endures after death. Inspired by ancient and contemporary burial structures made to honor, protect, preserve, and guide the deceased to the afterlife, each vessel is hand-built coil by coil, following the parameters of my own body.”

Jeanne Quinn studied art history and baroque music performance at Oberlin College, Ohio, and earned her MFA in ceramics from the University of Washington, Seattle. Currently, she is a professor and chair of the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Quinn creates dynamic, evolving, and theatrical

installations that “attempt to remind us that everything is ephemeral” and uses ceramics as a medium to explore life.

Quinn states, “Ceramics is metamorphic.

Its properties transform miraculously from soft and infinitely malleable to immutable and unchanging. After taking on this permanence, however, it also acquires one quality that we try to suppress: it breaks. Ceramics is contradictory, simultaneously ineradicable and fragile.” A Thousand Tiny Deaths, one photo-documented work to be featured in this exhibition, shares a precarious installation with the goal of helping the viewer see that “we, like these objects, occupy time that is both charged and limited”.

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Northern Clay Center

EXHIBITIONS

Arun Sharma earned his BFA in ceramics and sculpture, with a minor in art history, from New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University; his MFA from University of Washington, Seattle; and his Master of Ceramics from the National Centre for Ceramic Studies, Cardiff School of Art & Design, in Wales.

He currently works as a studio artist in Summer Hill, New South Wales, Australia.

His mostly autobiographical work combines mediums, including ceramics and photography, and “reveals the truth about (his) nature, feelings, and thoughts” through fragmented figures and explores the notions of love, loss, hope, time, and the beauty of imperfection.

Vancouver, BC; New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University; and New York University. He currently maintains a studio practice and ongoing exhibition record. Staschke’s work responds to Dutch Golden Age Vanitas paintings and their exploration of the “futility of pleasure and the certainty of death.” He combines the controllable and static medium of painting with the unpredictability of glazed ceramic, knowing the firing process will permanently alter the work. “Invoking the impermanent in the enduring medium of ceramics becomes a hopeful act, and in some small way, futility gives way to optimism.”

Dirk Staschke earned a BFA from the University of Montevallo, Alabama and his MFA from New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. He has taught at notable universities, including Emily Carr University of Art + Design,

Beyond the exhibition of artworks, this theme allows for workshops that address art as therapy for individuals who have experienced loss and for those with terminal illness.

Related Events Memento Mori Panel Discussion Observe a remote panel featuring Memento Mori curator, Heather Nameth Bren, along with artists in the exhibition as they discuss their visual responses to the theme of memento mori, in the wake of a modern global pandemic.

X16: Virtual, Thursday, March 3, 6 pm CT Artist Talk: Marisa Finos Join Memento Mori exhibiting artist Marisa Finos for an in-person artist talk as she shares about her work and process. This event will take place in the exhibition space.

X17: In person, Saturday, March 5, 5 pm Artist Talk: Dirk Staschke Join Memento Mori exhibiting artist, Dirk Staschke, for a virtual presentation on his work and process.

X18: Virtual, Thursday, March 10, 6 pm CT

Images, previous page from left: My Heart Swells, Arun Sharma; Structure Of An Image, Dirk Staschke. This page, from left: Dust and a Shadow, Jeanne Quinn; Vessel IV (detail), Marisa Finos.

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Northern Clay Center

EXHIBITIONS

Fandom On view March 4 – April 16, 2022 Emily Galusha Gallery Virtual 3D Tour on view March 10, 2022 Free public opening reception tentatively planned for Friday, March 4, 6 – 8 pm

The concept of ‘fandoms’ has been with us for over 100 years, but since the early 2000s the idea has become part of mainstream culture. Fandoms span interests from bands to novels, sports teams to films, reality shows, role-playing games, and more—if you love it, there’s a community for you.

For many of us, ceramics is our primary fandom—we can even see more specific groups around individual artists as they sell out new collection drops in a matter of seconds, and as imitators of this work pop up around the web.

Fandom is an exhibition to ‘ship ceramics and fandoms of all types. It serves to take all our loves and bring them together into a beautiful mélange celebrating our collective nerdiness.

Here, we hope to bring new voices into the more formal setting of the gallery.

Participating artists include: Chris Burch, Lydia Ferwerda, Delvin (Del) M. Goode, John R. Hamilton III, Bri Larson, Ian Petrie, Stephen Phillips, and Avé Rivera.

Related Event Fandomonium Join Fandom artists for a unique take on a traditional artist panel—a roleplaying game simulation. Panelists will participate as characters travelling through a fantasy virtual tabletop game board while answering questions about their work and process, and encountering some fantastical circumstances along the way.

X19: Virtual, Thursday, April 7, 6 pm CT FREE

Images, clockwise from top left: Powerpuff Girls, John R. Hamilton III; White Tree Mug, Lydia Ferwerda; “I Couldn’t Care Less” Lunch Plate, Ian Petrie; Tumble Dice Mug, Bri Larson.

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Northern Clay Center

NCECA 2022 March 16 – 19

NCC’s sales gallery, exhibition, and education departments will participate in Fertile Ground, the 56th annual conference held in Sacramento, CA by the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). The conference will take place March 16 – 19 as a hybrid event.

During the four-day conference, NCC will offer the work of local, sales gallery, and 2022 American Pottery Festival artists through our online gallery. In our third year of embracing the virtual aspects of the conference, we look forward to building the relationships with artists and ceramic appreciators that keep NCC vital and expand our community.

During the event, our current plan is to promote our grant and residency programs for current students, emerging artists, and mid-career artists in person at the conference. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, interact with staff, and receive valuable information about the myriad opportunities NCC has for artists at all career stages.

If you are attending the conference online this year, please visit our website and social media profiles to say hello, enjoy new work, learn about opportunities, and maybe even add to your collection! If you are able to attend in person, please stop by our resource table to introduce yourself and say hello!

Images, clockwise from top left: NICE!, Delvin (Del) M. Goode; Ain’t Nothing Like Whiskey Decanter Set, Stephen Phillips; Fallout Mug, Chris Burch; Speak With Plants, Avé Rivera.

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Northern Clay Center

EXHIBITIONS

Members Exhibition On view April 29 – June 19 Main Gallery Virtual 3D Tour on view May 5, 2022 Free public opening reception tentatively planned for Friday, April 29, 6 – 8 pm

In the summer of 2022, NCC will once again turn its exhibition spotlight on our incredibly talented members (comprising students, educators, professional artists, and novices) with a juried exhibition. Membership is the only requirement for application. Unlike any members exhibition in our history, this iteration promises to engage the audience with a glimpse into the multitude of possibilities when we lend our collective creative voices to the experience of isolation, challenge, pain, hope, and triumph.

This year, NCC will have a juried inperson exhibition in each gallery featuring work by selected member-

artists. All submitted work will be included in an online exhibition featured on NCC's website.

This Year’s Jurors Paul Briggs earned his BSEd in education and ceramics from The City College of New York, an MA in rabbinic literature from Oral Roberts University (Tulsa, OK), his PhD in art education and educational theory and policy from Penn State University, (State College, PA), and his MFA in ceramics/3D from Massachusetts College of Art and Design (Boston), where he is currently an associate professor of art education and director of Saturday studios. He has also contributed through many community roles and taught at such

notable institutions as St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN), Penland School of Crafts (NC), and Anderson Ranch Arts Center (Snow Mass Village, CO). His ceramic work is based in pinch forming and slab work, and he shares, “Slab building is my ‘primary’ method of expression. Pinch forming is what I do to meditate, slab building is what I do to think through ideas, to philosophize concretely.”

Lisa Buck is a studio potter and art educator living and working in the St. Croix River Valley of Minnesota. She holds degrees in art education with an emphasis in ceramics from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. Buck uses a combination of wheel thrown,

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Northern Clay Center

ARTIST SERVICES

Grant Deadlines

Important Dates & Information February 1: Application live online February 28, 5 pm: Applications due April 7: Applicants notified regarding jury results (In-person exhibition and online exhibition.)

April 11: Last day to deliver work to NCC for the in-person exhibition.

The member-artist is responsible for all shipping/transportation to and from NCC. Artists interested in applying, but who are not currently NCC members, may become members at the time of application.

Not sure about your membership status? Email us at nccinfo@ northernclaycenter.org, and we will assist you! handbuilt, and carved techniques to produce her pieces featuring generous forms and hardy feet. Her electric-fired, functional work is characterized by the use of terra sigillata, juxtaposed with glazed and slipped. Buck has been the recipient of a Jerome Foundation Project Grant for Emerging Artists to study the historic pottery in La Borne, France, and has been greatly influenced by the rich earth tones and cooking vessels of Morocco, where she lived for several years. Her work has been exhibited in galleries nationwide and can be found in numerous publications.

Images, previous page from left: Recidivism-Cell Personae Series, Paul S. Briggs; Paul S. Briggs portrait; Coil Vase, Lisa Buck. This page: Lisa Buck personal photo.

This exhibition will be juried.

Members can submit up to two images of one piece that was created during the past two years. The work accepted for the exhibition MUST be the work submitted to the jury for consideration. Please only submit a work that has not been previously exhibited at NCC. Due to space constraints, and a desire to include as many members as possible, we must limit the size of any individual piece to 36” x 36” x 36”.

To apply, or for further eligibility and submission requirements, please visit our website: www. northernclaycenter.org/nccmembers-exhibition-application.

Northern Clay Center manages several grant programs that provide monetary awards or studio residencies to individual artists.

Deadlines are quickly approaching! If you are an emerging or mid-career ceramic maker, visit our website for details about opportunities that you may be eligible for. Applications for all programs will be available on our website.

Deadlines: Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award (WMAA) Monday, March 28, 2022, by 5 pm CT. Emerging Artist Residencies (EAR) Comprising the Fogelberg Studio Fellowship, the Anonymous Artist Studio Fellowships, and including the inaugural year of NCC’s BIPOC Studio Fellowship Monday, March 28, 2022, by 5 pm CT. McKnight Artist Residencies for Ceramic Artists Friday, May 20, 2022, by 5 pm CT. McKnight Artist Fellowships for Ceramic Artists Friday, May 20, 2022, by 5 pm CT.

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Northern Clay Center

EXHIBITIONS

Members Exhibition: K-12 Educators and Students On view April 29 – June 19 Emily Galusha Gallery Virtual 3D Tour on view May 5, 2022 Free public opening reception tentatively planned for Friday, April 29, 6 – 8 pm

In addition to Members Exhibition in the main gallery, this year gives us the special opportunity to amplify the critical and highly-impactful work by the K-12 educators and students in our community. Much like the show in the main gallery, Members Exhibition: K-12 Educators and Students will be juried.

There will be an in-person exhibition, featuring work by selected applicants, as well as an online exhibition including the work of all applicants.

Applicants need NOT be members to apply to this exhibition. Northern Clay Center will award one-year Education Memberships to all K-12 students and educators who apply for the exhibition.

Important Dates & Information February 1: Application live online February 28, 5 pm CT: Applications due April 7: Applicants notified regarding jury results (In-person exhibition and online exhibition.)

April 11: Last day to deliver work to NCC for the in-person exhibition.

The educator/student-artists are responsible for all shipping/ transportation to and from NCC. This exhibition will be juried. Members can submit up to two images of one piece that was created during the past two years. The work accepted for the exhibition MUST be the work submitted to the jury for consideration. Please only submit a work that has not been previously

Education Membership entitles the holder to the following benefits: Student Education Membership • A 5% discount on one student or family workshop, camp, or Teen Wheel Pottery Punch Card • A $15 discount on American Pottery Festival Saturday and Sunday workshops • Invitations to special events, free lectures, and pre-sales • Subscription to our digital newsletter to learn about opportunities, classes, and exhibitions Educator Membership • A 5% discount on education opportunities at NCC • A $10 discount on American Pottery Festival Saturday and Sunday workshops • Access to lesson plans and virtual lectures for the classroom • Invitations to special events, free lectures, and pre-sales • Subscription to our digital newsletter to learn about opportunities, classes, and exhibitions

Related Event Art Educator Round Table An effective art educator is a practicing artist, and being effective at your art form fuels and edifies your teaching; both worlds need nurturing. This unique ten-week ceramics course is designed to provide art educators with an enriching environment to rejuvenate their personal artistic practice in clay; and an encouraging, enlightening space for professional development.

Each week, a participating art educator will lead the class with a lesson or demonstration that is clay related while the remaining educators become students to hone their skills, and will then offer warm and constructive feedback and insights to their peers.

exhibited at NCC. Due to space constraints, and a desire to include as many members as possible, we must limit the size of any individual piece to 36” x 36” x 36”.

To apply, or for further eligibility and submission requirements, please visit our website. Please email us at nccinfo@ northernclaycenter.org with questions about the exhibition or application process. We are happy to help!

One note regarding photos for the K-12 Educators and Students application: NCC knows time and resources are stretched thin in an education setting.

While we recognize that creating a photograph of one’s work may present an additional teaching opportunity and skill-building exercise, we do not require professional-level images for jury consideration. While it should be considered that these are the images that will be used for the online exhibition, the quality of the images will in no way impact the jury process.

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Northern Clay Center

EDUCATION

Work with NCC This Summer!

After the lesson, discuss and choose how to integrate the new information into your practice as an educator and artist. Each week will offer new discoveries, time to recharge creatively, and encouraging conversations with fellow artists and educators about what drives you personally and professionally.

A pre-class organizational meeting will determine the demonstrations for the class; each participant will teach one class. Both wheel-throwing and handbuilding skills at any level are welcome. Participants must verify credentials as a CURRENT Pre-K–12 art educator or post-secondary art educator and register by calling or emailing NCC. Educator CEU credit hours available.

T1: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Organizers: Kent Miller and Randy Schutt March 22 – May 24 Fee: $200 (5% member discount)

NCC clay camp teacher and assistant with a group of young artists.

Northern Clay Center seeks individuals, ages 18 and up, for our summer camp positions.

Each summer, NCC offers paid Clay Camp Instructor positions, volunteer Clay Camp Assistant positions, and one paid internship. Our 40+ weeklong camps focus on either handbuilding or wheelthrowing and are designed for students aged 6 and up at all ability levels.

Clay Camp Instructors create and lead projects through myriad themed camps for up to 10 students in each camp. Instructors work with a Clay Camp Assistant to provide guidance to students and maintain studio cleanliness.

Instructors are paid positions.

Clay Camp Assistants work closely with NCC's Education Coordinator and Clay

Camp Instructors to provide classroom support for weekly summer clay camps. Assistants are valued volunteers who can earn credit toward NCC's adult education classes based on hours worked.

See a world-class ceramics education program from the inside out. Assistants and interns gain experience in preparing materials, assisting with class demonstrations, and, most importantly, working directly with students ages 6 – 16.

These are volunteer positions for 15 – 20 hours per week, with commitments from one to ten weeks. Experience working with clay, and interest and experience in working with young people is essential.

See our website for full details on our camp program and how to apply!

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Northern Clay Center

SALES GALLERY

March Featured Artists Samantha Purze, Joe Singewald, Betsy Williams, Joel Willson Jewelry Spotlight: April D. Felipe On view: March 1 – April 3 Sales Gallery & Online

Samantha Purze Samantha Purze describes her process of making as a combination of engineering and collage—bringing a blueprint to life through careful and spontaneous joining. Her surface decorations suggest abstract maps separated from any specific meaning or identification. In their ambiguity, these drawings reference circuitry, calligraphy, sheet music, and other languages of tangible and intangible movement and connections. Purze is passionate about providing communities with artistic opportunities and education through non-profit arts organizations while continually developing her own studio practice. Purze currently teaches ceramics at the Art Barn School of Art in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Joe Singewald Joe Singewald grew up in northeast Iowa where he discovered handmade pottery. Singewald says, “Something rather powerful can occur when handling or using a handmade object. There is a connection between user and maker that cannot be duplicated elsewhere in day-to-day life. Knowing a favorite potter created, held, and pondered the very piece in my hands is remarkable. While holding vessels that are hundreds of years old, I love imagining the unknown maker, the space the piece was created, the materials used and the world at that time. Potters before me who gathered clay, formed, and fired influence and inspire my work today.” Since 2014, Singewald has been the art department studio technician at the College of Saint Benedict and St. John’s University in central Minnesota. He lives and maintains a studio in Cold Spring, MN with his wife and three daughters.

Betsy Williams Betsy Williams started her career as a money market trader at a Japanese bank in Manhattan. She ultimately left that job for a ceramic apprenticeship in Karatsu, Japan, under Yutaka Ohashi and has been a potter since. Williams writes, “Individual pieces, modest in scale, are at the heart of my work. I concentrate on unobtrusively conveying a sense of liveliness (as in the mystery and experience of being alive). To my mind, the best pots are both understated and outspoken and seem both new and familiar at the same time.” Williams and her husband, stone sculptor Mark Saxe, currently own Rift Gallery in Rinconada, New Mexico.

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Northern Clay Center

ARTIST SERVICES

Studio Artists Spring 2022

Joel Willson Joel Willson grew up in Pakistan and Germany. He has completed apprenticeships with S.C. Rolf (River Falls, WI) and Michael Kline (Bakersville, NC) and is currently the Fogelberg Studio Fellow at Northern Clay Center. Willson approaches ceramics from a lifelong belief in the strong connection between humanity, dirt, and the earth. His pots are generally soda fired and faceted or decorated with geometric shapes including repeating arcs and lines. The patterns on his surfaces are inspired by sacred geometry and art deco designs, with different aspects highlighted or obscured by atmospheric effects.

April D. Felipe April D. Felipe is interested in the idea of adornment and the relationship between jewelry and the user. Felipe utilizes jewelry as a means to move through patterns and colors more freely. Jewelry provides an additional multidisciplinary approach outside of her ceramic sculpture practice. Felipe is a co-founder of The Color Network and has been a resident and Windgate Scholarship recipient at the Archie Bray Foundation for Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana.

She was also a 2017 Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artist. Felipe currently lives in Albany, Ohio, where she maintains her studio practice and teaches at community arts centers in her region.

Images, previous page from left: Samantha Purze, Joe Singewald, Betsy Williams. This page from left: Joel Willson, April D. Felipe.

Clarice Allgood Marion Angelica Eliza Au, McKnight Resident Artist Pam Bonzelet Evelyn Weil Browne Lynda Buscis Alex Chinn Logan Chyla Elizabeth Coleman Peter D'Ascoli Katharine Eksuzian Sara Fenlason Mary Garvie, MN NICE Mary Green Julian Gruber, MN NICE Carol Hanson Audrey Jellison Zoe Kaplan, BISQUE Resident Robyn Lieder Keather Lindman Marta Matray Kate Maury Matt McLeod Ari Nahum Carolina Niebres Robyn Peterson Marjorie Pitz Hannah Prichard Donna Ray Jo-Anne Reske Kirkman, MN NICE Debbie Schumer Sue Schweitzer

Audra Smith Iris Smith Mic Stowell Roy Stube Olivia Tani Jacob Thill Beth Thompson Persis Wade, Anonymous Artist Fellow Jason Wang, Anonymous Artist Fellow Mary Ann Barrows Wark Joel Willson, Fogelberg Fellow Mary Zeleny Arimond, MN NICE

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Northern Clay Center

SALES GALLERY

April Featured Artists Paul Eshelman, Eric Jensen, Anna Valenti, Kurt Brian Webb Jewelry Spotlight: Melissa Mencini On view: April 5 – May 1 Sales Gallery & Online

Paul Eshelman Paul Eshelman’s functional pottery is his cultural attempt, through the material of clay, to bring order and human dignity to the merely physical act of consuming food and drink. Eshelman writes, “As my pots are used daily, I hope that they carry measures of quiet and nourishment for body and spirit.

I imagine people at a dinner table, workspace, or office cubicle where food and drink are served and humanized by hospitable, well-ordered pots.” Eshelman and his wife, Laurel, have been living and making pottery since 1988 in Elizabeth, Illinois, a small farming community in northwestern Illinois.

Eric Jensen Eric Jensen has over forty-five years of experience in producing functional ware. In 1975, Jensen, along with several other artists, set up Lillstreet Studios in Chicago. “I come from a family of hand workers, so I feel I’m obeying my genetic code,” he says. “My goal is simplicity. If I were to name a source of inspiration, it might be water-smoothed stones and wood, Shaker furniture, or the writings of Wallace Stegner.”

Anna Valenti A self-described 'clay weaver,’ Anna Valenti was born in New York to a family rich in traditions of weaving, gardening, and jury-rigging. Valenti has exhibited at venues across the nation and is the recipient of the 2019 Professional Development Grant from Artists at Work: Maine College of Art; a 2020 NCECA Graduate Student Fellowship; and a 2021 Colorado Arts Grant. Currently, her journey with ceramics includes teaching workshops, maintaining her studio practice, and researching fiber clay bodies. Inspired by her heritage, Valenti emphasizes handbuilding processes in her work— weaving and pinching clay into baskets, pots, chairs, and screens of varying sizes. Most recently, she has been experimenting with hemp clay.

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Northern Clay Center

CALENDAR

FEBRUARY 1 Members Exhibitions application live

February Featured Artists opens

Education Access Scholarship apps open 3 Chili Cook-off entries due, 12 am 5 Chili Cook-off

AAH Chili Bowl Workshop, 2 – 3:30 pm 8 Spring class registration opens, 10 am 27 February Featured Artists closes 28 Applications due: Members Exhibitions, 5 pm MARCH 1 March Featured Artists opens 3 Panel: Memento Mori, 6 pm 4 Memento Mori and Fandom open, 6 - 8 pm 5 Artist talk: Marisa Finos, 5 pm 10 Memento Mori and Fandom virtual tour online

Artist talk: Dirk Staschke, 6 pm 16 - 19 NCC at NCECA 28 Applications due: WMAA & EARs, 5 pm 29 AAH: Planter Pots workshop, 6 pm

Kurt Brian Webb Kurt Brian Webb’s formative education spans not only professional degrees (in education, ceramics and printmaking,) but also includes attending Illinois public schools during the ‘60s and ‘70s, building houses with his father in the ‘80s, and traveling alone across the United States and abroad throughout much of his adult life.

Still based in Illinois, Webb has now taught (and learned) in public schools for over 30 years while maintaining a studio practice. His current ceramic work aesthetically and functionally references decorative teaware, while visually celebrating an eclectic cast of characters and strange tales from what he calls “…the grittier side of life.”

Images, previous page from left: Paul Eshelman, Eric Jensen, Anna Valenti. This page from left: Kurt Brian Webb, Melissa Mencini.

Melissa Mencini Melissa Mencini became interested in art at an early age and enrolled in classes at a local art center in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. She moved back and forth between Montana and Washington, working as a studio artist and teaching at both Eastern Washington University and at the University of Washington Seattle. During her first stay in Montana, Melissa was a resident at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Helena for two years and was the recipient of the Lincoln Fellowship for one year. She then moved to Anchorage to teach ceramics at the University of Alaska - Anchorage. She has lived in Austin, Texas since 2013 and is a full-time studio artist and educator. She has built and established her studio and she has become a core member of the Art of the Pot annual studio tour. Her current focus is making functional pottery embellished with graphic designs and decals.

APRIL 3 March Featured Artists closes 5 April Featured Artists opens 7 AAH: Virtual tour of Memento Mori and Fandom, 5:30 pm Panel: Fandomonium, 6 pm 8 Applications due: MN NICE 18 Memento Mori and Fandom close 21 Info session: MN NICE, 6 pm 29 Members Exhibitions open, 6 - 8 pm MAY 1 3 5 8 20

24 25 29

April Featured Artists closes May Featured Artists: APF Preview opens, 9 am Members Exhibitions virtual tour online AAH: Gnome & Fairy Home Workshop, 2 pm Applications due: McKnight Fellowships & Residencies, 5 pm McKnight Artist Lecture: Eliza Au, 6 pm AAH: Looking & Learning, 6:30 pm May Featured Artists: APF Preview closes

All event times are Central.

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May Featured Artists American Pottery Festival Preview On view: May 3 – 29 Sales Gallery & Online

The American Pottery Festival Preview is your ONLY chance to see and buy work by our visiting APF artists in person, until APF Opening Night on Friday, September 2. Join us for this special opportunity—while we may not know what autumn will hold for our in-person APF event, we do know that May is your month to visit the gallery and enjoy a sneak peek!

Online work will go live at precisely 10 am CT on May 3, so set your alarms!

Please visit www.northernclaycenter.org for updates on APF events, artist rosters, ticket prices, volunteer needs, virtual workshops and lectures, and opportunities to purchase work online.

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Save the Date!

APF 2022 September 2 – 4, 2022

Join us for the 24th Annual American Pottery Festival, September 2 – 4. Our annual fundraiser will once again gather national ceramic artists representing the best in their fields, and offer a diverse array of ideations, processes, forms, and surfaces. This year, we hope to kick off our annual event with our Opening Night Party on Friday, September 2, 2022. We’ll keep you informed!

The American Pottery Festival is an annual three-day event that serves as our largest fundraiser. It is a mindfullyforged platform that brings together makers, clay lovers, learners, collectors, and the simply curious, to build community and be inspired.

Each year, the event includes artists from large and small markets around the country, all career stages and ages, and familiar local gems. The richness of experience, knowledge, and generosity represented by 2022’s artists will provide learning opportunities for everyone, from student to collector to fellow maker. The weekend is always filled with opportunities to engage directly with artists during artist talks, workshops, lectures, panel discussions, and, hopefully, casual gallery chats.

Previous page, clockwise from top left: Minsoo Yuh, Mike Jabbur, Kip O'Krongly, Joshua Hebbert. This page: Mike Stumbras.

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MN NICE: Year Eight to be the most motivating. Whether it’s affiliate artists with an established practice or fellow artists in my cohort— there is such a rich exchange of ideas!

How has MN NICE changed the way you approach your ideas or process?

JG: The program has asked me to question the foundations of what I make and why I make it. That has led to an initial lack of confidence but has laid the groundwork for my practice to evolve into something more unique and authentic to me. It’s a long journey and a worthwhile one.

MN NICE program leader, Ursula Hargens (far right) leads a group critique session.

Last November, we celebrated our seventh graduating class of Minnesota New Institute for Ceramic Education (MN NICE). The program is currently in its eighth year with another eager and dedicated student body. This unique cohort sees diverse perspectives as a strength, and, under the example of program head Ursula Hargens, are generous with their knowledge and support of one another. Their skills and ideas progress with the resources and support of the program and their collective edifying momentum.

Students enrolled in the 2021 program include: Carla Arnevik, Lynda Buscis, Mary Garvie, Julian Gruber, Jo-Anne Reske Kirkman, Carol Patt, Martha Rehkamp, and Mary Zeleny Arimond.

Samantha Longley, education coordinator at NCC, interviewed students who recently completed the program’s first trimester to gather insight on their experience so far.

What was compelling to you about the MN NICE program and why did you choose to apply?

Mary Garvie (MG): I had been pondering applying to the MN NICE program for a couple of years. I wanted to learn more of the nuts and bolts behind the process and be able to take more responsibility for the outcome of my work.

Mary Zeleny Arimond (MZA): The most intriguing aspect of the MN NICE program is the intensity of study that provides focus and incorporates a blend of ceramic history, science, technology and aesthetics.

What experience have you found most motivational, and why?

MG: Hands down the most motivational experience I have found in the MN NICE program is this amazing cohort of creative, supportive, kind, generous colleagues I have surrounding me.

Julian Gruber (JG): I’ve found the opportunities to speak with fellow artists

How does your interaction with the other members of your cohort influence or support your development?

Marty Rehkamp (MR): I think it is great to see people of all ages and experiences come together over a common bond.

We all want to be better artists and have made similar commitments to this ideal. I think our age differences provide different perspectives on living lives as artists at whatever stage we are in.

The feedback from fellow cohorts and artist mentors has been very valuable in helping me think critically about my ideas and their execution.

MZA: Sharing time, work, ideas and feedback with my cohort has added a richness to the MN NICE program that has encouraged me to experiment and try new and unique approaches to my work.

How does the MN NICE class dynamic differ from your experience with other education models?

Carla Arnevik (CA): Coming from highly structured college settings, the starkest difference with MN NICE is the gentle way it meets us where we're at, caters to personal curiosity, and facilitates an open and inquisitive dialogue. One of the

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most beautiful things about the ceramics community, in general, is the way it fosters generosity between makers. This year's cohort has a number of art teachers and designers, so it feels like we're bathing in a wide pool of influences, not to mention Ursula's extensive enthusiasm and knowledge of ceramic history. I love our array of ages and backgrounds, and feel inspired by the playfulness of my classmates each week.

Carol Patt (CP): MN NICE is a very personal course that emphasizes questioning, self-discovery and investigation. The time span over a year is aimed at an arc of development rather than a cafeteria style course selection you may get at a college. We are a small group and that encourages collaboration and opportunity to know one another as artists on a deep level.

MR: The structure of assigned reading material about the history of clay, philosophies about clay, and technical hand-outs is very grounding—immersion

Is MN NICE right for you?

MN NICE supports the development of studio work and provides high-level training in ceramic materials, history and theory, and professional practices. Through instruction and individual mentorship, students build skills, knowledge, and insight necessary to create a personal and cohesive body of work. The program is led by ceramics artist and educator, Ursula Hargens, and is supported by a dedicated group of Affiliate Artists, who are professional studio artists and educators in the greater Twin Cities community.

Hargens explains, "The MN NICE Program helps emerging artists reflect upon the experiences that have brought them to ceramics and articulate the meaning behind their work. Throughout the year, assignments, individual research, and discussions prompt participants to explore and integrate new techniques, materials, and creative

is a very useful educational style! I have been made to confront, and been given the help, to conquer the aspect of ceramics that I have feared—the technical aspects of making glazes and firing a kiln.

What objectives has this program helped you to articulate and what are you hoping to accomplish in blocks two and three?

MR: Joining MN NICE required an important shift in thinking. I had to make a commitment to an idea I had put off for a very long time—thinking of myself as an artist. Being committed to the idea of being an artist meant I could give myself approval to create the mental space needed to think about my art and approval to create the necessary time required for the actual making. The first block has reinforced my confidence that I made a good decision. Moving on to the rest of the year I feel I will have the tools to experiment more boldly and have gained the confidence to stretch my ideas.

CA: With the guidance of the cohort and Ursula, I've been beginning to find subtle ways to address trauma in my work, find more balance between exploratory vs. production-oriented processes, and find methods to keep making even when creative juices have felt depleted or buried. In the next couple of blocks, I'm looking forward to delving into soda firing, exploring the interaction between fiber and clay, and challenging myself to construct something (however small) every day.

CP: Several of my objectives have already been met with this program. I wanted to challenge myself and grow as an artist; I may not have immediate success, but I’ve been taking more risks and moving some of those pots off the back burner. I am looking forward to the upcoming year, diving into new ideas, learning new techniques, exploring ceramic history, experimenting with glazes and being challenged to get organized business-wise.

approaches into their studio practice. In addition, group and mentor discussions with Affiliate Artists challenge participants to see their work from different perspectives and in different contexts.

Find more information on our website, or to request detailed information, contact Samantha Longley at samanthalongley@northernclaycenter.org or 612.339.8007 x309.

"Participants develop their artistic voice and receive the support necessary to transition from one career or phase of life to another. MN NICE graduates have received artist grants and awards in juried exhibitions and been accepted into competitive MFA programs. They are also engaged in the ceramic community, teaching classes, collaborating with other artists, and actively exhibiting and selling their work.”

Program Info Session: Join us for a program information session via Zoom, where we will discuss the program’s many components before opening the floor to questions.

Virtual, Thursday, April 21, 6 pm CT, FREE

Priority applications are due Friday, April 8, 2022 at 5 pm CT, and applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis until June 1 for September 2022 enrollment.

Register to attend on our website, or by emailing Samantha Longley at samanthalongley@ northernclaycenter.org

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McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists: Eliza Au

Research Center (Skælskør, Denmark).

Au has participated in numerous conferences and panels across the US and Canada, and has presented artist lectures internationally.

Tunnel, Eliza Au. Photo credit: Megan DeSoto.

Eliza Au (Lake Dallas, TX) is a ceramic artist who, through her work, investigates how past and present ornament in architecture engage the idea of sacred space while exploring the search for solitude. Utilizing CAD to create lattice tiles that join together to reference the building units of the brink, tile, and pillar, her work provides comment on the underlying or unconscious nature of order in both nature and human production.

Au received her BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (Halifax, Nova Scotia) in 2005 and her MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University

in 2009. Since the completion of her academic training, Au has held positions as an educator at institutions including the Emily Carr University of Art and Design (Vancouver, BC), Alberta College of Art and Design (Calgary), the University of Iowa (Iowa City), and currently holds the position of assistant professor in ceramics at University of North Texas (Dallas).

During this time, she has continued the development of her work through focused time in residence at Greenwich House Pottery (New York, NY), the Corning Museum of Glass (Corning, NY), the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts (Helena, MT), and Guldagergaard International Ceramic

In addition to recognition through numerous awards and grants, her work and techniques have been highlighted in myriad publications. She has also been featured in group and solo exhibitions around the world at venues including Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery (Waterloo, ON), Harbourfront Centre (Toronto, ON), the Gardiner Museum (Toronto, ON), Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (Gatlinburg, TN), the Museum of Contemporary Craft (Portland, OR), Mufei Gallery at The Pottery Workshop (Jingdezhen, China), and the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum (Mesa, AZ).

Additionally, Au’s work can be found in the collection of the Korea Ceramic Foundation (Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea) Monmouth College (Monmouth, IL), Alfred Ceramic Art Museum (Alfred, NY), and the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum (Taiwan).

Related Event McKnight Artist Lecture: Eliza Au Please join Northern Clay Center in welcoming Au as part of the NCC community. She will present an artist talk via Zoom on Tuesday, May 24, at 6 pm CT. This presentation is free to the public but early registration is appreciated.

X20: Virtual, Tuesday, May 24, 6 pm CT Free

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ClayToGo Checking in to 2022

The fall of 2021 brought about a marked return of NCC’s outreach programming in the community! We were not quite back to full force, as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to affect the reality of when, where, and how we engaged with clay learners. Some school and other partnership settings were back to a version of normal, with plenty of extra safety precautions including masks and social distancing.

In senior living and other congregate living situations, smaller groups gathered for classes with occasional interruptions to the schedule if a building needed to quarantine due to a positive test. A majority of these partnerships have been able to resume at this point. There are still some adult day settings that do not have programming back to normal, or for whom the pandemic forced a more permanent closure. However, we are excited to begin our 2022 year working with partners like Lyngblomsten in St. Paul, Opportunity Partners in Minnetonka, multiple Ebenezer locations in Minneapolis and Burnsville, and Mount Olivet Adult Day in Minneapolis!

School programming is going swimmingly! In the fall of 2021, we were able to work with after-school arts enrichment programming and with three schools for in-class residencies. Read about two of these experiences below.

FAIR School for the Arts In October of 2021, Sharbani Das Gupta, exhibiting artist in Passages From India, and NCC teaching artist Abigail Cooper, worked with every 9th grader at the Downtown Minneapolis FAIR

school campus alongside classroom science teachers. Students worked in groups to create clay environments documenting a rapid water event.

Groups utilized iPads and stop-motion animation to create short videos of the environmental changes they observed. This clay experience was designed by Das Gupta and brought about questions and conversations about humanity’s impact on ecology, environmental change, sea level rise, and the scientific inquiry process.

“We had such a wonderful experience. We loved working with Sharbani” –Emily Heuschele, Arts TOSA Justice Page Middle School We returned to Justice Page Middle School in Minneapolis for a fall residency with almost every student taking part!

This year we created combination clay creatures, with magical spider cats, penguin pigs, uni-frogs, duck sheep, and many other mysterious creatures wearing hats and turtlenecks. The joy of being hands-on again after a year of virtual art classes was evident. Teaching artists Susan Obermeyer and Elizabeth Coleman have enjoyed working with art educators Steven Schmidt and Elissa Cedarleaf Dahl at Justice Page since 2018.

“My daughter had a great experience” –Sarah O’Malia, parent of participating Justice Page student.

“I love teaching the NCC residency at Justice Page Middle School. The art teachers are great about encouraging and challenging the students to use their imaginations. The project is as much about thinking and problem solving as it is about learning fine-motor skills and craft execution.” –Elizabeth Coleman, NCC teaching artist

Students from FAIR School working in their courtyard with a teacher.

Through positive experiences with high-quality arts programming, students are offered a deeper understanding of materials and handmade objects.

NCC's ClayToGo program brings a specialized, hands-on clay experience to every school and organization with which we partner. We love to create unique experiences with our partner organizations and relish the opportunity to work cross-curriculum with STEM subjects as well.

If you work with a school or other organization that is interested in having a clay experience, touring NCC's facilities, or seeing a clay demonstration, please contact Alison Beech, Community Engagement Manager, at 612.339.8007 x313 or alisonbeech@ northernclaycenter.org.

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Spring Classes & Workshops

Spring back to your favorite clay practices, or explore new topics as we step into the revitalizing energy of a new season. Imagine all the skills that will blossom from our spring lineup of classes—a treasured bouquet that will surely grow and endure! Dig in and feel the earth between your fingers as you cultivate your technical skills and unique aesthetic in a variety of focused special topics classes, your foundational favorites, or a fresh and new clay experience! With our broad cast of talented teaching artists and flexible class schedule, we’ve got the clay experience to fit your goals and schedule, and give your skills a growth spurt!

We continue to offer students more open studio time than many other clay studios in the Twin Cities, leaving plenty of time to digest demonstrations and practice your craft independently.

Adult students generally have access to our studios between 9 am and 9 pm Wednesday through Sunday, 4 to 9 pm on Mondays, and 9 am to midnight on Tuesday and Thursday evenings (subject to other NCC events and programming).

To adhere to capacity limits, students will need to sign up for open studio in advance via an online sign-up system.

Browse our open studio schedule online to check the most up-to-date listing of available times.

NCC mandates COVID-19 vaccination for all students, studio artists, teaching artists, and staff entering our building.

For the well-being of our community, it is necessary to do everything we can to preserve the health of all individuals who

Education Access Scholarships Applications open Tuesday, February 1

An elaborately-carved vase in front of glaze samples in the handbuilding studio.

utilize our facility. Setting a mandated standard is an important step in keeping NCC a safe space to engage with clay and community. All who participate in classes or workshops at NCC are required to provide proof of receipt of full COVID-19 vaccination before the start of your activity with NCC. Our offerings may continue to evolve as new public health guidelines are made available. Class sizes may continue to be limited and appropriate safety initiatives will remain in place. We encourage you to register early as our in-person classes will fill up quickly. We also will continue to offer Clay-Along online classes. Please visit our website for the most up-to-date information.

NCC is committed to maintaining accountability and pursuing action to build meaningful diversity, impactful equity, and genuine inclusivity in the ceramic community. We recognize that there are significant systemic racial and economic impacts that impede participation in the arts, and resulting financial barriers contribute to further divide. To address and help bridge financial barriers to ceramic education, NCC has implemented scholarship options for our education programming.

Our goal is to open access to the ceramic arts and welcome all who wish to learn, grow as an artist, and participate in the ceramic arts community.

We offer two scholarship options: • a full-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color • a half-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners experiencing financial need Scholarships are limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. For more information about these scholarships and to apply, please visit our website at northernclaycenter.org

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CLAY-ALONG VIRTUAL CLASSES Stay connected to your creativity from home and Clay-Along with NCC through virtual classes, workshops, and materials kits designed to fulfill your clay longings from the convenience and safety of home.

Virtual classes will meet online once a week for five or ten weeks, for two hours each week with an NCC teaching artist who will guide you through quality at-home digital learning. We are also pleased to offer self-guided clay kits with lesson plans for an independent clay experience.

Class kits have the option to include lowfire clay (low-fire red: a smooth terracotta body; or Raku: a grittier, off-white body) and a set of engobes (colored slips), firings at NCC, and a guide to setting up a space for clay in your home. No clayspecific tools? No problem! All classes and lessons can be accomplished with everyday utensils and objects. If you have everything you need already, just select the content-only version.

Vases, Pots, & Planters for Spring Get ready to grow your handbuilding skills to prepare for the coming growth of spring and summer. Warm up and refine your building techniques as you use a variety of handbuilding methods—from coiling to pinching to slab-building—to make vases, planters and pots of all shapes and sizes to serve as practical and beautiful homes for anything from new sprouts to bountiful bouquets. Use clay scraps to

make plant markers and other garden guardians. Learn new techniques for decorating with colorful slips to tailor your pots to your liking. Twenty-five pounds of clay, a set of engobes, and all firings as well as a clear coat of glaze are included when you select the materials kit option. This class is designed for those with some previous handbuilding experience and knowledge of basic construction methods, and levels beyond, but beginners will be nurtured.

V1: Tuesdays, 10 am – 12 pm Instructor: Marion Angelica March 22 – April 19 Fees: With kit, $140 non-members (5% member discount) Content only: $90 non-members (5% member discount) Self-Guided Kit Clay-Along Self-Guided Kits balance the independence of self-guided clay exploration with the support of instructions that guide you step-by-step through a variety of projects at a range of levels; kid-friendly lessons included!

These kits are sure to satisfy your clay cravings, keep you creative, and increase your knowledge of forms and techniques. It’s also a great opportunity to play and explore clay, whether you’re brand-new or very experienced.

VKit: Fee: $45

INTRODUCTORY

@

Want to learn the basics of making clay art? Get your hands dirty during five weeks of instruction, and practice in these introductory classes that focus on the basics of building and glazing

techniques. These classes will have plenty of guidance for beginners, making them ideal if you have little or no experience with clay and want to test your interest.

We recommend that you take an introductory class two or more times (within one quarter, or over consecutive quarters) to build your skills and prepare for Wheel or Handbuilding 201 classes and beyond. Wear old clothes, and bring an old towel, a bucket no larger than one gallon, and a beginner’s set of tools to the first class. Tool kits are available for purchase at NCC. Lab fee includes one bag of clay (25 pounds), all glazing materials, firings, and open studio access.

Land of Round Pots—Wheel Throwing 101 I1: Wednesdays, 10 am – 1 pm Instructor: Priya Thoresen March 23 – April 20 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount) I2: Wednesdays, 10 am – 1 pm Instructor: Priya Thoresen April 27 – May 25 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount) I3: Wednesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Persis Wade March 23 – April 20 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount) I4: Wednesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Abigail Cooper April 27 – May 25 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount) I5: Fridays, 1 – 4 pm Instructor: Jason Wang March 25 – April 22 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

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I6: Fridays, 1 – 4 pm Instructor: Jason Wang April 29 – May 27 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount) I7: Fridays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Ruby Sevilla March 25 – April 22 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount) I8: Fridays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Ruby Sevilla April 29 – May 27 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount) Also check out our series of one-day workshops listed on page xxx—ideal for makers with little or no previous experience.

Three Graces—Handbuilding 101 Learn the basic skills for creating ceramic sculpture and handbuilt pottery through a series of projects and demonstrations. This class will introduce the three foundational methods of handbuilding—coiling, pinching, and slab-building—to provide the base for any project you might imagine.

I9: Mondays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Olivia Gallenberger March 21 – April 18 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount) I10: Mondays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Olivia Gallenberger April 25 – May 23 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

WHEEL We recommend that students begin their study at NCC with an introductory experience in clay, such as our Project Workshops or five-week classes (above).

Beginner Throwing—Wheel 201 will take your skill set to the next level and deepen your understanding of clay to prepare you for Wheel 301 and advanced special topics classes. Our education staff will happily assist you in finding the appropriate class, via phone or email: 612.339.8007 x309 or samanthalongley@ northernclaycenter.org.

Beginner Throwing—Wheel 201 Take the next step on your journey with the potter’s wheel to build on your foundations and discover the secrets of making great pots. Improve your skills and learn new techniques for throwing such forms as cylinders, bowls, vases, and more using the pottery wheel as a tool. You will learn surface treatments such as glazing, staining, and slipping, and be introduced to firing procedures.

Dress for mess, bring an old towel, a bucket no larger than one gallon, and a beginner’s set of pottery tools to the first class. Tool kits are available for purchase at NCC. These classes are designed for those with some previous wheelthrowing experience, who have taken one or two Land of Round Pots sessions, or equivalent, and who feel comfortable navigating basic forms on the wheel.

W1: Tuesdays, 10 am – 1 pm Instructor: Lisa Himmelstrup March 22 – May 24 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount) W2: Tuesdays, 1 – 4 pm Instructor: Clarice Allgood March 22 – May 24 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount) W3: Wednesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Jennica Kruse March 23 – May 25 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

A student concentrates on opening their centered clay on the potter's wheel.

W4: Saturdays, 10 am – 1 pm Instructor: Risa Nishiguchi March 26 – May 28 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount) Intermediate Throwing—Wheel 301 Take your skills to the next level as you learn additional techniques for throwing more complicated forms. Refine your skills and continue to define your voice in clay. Each section has a specific focus but leaves room for personal interests and development. Each course will also include more information about surface decoration, firing procedures, and the differences between low- and hightemperature clay bodies and glazes.

Designed for those who have taken several Wheel 201 classes or equivalent.

W5: Mondays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Erin Holt, Focus on Finding a Voice March 21 – May 23 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

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W6: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: David Swenson, Focus on Consistency March 23 – May 25 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount) W7: Thursdays, 1 – 4 pm Instructor: Leila Denecke, Focus on Form March 24 – May 26 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

HANDBUILDING Prepare to add to your vocabulary of ceramic tools and techniques as you embrace the philosophy of s-l-o-w in Studio C. Explore the possibilities of working with clay beyond the round pot and pinch, coil, and paddle your way to a keen alternative sense of touch while creating a new series of work or learning methods to enhance your work on the wheel. Take a trip across the hall this quarter to delve into concepts that offer new perspectives and ways to reimagine an already familiar material.

Coil Concentration During this five-week class, devote attention to your technical and artistic development of coil building. As an optimally versatile and dynamic way to handbuild, the sky's the limit with achievable uniqueness and endlessly diverse possibilities of form. Join Anonymous Artist Studio Fellow, Persis Wade, to learn and practice multiple coil construction techniques as you work through a variety of project prompts.

Focus on functional objects and learn to direct and control your coiling as you play with scale and form. Take a deeper dive into historic coil-built pottery, like Jomon pottery created in Japan in the Paleolithic Age. As you learn about

and appreciate these ancient works, take inspiration from the techniques, texture and movement. This class is best suited to those who have previous handbuilding experience, but beginners will be nurtured.

H1: Wednesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Persis Wade April 27 – May 25 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount) Vases and Garden Art Come out of your winter stupor and warm up your clay skills as you dream up and create sculptures to flourish in your garden, and vessels to display its fruits. Handbuild garden focal points like sculpture stacks, furniture fit for fantastical small creatures, plant markers, bird baths, and other forms to embellish the earth among your thriving plants. Learn technical forming skills as you handbuild unique dishes to hold your garden fruits, and vases to display your flowers. There’s nothing more rewarding than nurturing the gifts the garden gives us with handmade ceramic objects. Designed for intermediate makers, but beginners will be nurtured.

H2: Thursdays, 1 – 4 pm Instructor: Marion Angelica March 24 – May 27 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount) Beyond Grace If you’ve taken The Three Graces of Handbuilding a few times and are ready to take your next steps in handbuilding, Beyond Grace is the class for you.

Demonstrations will focus on tilemaking, working with leatherhard slabs, and using and creating sprig, drape, and press molds out of clay or plaster.

Other topics covered at student request include: scaling up your vessels or

sculptures; using the extruder; internal and external armatures; slip and glaze application techniques; and alternative firing methods. Students should be competent in basic handbuilding methods such as coiling, pinching, and building with soft slabs. Students may bring their own project ideas and receive guidance, or may choose from a variety of intermediate project-prompts, provided by the instructor. Intermediate to advanced level.

H3: Thursdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman March 24 – May 26 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount) Guided Study in Handbuilding Expand your handbuilding fundamentals to explore figural, architectural, animal, decorative, and other non-functional applications of clay. Students are encouraged to bring project ideas to work on with low- or high-temperature clays, with guidance from the instructor.

Learn to speak the language of clay as you anticipate technical challenges and plan to achieve your sculptural vision; investigate critical thinking as it pertains to the evolution of your work.

Intermediate to advanced level.

H4: Fridays, 10 am – 1 pm Instructor: Franny Hyde March 25 – May 27 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

SPECIAL TOPICS CLASSES Art Educator Round Table An effective art educator is a practicing artist, and being effective at your art form fuels and edifies your teaching; both worlds need nurturing. This unique ten-week ceramics course is designed

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wheel-throwing and handbuilding skills at any level are welcome. Participants must verify credentials as a CURRENT Pre-K – 12 art educator or postsecondary art educator and register by calling or emailing NCC. Educator CEU credit hours available.

T1: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Organizers: Kent Miller and Randy Schutt March 22 – May 24 Fee: $200 (5% member discount)

A student stands on a stool to reach the bottom of their large handbuilt vessel.

to provide art educators with an enriching environment to rejuvenate their personal artistic practice in clay; and an encouraging, enlightening space for professional development. Each week, a participating art educator will lead the class with a lesson or demonstration that is clay related while the remaining educators become students to hone their skills, and will then offer warm and constructive feedback and insights to their peers. After the lesson, discuss and choose how to integrate the new information into your practice as an educator and artist. Each week will offer new discoveries, time to recharge creatively, and encouraging conversations with fellow artists and educators about what drives you personally and professionally. A pre-class organizational meeting will determine the demonstrations for the class; each participant will teach one class. Both

The Buzz About Bowls Bowls are a simple idea at first glance, but if you take a deep dive into studying this essential form, you’ll discover the many nuances that turn bowls from ordinary to captivating. Using the potter’s wheel, explore the many variations of forms, feet, and glazing techniques as you design and craft bowls tailored to specific functions.

Topics and demonstrations will start with soup bowls and go from there!

Practice your precision with sets of bowls and nesting bowls, and play with size and scale as you create serving bowls, mixing bowls, and more! This class is recommended for those who have previous experience on the wheel who work at an intermediate to advanced level.

T2: Wednesdays, 1 – 4 pm Instructor: Chris Singewald March 23 – May 25 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount) Some Assembly Required Cups, bowls, and plates are great forms on their own, but can you imagine the possibilities if you pieced them together? Learn to utilize thrown pieces and throw special parts to create clever kitchen concoctions like cake stands, lidded forms, ladles and scoops, juicers,

oval dishes, butter dishes, and more!

Let your curiosity guide the way as you creatively combine clay parts and practice precision wheel-throwing and applicable handbuilding skills to make things fit together the way you imagined. This class is recommended for those who have previous experience on the wheel who work at an intermediate to advanced level.

T3: Thursdays, 10 am – 1 pm Instructor: Lucy Yogerst March 24 – May 26 Fee: $350 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount) Soda-Firing Methods Join teaching artist Emily Murphy in the studio and dive deeper into the techniques and materials to get the most from the soda kiln’s kiss of fire.

Load and fire at least three kilns on three firing dates and critically examine the results of each firing. Successive firings ensure that each student has the opportunity to understand the nature of atmospheric firing and, in turn, capitalize on the process by the end of the quarter. Explore more advanced forming and decorating techniques to take full advantage of what the kiln has to offer. Students will each participate in all kiln loadings, and in at least one unloading. This class is designed to provide an experiential learning opportunity for students who are keen to develop their approach to atmospheric firing. Throwers and handbuilders are welcome, advanced levels recommended.

Tentative Firing Schedule: • Kiln loadings: April 21, May 5 & 26 • Firing and unloading schedule will be discussed during class.

• Studio meetings all other weeks.

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T4: Thursdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Emily Murphy March 24 – May 26 Fee: $370 + $70 lab fee (5% member discount) Pouring Pots Take five weeks to explore the artful, complex form of the pitcher. From creamers to coffee pourers to large juice pitchers—learn how to troubleshoot and thoughtfully craft spouts that pour with ease, and handles that effortlessly balance liquid weight. Create ideally designed and skillfully made pouring pots fit to serve any occasion and drink!

This class is best suited for advanced beginner levels and beyond.

T5: Fridays, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Claire O’Connor March 25 – April 22 Fee: $175 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

SPECIAL TOPICS WORKSHOPS Clay & Macrame During this virtual craft crossover extravaganza, expand your skills in clay and textiles to create both components of your new favorite household statement piece—the planter and the artful hanging mechanism. Spend the first evening with a ceramic teaching artist creating 2 – 3 planters of varying sizes using coil and pinching methods that will be incorporated into your macrame creations one week later.

Learn tips for caring for houseplants and creating optimal environments for them as you form, design, and decorate your pots with colorful engobes. Resume the workshop on April 8 with a textile artist for three hours of beginner macrame to make custom homes for your pots.

Learn basic macrame techniques including several different knots and construction methods, and build the skills to keep on knotting! No previous clay or macrame experience required.

X1: Virtual, Fridays, April 1 & 8 , 6 – 9 pm Instructors: Amanda Dobbratz (April 1) & Kaylyn Gerenz (April 8) Fee: $115 (5% member discount) Thrown and Altered Cups NCC studio artist Olivia Tani has developed an innovative vocabulary of processes that produce her distinct and visually complex volumetric forms. Join Olivia for a weekend in the studio as she shares her process of creating thrown and altered cups. You will have the chance to absorb demonstrations of her masterfully inventive techniques, apply them on your own, and be inspired to test and incorporate more avant-garde ideas into your own practices.

On Saturday, throw unconventionally on the wheel to make thicker forms that you will alter on Sunday, employing Olivia’s techniques of cutting, carving, and refining. As Olivia guides you out-of-the-box, walk away with an individualized cup form and the skills to navigate the manipulation of mass and learn to integrate every part of a form to make harmonious, enticing works.

X2: In person, Saturday & Sunday, April 2 & 3 Instructor: Olivia Tani Member Fee: $115 (5% member discount) The Hot Seat—Kiln Firing 101 Virtual Edition Great for art educators!

So, you’ve read your kiln's manual but still have questions about firing?

Worry no more! In this one-day virtual workshop, you will learn the basics of firing and maintaining your own electric

kiln. Tune in over Zoom to learn basic information about kiln styles, firing speeds, kiln requirements and firing temperatures, and problem-solving methods. You’ll come away with more confidence in your abilities to fire your kiln consistently. This workshop does not authorize NCC students to fire our kilns independently, but is helpful for educators and anyone aspiring to become an NCC studio artist. Basic clay knowledge is preferred.

Electric kiln only X3: Virtual, Wednesday, April 13, 6 – 9 pm Fee: $50 (5% member discount) Building Your Business Practice Northern Clay Center welcomes sales gallery artists Laura Casas and Elizabeth Pechacek for a virtual workshop covering the basics of starting and building your own small business.

With their wealth of knowledge and experience as selling and exhibiting studio artists, Casas and Pechacek will discuss a multitude of subjects from business models and revenue sources to photography and social media. Join Laura Casas for the first session of the series discussing content creation— making work to sell; for a portfolio; or for personal development and photographing work to showcase their best features. Discuss branding and all the pieces you’ll need to get your project off the ground.

During session two, Elizabeth Pechacek will help you strategize and grasp the next steps for starting and running your ceramic business practice, and offer practical steps and frameworks to get started in the studio and out into the world. End the workshop by creating an action plan to start selling and

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marketing your work, or further develop your own business plan. Come prepared with your questions and big dreams!

X4: Virtual, Saturdays, April 23 & 30, 10 am – 12:30 pm X5: Virtual, Saturday, April 23 ONLY X6: Virtual, Saturday, April 30 ONLY Instructors: Laura Casas (April 23) & Elizabeth Pechacek (April 30) Fee: $50 for individual workshops, $90 for both sessions (5% member discount) Colored Terra Sigillata Terra sigillata is a fine-particle slip that has been historically used to seal ceramic surfaces when polished, and results in a velvety surface that complements texture. In this oneday workshop, explore the ancient and practical applications of terra sigillata, and travel through time to the contemporary uses of this surface tool as you learn about the formulation of and utilize colored terra sigillata.

Anonymous Artist Resident Jason Wang will demonstrate making colored terra sig with pigments that participants will then apply to planters and tiles. Learn and practice various techniques for application, like brushing, polishing, and inlay. Absorb Wang's techniques for contemporary applications of terra sigillata to apply to your own practices of surface decoration. Intermediate to advanced level.

X6: In person, Saturday, April 30, 10 am – 1 pm Instructor: Jason Wang Fee: $60 (5% member discount) Out of the Ashes: Raku 101 Head out to an innovative new space in New Richmond, Wisconsin—Potter’s Without Kilns—for a two-day, handson Raku firing with Mark Lusardi. Bring decorative pieces to life with flashy colors and lively crackles when you move them from the red-hot kiln to the combustion chamber where the

Raku magic begins. Students should bring six to eight pieces—made of Raku clay, bisque fired, and no larger than a cantaloupe—to glaze before heading to the kiln. Pieces made with even thickness and strong attachments will handle the shocking transformation best. (Note: Students will not have access to NCC’s open studio time unless they are already enrolled in a ten-week spring class at NCC.) X7: In person, Saturday & Sunday, June 4 & 5, 10 am – 4 pm Instructor: Mark Lusardi Fee: $200 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)

PROJECT WORKSHOPS No previous experience required! NCC will provide all materials and tools for these workshops.

Clay for Couples Pottery Workshop Looking for a unique date night activity that is sure to impress your mate?

Look no further than this NCC original, Clay for Couples. Sign up with your significant other and learn the secrets of throwing pottery on the wheel in a fun and relaxed environment. Already attended a session? Sign up again and take your skills to the next level. The $90 fee includes instruction and materials for two adults. Pots will be ready to pick up after approximately two weeks.

X8: Friday, March 25, 6:30 – 9:30 pm X9: Saturday, April 16, 6:30 – 9:30 pm X10: Friday, April 29, 6:30 – 9:30 pm X11: Friday, May 13, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: NCC Teaching Artist Fee: $90 per couple, per session Crafternoon & Crafterdark Pottery Workshops Bring your creative friends and make a few new ones as you learn the secrets of throwing pottery on the wheel.

This three-hour workshop is a fun and

messy introduction to clay. The $45 fee includes instruction and materials for one adult. Students can expect to make 3 – 5 pots and decorate them using colored slips and textures. Your pots will be ready to pick up after approximately two weeks.

X12: Saturday, April 9, 6:30 – 9:30 pm X13: Saturday, April 30, 1 – 4 pm X14: Saturday, May 14, 1 – 4 pm Instructor: NCC Teaching Artist Fee: $45 per person, per session Ceramic Wall Hanging Join NCC BISQUE resident Zoe Kaplan for an afternoon creating your new favorite decorative art piece. Design and make a unique wall hanging from clay by combining handbuilding techniques and sgraffito (a surface decorating technique made by carving through slip or a colored surface to reveal the clay below). Balance personal aesthetics with function as you discuss methods for mounting and incorporating them into your piece. Get inspired by the possibilities of working with clay—the textural, visceral experience of forming it; and its plasticity that allows you to bring your ideas into the 3-dimensional realm. Complete a decorative ceramic wall hanging with colored slip and return approximately two weeks later to pick up your fired piece. No previous clay experience required.

X15: Saturday, May 14, 1 – 4 pm Instructor: Zoe Kaplan Fee: $45

VISITING ARTIST WORKSHOPS & LECTURES Memento Mori Panel Discussion Observe a remote panel featuring Memento Mori curator, Heather Bren, along with artists in the exhibition as

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they discuss their visual responses to the theme of memento mori, in the wake of a modern global pandemic.

X16: Virtual, Thursday, March 3, 6 pm CT FREE Artist Talk: Marisa Finos Join Memento Mori exhibiting artist Marisa Finos for an in-person artist talk as she shares about her work and process. This event will take place in the exhibition space.

X17: In person, Saturday, March 5, 5 pm FREE Artist Talk: Dirk Staschke Join Memento Mori exhibiting artist, Dirk Staschke, for a virtual presentation on his work and process.

X18: Virtual, Thursday, March 10, 6 pm CT FREE Fandomonium Join Fandom artists for a unique take on a traditional artist panel—a roleplaying game simulation. Panelists will participate as characters travelling through a fantasy virtual tabletop game board while answering questions about their work and process, and encountering some fantastical circumstances along the way.

X19: Virtual, Thursday, April 7, 6 pm CT FREE McKnight Artist Lecture: Eliza Au Please join Northern Clay Center in welcoming Au as part of the NCC community. She will present an artist talk via Zoom on Tuesday, May 24, at 6 pm CT. This presentation is free to the public but early registration is appreciated.

X20: Virtual, Tuesday, May 24, 6 pm CT FREE

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES For all family classes, children must be accompanied by an adult. Neither children nor adults will have access to open studio time during the quarter. Weekend workshops are open to all skill levels, ages 6 and up for handbuilding workshops and 9 and up for wheel-throwing; there are no exceptions to stated age requirements.

Throwing Together Parents and kids (ages 9 and up)—spend a little Q.T. together learning a new skill.

Learn to make basic cylinders, bowls, vases, and more, using the potter’s wheel. High-temperature clay and glazes will be used. Wear old clothes, bring a towel and a one-gallon bucket for each participant. Class sessions are designed to allow adults and children to work sideby-side in a collaborative environment.

The registration fee for this class covers instruction, materials, and firing for two individuals, one adult and one child.

F1: Sundays, 1:30 – 3:30 pm Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman March 27 – May 22 Member Fee: $315 (5% member discount) (Class will not meet on April 17. No make-up sessions will be scheduled.)

Family Wheel Sit behind a potter’s wheel and sink your hands into clay. Learn basic skills like centering, opening, and pulling the clay to make bowls and cylinders. Decorate your projects with colored slip. Ages 9+; all skill level welcome.

Saturday, March 26 F2: 10 am - 1 pm F3: 2 - 5 pm Fee: $60 for two people, $25 for each additional participant Serving for One Do you have a favorite food but lack the perfect plate or bowl for it? Learn basic slab building techniques to make

Student and volunteer, Ramon Serrano, throwing a cup off the hump.

dinnerware for one to enjoy your favorite meal. Paint your projects with colored slips. Ages 6+; all skill levels welcome.

Instructor: Eileen Cohen Saturday, April 23 F4: 10 am - 1 pm F5: 2 - 5 pm Fee: $60 for two people, $25 for each additional participant Mother’s Day in Clay Celebrate Mother’s Day with your favorite mom! Work side by side as you design one-of-a-kind mugs for early morning drinks together. You can work collaboratively or independently. Learn basic handbuilding and decorating techniques. No matter what you make, mom is sure to love it! Ages 6+; all skill levels welcome.

Instructor: Eileen Cohen Sunday, May 8 F6: 10 am - 1 pm F7: 2 - 5 pm Fee: $60 for two people, $25 for each additional participant

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CLAY FOR YOUTH Pottery Punch Card for Teens Teens may purchase eight, 2-hour classes, to be used on any Saturday, 10 am - 12 pm*. Classes will cover the fundamental techniques of throwing basic forms on the potter's wheel and creating surface decoration using glazes, slips, and applied elements, with varied demonstrations and projects for advanced students. Create a series of functional pots with high-temperature clay bodies. Previous experience is not required. Students may attend on a drop-in basis and the complexity of projects will depend on multiple consecutive classes. Great for students and families with busy schedules. Wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty; NCC will provide the tools and the clay. Your eight class sessions expire six months after the date of purchase.

Students do not have access to open studio time. For ages 13 to 17.

Y1: Saturdays, 10 am - 12 pm Instructor: Erin Holt Student Fee: $265 (5% member discount) 4 additional sessions: $135 (5% member discount) PLEASE NOTE: Students may begin as soon as they register.

Due to NCC's COVID-19 capacity protocols, students must sign up for sessions in advance online. *Classes will meet every Saturday unless otherwise posted.

Class may not take place due to holidays or NCC events.

ART@HAND CLAY FOR OLDER ADULTS

@

ART@HAND is NCC’s series of accessible programs for enjoyment of the ceramic arts. Intended for individuals 55 years old or greater (and their families), ART@HAND offers lectures, tours, workshops, and hands-

on activities. ART@HAND specializes in meeting people where they are at, this year in their homes, and we are offering distance led workshops.

Planter Pots for Your Windowsill Get geared up for your spring planting with some seed-starting pots! These tiny vessels are great to watch your seedlings as they sprout, or for a small moss sanctuary to bring some greenery into your everyday indoor life. Join us over Zoom for this hands-on workshop where we will make bisque seedstarting pots to help regulate the water for your plant babies.

22AAH3: Tuesday, March 29, 6 – 7 pm FREE Virtual Tour of Memento Mori & Fandom Join us over Zoom for a virtual tour of NCC’s exhibitions Memento Mori and Fandom. Reveling in communities spanning genres from nerdy to popculture, Fandom combines artists’ obsessions with clay. Memento Mori addresses themes of death in the face of the global pandemic from a variety of artists’ perspectives.

22AAH4: Thursday April 7, 5:30 – 6:30 pm FREE Gnome and Fairy Homes for Your Garden Your garden can be a magical place, home to many creatures among the vegetative growth. Provide a special sanctuary for gnomes and fairies with a ceramic home made by hand. This project is a favorite for all ages and will be conducted in person, so space is limited. Join us for this clay creativity session that will add a little magical intrigue to your alluring gardens.

22AAH5: Saturday May 7, 2 - 4 pm FREE

Fairy Home from a recent virtual project workshop.

Looking & Learning Join us via Zoom for the 18th installment of this show-and-tell series, featuring Eliza Au, NCC’s spring McKnight Artist Resident and professor at the University of North Texas, and Ashlyn Pope, an artist and professor at Coastal Carolina University. The presenters will each share and discuss objects from their personal collections that have inspired and influenced their making.

This event will provide a glimpse into the lives and stories of each artist. You don’t want to miss it!

22AAH6: Wednesday, May 25, 6:30 – 8:30 pm FREE

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Spring Class Registration Opens Tuesday, February 8, at 10 am Education Access Scholarship applications open Tuesday, February 1

To Register: Register with cash, check, or all major credit cards. NCC accepts registrations online at www.northernclaycenter. org, in the gallery, or by telephone at 612.339.8007.

Download a paper registration form online, or call the gallery for more information. Member discounts are available online.

Within a week of your application, you will be notified of the status of your application and will be aided in registration from there should you receive the scholarship.

and universities for canceling or rescheduling classes during particularly hazardous conditions. When in doubt, feel free to call us at 612.339.8007, and please be safe!

For any questions regarding NCC’s scholarship program, please contact Samantha Longley, Education Coordinator, at samanthalongley@northernclaycenter.org

Due to the high demand for classes, we require full payment with your registration to reserve your seat in class.

Policies: COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate: NCC students are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a notarized exemption before the start of their activity with NCC. Proof of vaccination or exemption may be submitted online, and information regarding this submission will be sent to you upon registration. NCC will also provide the option to submit information in person at the start of your activity at NCC. Youth 16 and under are not required to provide proof of vaccination, exemption, or a negative COVID-19 test result.

Tuition, Fees, & Refunds: Please refer to class listings for tuition and fees.

Unless otherwise noted, fees for adult classes include instruction, open studio time, 25 pounds of clay, basic glaze materials, and a firing allowance. Tuition may not be pro-rated. Some students may incur additional expenses if they choose unusual glaze materials or if their work occupies a large volume of kiln space.

NCC will send confirmation of registration. If there is insufficient enrollment, we will cancel class, notify registered students, and refund all payments without penalty. Decisions are made approximately one week before classes begin.

Please register early or you might find that your favorite class is full, or canceled due to low enrollment.

Education Access Scholarships: To address and help bridge financial barriers to ceramic education, NCC is implementing new scholarship options for our education programming. This will open access to the ceramic arts and welcome all who wish to learn, grow as an artist, and participate in the ceramic arts community.

We offer two scholarship options: • a half-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners with financial need • a full-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color Scholarships are limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis to adult students only. Students are eligible to receive only one scholarship per session.

We will do our best to offer students one of their top three choices of in-person or Clay-Along classes or workshops. Once enrolled, all scholarships are nonrefundable and non-transferable. Scholarship students are committed to their selected class, and the scholarship cannot be applied to a different class or term. Should a selected class cancel due to low enrollment, students will have the option to transfer classes. Previous recipients can apply multiple times per year, though priority will be given to new applicants.

Tools: Standard tool kits for introductory classes are available in NCC’s Sales Gallery for $25.00 + tax. Other specialty tools are available as well.

Open Studio: The tuition for regular adult classes includes access to open studio time. On average, adult students enrolled in a qualifying class will have access to our studios between 9 am and 9 pm Wednesday through Sunday, 4:30 to 9 pm on Mondays, and 9 am to midnight on Tuesday and Thursday evenings (subject to other NCC events and programming). To regulate our studios as much as possible out of concerns for safety this term, students will sign up for open studio in advance via an online sign up system.

Browse our open studio schedule online to check the most up-to-date listing of available studios. NCC reserves the right to close studios for special classes or workshops.

Minimum Age Restrictions: Only students ages 18 and up are eligible to register for NCC’s adult classes and workshops.

Continuing Education Credits: If you are a teacher in need of CEUs, contact the education department to learn how NCC’s classes and workshops can be taken for continuing education credit.

Weather: As a general rule, NCC will remain open during inclement weather. We take our cues from local colleges

COVID-19 Cancellations: Given the uncertain nature of what lies ahead of us, NCC will remain flexible when it comes to cancellations as they relate to the current environment and recommendations by both local and national health authorities. In the event of an NCCinitiated cancellation, students will be issued a full refund without penalty. Cancellations initiated by the student will be handled on a case-by-case basis with individual and community well-being maintained as a top priority.

If you are sick or have COVID-19-related symptoms, we ask that you contact us before coming to or entering NCC for any reason.

Classes: 100% of tuition (less a $15 processing fee) will be refunded if a student elects to drop or transfer a class no later than one week (7 days) before the day of the first class meeting. 50% of tuition (less a $15 processing fee) will be refunded if a student drops or transfers a class within the seven days prior to the first class meeting or within the first two business days after the first meeting. After this period, if a student elects to drop a class, tuition and fees will NOT be refunded for any reason except documented medical emergencies. There are no other exceptions to this policy.

Workshops: 100% of tuition (less a $15 processing fee) will be refunded if a student elects to drop or transfer a workshop for any reason at least one week (seven days) prior to the workshop. No refunds will be given with less than one week’s notice.

If you find you need to cancel your enrollment, please contact Samantha Longley at samanthalongley@ northernclaycenter.org or call 612.339.8007 x309.

2424 Franklin Avenue East Minneapolis, MN 55406

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities, MN Permit No. 28375

612.339.8007 nccinfo@northernclaycenter.org www.northernclaycenter.org

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

NCC Shop/Gallery Hours Galleries are open 10 am - 5 pm, 7 days a week.

Masks are required and visitors to the galleries are limited to four at a time.

We would like to respectfully acknowledge that NCC is located on Dakota land.

Special Needs Exhibition Group Tours: Available for visitors with mental or physical disabilities and the hearing-impaired. Monday – Friday, 9 am – 4 pm. Please call at least three weeks in advance of the event.

Signed Interpretation: Available for any NCC public event. Please call the Center to request an interpreter at least three weeks in advance.

Wheelchair Seating for classes or other accommodations: Please call the Center at least two weeks in advance of the event. NCC’s building is wheelchair accessible and includes a wheelchair accessible potter’s wheel.

The information in this newsletter is available in large-print format upon request.

Mission: Northern Clay Center advances the ceramic arts for artists, learners, and the community, through education, exhibitions, and artist services. Ongoing programs include exhibitions by contemporary regional, national, and international ceramic artists, as well as historical and architectural ceramics; classes and workshops for children and adults at all skill levels; studio space and grants for artists; and a sales gallery representing many top ceramic artists from the region and elsewhere.

Front cover: Sipples, Delvin (Del) M. Goode.

Announcing the Peter Leach Scholarship Fund We are thrilled to announce the Peter Leach Scholarship Fund at Northern Clay Center. The Peter Leach Scholarship Fund will be used to fund the BIPOC NCC education scholarship which covers 100% of class costs at NCC for BIPOC students.

This humbling opportunity is made possible by Nan Skelton in Peter’s memory. Cash donations may be made by contacting the gallery at salesgallery@ northernclaycenter.org. Donations of pottery for the ReCollect program, with all proceeds earmarked for the scholarship fund, may be made in the gallery during business hours, 10 am to 5 pm, seven days a week.