Spring 2023 Newsletter

EXHIBITIONS

BREACH: LOGBOOK 23 | CARRIER

On view March 4 – April 23, 2023

Courtney M. Leonard | Shinnecock Nation – Long Island, NY Main Gallery

Virtual 3D Tour on view March 9, 2023

Free public opening reception Friday, March 3, 6 – 8 pm

What is your first memory of water?

Courtney M. Leonard’s BREACH installation series is an annual visual logbook that explores and documents environmental impact and disparate human consequences of the relationship with water through the many definitions of the word, BREACH. In BREACH: LOGBOOK 23 | CARRIER, Leonard asks, “What is your first memory of water?” and explores the human relationship with vessels or carriers while also being vessels or carriers. She endeavors to offer the culturally and historically significant stories surrounding Minnesota’s waterways and their layers of meaning to local Indigenous communities.

Leonard, a newer and still learning, Minnesota resident, honors the practice of connection in a new Indigenous community and the humility and respect necessary to build trust. The stories of river/water relationships illuminated through her work in BREACH spring from observation and research, but also incorporate the contributions of many and require collaboration and assent.

In the main gallery, the logbook presented springs from pipes—clay pipes—as carriers of waters and as carriers of a region from a time of harmony between the earth and people to one of “progress” and damage lasting for generations. Her work

embraces the culture of atmospheric firing, specifically soda firing, and finds connections between salt- and soda-fired pipes and single-fired pipes created during the introduction of infrastructure in Minnesota. Leonard’s observations are shared through clay, sound, and projection and include the voices of Minnesota Indigenous artists and storytellers.

Courtney M. Leonard is a Shinnecock ceramic artist, painter, and filmmaker and currently serves the art community as an assistant professor of art and art history at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. Leonard writes, “As a Shinnecock artist, my work explores marine biology, Indigenous food sovereignty, migration, and human environmental impact through a visual logbook that investigates the multiple definitions of the term ‘breach’ as documentation of the impact of anthropogenic time.”

Leonard earned several degrees and certificates including an associate of fine arts from Institute of American Indian Arts (Santa Fe, NM) in 2000, a BFA from New York State College of Ceramics (Alfred University, NY) in 2002, certificates of teaching from the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning at Brown University (Providence, RI) in 2007, and an MFA in ceramics from Rhode Island School of Design (Providence) in 2008. She has received numerous awards, residencies,

and fellowships, and her work is part of over 20 permanent collections, including American Museum of Ceramic Art (Pomona, CA), Crocker Art Museum (Sacramento, CA), Institute of American Indian Arts Museum (Santa Fe, NM), Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center & Museum (Southampton, NY), and Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (New York).

COURTNEY M LEONARD | BREACH: LOGBOOK 23 | CARRIER “Pipes” recently unloaded from the soda kiln

EXHIBITIONS

COURTNEY M LEONARD | BREACH: LOGBOOK 21 | CONVOKE, October 9, 2021 - January 23, 2022 - RESEARCH COMPLETED VIRTUALLY DUE TO COVID19 CERAMIC, WOOD, ACRYLIC, VIRGINICA OYSTER INSTALLATION IMAGE OF “BREACH: LOGBOOK 21 | CONVOKE” Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NJ | Exhibition Catalog Feature Engagement in and Dissemination of Scholarly and Artistic Work: Research for the color field study chosen for this work is in reference to a recurring event along New Jersey's coast where the water turns tropical colors due to a gathering of elements such as a lack of river runoff due to drought, phytoplankton and algae growth, a shift in temperatures in the water and additional elements. The exhibition was curated by artist Maria Hupfield by invitation to reflect upon Natalie Diaz’s poem, published in her book, Postcolonial Love Poem, 2020. A visual complement to Diaz’s text, the work in this exhibition accepts the body as the human form of water and that the fate of water is the fate of all people. Exhibition programming included a virtual panel, and published exhibition catalogue featuring the work.

CARRIERS | COMMUNITY

On view March 4 – April 23, 2023

Courtney M. Leonard | Shinnecock Nation – Long Island, NY Emily Galusha Gallery

Virtual 3D Tour on view March 9, 2023 Free public opening reception Friday, March 3, 6 – 8 pm

In the Galusha Gallery, CARRIERS | COMMUNITY will feature vessels created by community members as an offering. With Leonard as our guide, NCC will collaborate with local organizations that serve Indigenous youth through educational, social, economic, and cultural development programs. Through our collective work efforts, youth and other community members will be introduced to clay as an art medium while they explore multilayered conversations about local water practices and awareness. The youth’s work in clay will culminate with the creation of vessels and other clay objects which will be part of the CARRIERS exhibition. As of press time, NCC has confirmed the following partners Anishinabe Academy, Birchbark Native Arts, Dream of Wild Health, and MGIZI.

Learn more about each organization. Anishinabe Academy: https://anishinabe.mpls.k12.mn.us/Home

Dream of Wild Health: https://dreamofwildhealth.org/

Birchbark Native Arts: https://birchbarknativearts.com/

MIGIZI: https://www.migizi.org/

During the run of the exhibition, this space will be an interactive and exploratory one with guests invited to

handle the vessels and contribute their own water stories by writing on the gallery walls. In the final days of the exhibition, the makers of the vessels will be invited back again to NCC to participate in a water and story-telling celebration, making use of the vessels they created. A meaningful component of the interaction in the gallery is the

knowledge that, while creating the vessel, the maker understands it is ultimately an offering to another person in the community.

Please check our website for updates.

Credit: Courtney M. Leonard

COURTNEY M LEONARD | BREACH: LOGBOOK 21 | HYPOXIC, August 23 - December 11, 2021 - RESEARCH: Initiated Virtually Due to Covid 19 & Onsite During Installation with Staff & Students of FSU CERAMIC, WOOD, ACRYLIC, VIRGINICA OYSTER, VIDEO PROJECTION INSTALLATION IMAGE OF “BREACH: LOGBOOK 21 | HYPOXIC” Florida State University’s Museum of Fine Arts | Exhibition Visit with Environmental Studies Students Engagement in and Dissemination of Scholarly and Artistic Work: Research for the color field study chosen for this work is in reference to the green algae blooms and colors of the where the Apalachicola River fresh waters meet the salt waters of the Gulf of Florida and explores the effects of runoff which have led to die off and toxicity in the Virginica Oyster, a staple of the lifeways and economy of the people of the area. The exhibition was curated from inspiration of an expert from Heid Erdrich’s poem “Ways of Water/Wash Over”. Erdrich is an Ojibwe poet from Turtle Mountain. An Artist Talk & Virtual Graduate Studio Visits was hosted by Florida State University November 4 - 5, 2021

Credit: Courtney M. Leonard

BREACH: Logbook 2021 | COLLIDER | Installation Image | - RESEARCH IMAGE: Inverted video projection shape of Long Island as that of the whale, including documentation of whale fall & poppies

DUAL VIDEO PROJECTION, SHIPPING PALLETS, VIRGINICA OYSTERS, QUAHOG SHELLS, SODA FIRED CERAMIC Engagement in and Dissemination of Scholarly and Artistic Work: Research of and a counter painting and installation to the “American” landscape painter William Merritt Chase, inclusive of Indigenous knowledge systems and documentation of the ecological cycle and symbiotic relationship of whale fall as a record of our pandemic times and cross-cultural influences. The work referencing a juvenile humpback whale named Tofu who passed away from a ship strike, in June 2007, off of the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts as it migrated north to feed and the import and export of historical and contemporary trade of opium. The work was featured as a part of the solo exhibition,

BREACH: Logbook 21 | COLLIDER at New York University’s Gallatin Galleries, NY, NY | November 1, 2021 - January 22, 2022. Programming included site visits with a gallery installation visit to campus with graduate students.

In Plain Sight

On view May 6 – June 25 Galusha Gallery Virtual 3D Tour on view May 11, 2023 Free public opening reception Friday, May 5, 6 – 8 pm

Within the walls of Northern Clay Center, there are teaching studios, a library, offices, a kiln room, a glaze bay, a space dedicated to bringing clay to the community through our outreach program, and galleries. One of the largest spaces in the building is occupied by shared, private, and residency studios. Most who visit NCC see evidence of the space, and the talented makers within, every single time they are here. They might be teaching a workshop or class, or rolling a cart to the kiln room. They might be behind a respirator in the glaze mixing room or loading a vehicle for a show out in the world. Perhaps you’ve said hi while warming tea in the breakroom or even volunteered with them.

Until 2020 brought us the pandemic, the public was encouraged to roam through the studios to explore and engage, and while the Studio Artists are usually right in front of us and accessible in other parts of the building, the public closure of the studio space seemed to elevate the desire of visitors to see it.

The rich resource of talent, dedication, and resiliency of the NCC Studio Artists is the focus of this spring’s exhibition in the Galusha Gallery space. This exhibition, designed to bring the work and voices from the studios into a gallery setting, is offered to encourage the recognition of the community of makers who are right here in our everyday NCC world.

Images, opposite page, top to bottom: Gitchi Gami Sunset, Mary Green. Firefly, Katharine Eksuzian. This page, clockwise from top left: The Scent of a Woman (work in progress), Donna Ray. Gaston, Katie Reeves. Bottle, Chris Bond.

Light of Day

On view May 6 – June 25

Main Gallery

Virtual 3D Tour on view May 11, 2023

Free public opening reception Friday, May 5, 6 – 8 pm

This summer, Northern Clay Center will explore the permanent collection archives and bring significant works of ceramic art into the light of day for a public viewing. The collection promises to offer the rediscovery of the relationships built over three decades of service to the field and the works acquired along the way.

These ceramic objects offer more than an exploration of the medium and the talented artists who have worked with NCC in the past. They challenge the audience to reflect on the possibilities of the medium; they illuminate past conversations and a rich history of personal stories and legacy; they honor artists we’ve known, adored, and lost; they acknowledge the dedication and support of collectors; and they remind us of the rich history of the center’s dedication to the advancement of the ceramic arts.

Clockwise from top left: Platter, Jun Kaneko. Mysterious M. L. Smile, Egidijus Radvenskas. Inscapes, Shampa Shah. Big Ball with Skinny Vase, Eva Kwong.

NCECA 2023

March 15 – 18

NCC’s sales gallery, exhibition, and artist services programs will participate in Current, the 57th annual conference held in Cincinnati, OH by the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). The conference will take place March 15 – 18 in person at the Duke Energy Convention Center.

During the four day conference, NCC will offer the work of guest artists, sales gallery artists, NCC Emerging Artist Residents, and 2023 American Pottery Festival artists through our booth in the Gallery Expo at the convention center. We look forward to returning to the event in person and building the relationships with artists and ceramic appreciators that keep NCC vital and expand our community!

During the event, we will promote our grant and residency programs for current students, emerging artists, and midcareer 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 and Gallery Expo booth to introduce yourself and say hello!

Images,clockwise from top left: Plate, Mary Martin. Teabowl, Ron Meyers. Mug, Posey Bacopolous. Tortilla Warmer, Andrew Rivera. Sipper, Darcy Delgado.

As of press time, NCECA Gallery Expo artists include: Tom Bartel, Posey Bacopoulos, Johannah Cairns, Darcy Delgado, Eleanor Foy, Nancy Green, Bill Jones, Shikha Joshi, Sean Lofton, Mary Martin, Ron Meyers, Evelyn Rose Mtika, Kim Murton, Lizbeth Navarro, Katie Reeves, Andrew Rivera, Katie Bosley Sabin, Dwayne Sackey, Ted Saupe, Randy Schutt, Taylor Sijan, Olivia Tani, Minsoo Yuh

ARTIST SERVICES Studio Artists

Spring 2023

Clarice Allgood

Marion Angelica

Jennifer Azzariti, MN NICE

Chris Bond

Pam Bonzelet

Evelyn Browne

Lynda Buscis

Johannah Cairns, Anonymous Artist Fellow

Alex Chinn

Logan Chyla

Abigail Cooper

Peter D’Ascoli

Katharine Eksuzian

Sara Fenlason

Mary Green

Julian Gruber

Lydia Gutowsky, MN NICE

Carol Hanson

Audrey Jellison

Karl Keel

Keather Lindman

Sean Lofton, Anonymous Artist Fellow

Marta Matray

Ivy Mattson, MN NICE

Kate Maury

Evelyn Rose Mtika, BIPOC Studio Fellow

Ari Nahum

Carolina Niebres

Robyn Peterson

Marjorie Pitz

Hannah Prichard

Donna Ray

Katie Reeves, Fogelberg Fellow

Debbie Schumer

Sue Schweitzer

Audra Smith

Mic Stowell

Olivia Tani

Beth Thompson

Mary Ann Barrows Wark

March Featured Artists

Tom Bartel, Karin Kramer, Liz Pechacek, Doug Peltzman

Jewelry Spotlight: Tricia Schmidt

On view: March 7 – April 2 Sales Gallery & Online

Tom Bartel

Tom Bartel holds a BFA from Kent State University (OH) and an MFA from Indiana University–Bloomington. He has lectured extensively and has been an invited faculty member and artist in residence at numerous locations across the country. Bartel has been featured in multiple publications, including Ceramics Monthly, Clay Times, and American Craft. His figurative sculpture reflects references ranging from antiquities to pop culture and is characterized as disturbing, humorous, and fragmented. Currently, he is serving as a professor and ceramics chairperson at Ohio University (Athens, OH).

Karin Kraemer

Karin Kraemer grew up in Minneapolis. She holds a BFA in hot glass from St. Cloud State University (MN) and an MFA in ceramics from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She has lived all over the country, working and exploring, but says she loves Minnesota best. “Coming back to the north woods really has been coming home,” she says. “I moved to Duluth, Minnesota, several years ago. I love to camp, be in the woods, work in the garden, and cook. These things all come together in my work: it celebrates everything from individual flowers in my garden to landscape, good friends, and making food.” Kraemer owns the Duluth Pottery Studio and Gallery in the Lincoln Park Crafts District.

Liz Pechacek

Liz Pechacek holds a BA in art history and a BFA in ceramics from Indiana University Bloomington. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts’ Friends of Arrowmont Scholarship, the Robert M. MacNamara Foundation’s Artist Residency, and American Craft Council’s Hip Pop Emerging Artist Award. Pechacek’s work is concerned with the making of meaningful objects, focusing on the burst of energy when finding a new form and the obsession required to winnow that shape into perfection. She believes that if her explorations lead to making something that is noticed by someone else, then her pieces can truly be of use. Pechacek currently lives and maintains a studio in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.

Doug Peltzman

Doug Peltzman was born in New York City and raised on Long Island. He has been making pots since 2003. Since graduating with his MFA from Penn State (State College, PA) in 2010, he established a pottery studio with his wife, Pam, in Shokan, New York. He is a father of three young children, a dedicated husband, and a full-time studio potter. He has had the honor of being both a juror and curator of national exhibitions and has taught workshops at many art centers and universities throughout the United States. Peltzman is a founding member of Objective Clay and creator/organizer of the Hudson Valley Pottery Tour. His work has been featured in many national publications and can be found in homes and kitchens across the country.

Jewelry Spotlight: Tricia Schmidt

Tricia Schmidt has had a lifelong love of clay and illustration and she marries the two in her functional and sculptural work. As a primarily self-taught artist, she embraces an aesthetic that is informed by the joy of doodling on a fresh sheet of paper and the satisfaction of a voluptuously curving form. Her animals and figures are often selfreferential, but universal enough to appeal to a larger audience through the use of her favorite motifs: ambivalent sloths, playful cats, industrious bunnies, malevolent squirrels, and introspective women. She also references folklore in her archetypal red birds, symbolizing those who have passed on but are still watching over us.

Images, previous page from left: Tom Bartel, Karin Kraemer. This page from left: Liz Pechacek, Doug Peltzman, Tricia Schmidt.

April Featured Artists

On view: April 4 – 30 Sales Gallery & Online

Doug Casebeer

Doug Casebeer is a lecturer, kiln builder, and ceramic artist from Carbondale, Colorado who has exhibited worldwide. Casebeer is now a full-time resident artist at the University of Oklahoma (Norman). He previously served as the artistic director for ceramics and sculpture at Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, Colorado, where he has been making work for the past 34 years. Casebeer has served as pottery consultant to the United Nations and the German government and was elected to the International Academy of Ceramics in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2009. Through his ceramic work, Casebeer investigates the correlations between storage, shelter, and nourishment while expressing beauty, balance, and grace. His forms are influenced by rural archetypes of western landscapes and all of his many globespanning experiences.

Jewelry Spotlight: Kristen Cliffel

Kristen Cliffel received her BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art (OH). In 2015, she was awarded the Individual Excellence Award from the Ohio Arts Council. There was no shortage of artistic imprint during Cliffel’s childhood: art lined the walls of the family home and there was a castle in the basement where live mice ran around in tunnels. Now identifying as both a wife and a mother, Cliffel engages themes of domestic mythology through her ceramic practice. Central to her exploration is the unfolding of intimate relationships and the fear, hope, belonging, security, and connection associated with them. Cliffel uses visual metaphors and unexpected combinations of sculpted objects to dissect these domestic fairytales and expose their prescribed notions of happiness, fulfillment, and success. The bird is a form returned to throughout her body of work, both wearable and sculptural.

Brian Geier

Brian Geier is a studio potter working out of Lakewood, CO. He focuses on making decorative and functional ceramic pieces using porcelain and crystalline glazes. Geier’s background in geography is the main source of inspiration for his crystalline glazes, specifically the mineral, ocean jasper, which is part of the quartz family. His beautiful surfaces and the process behind achieving such wonderful surface variation is what interests Geier most—no two crystalline pieces are ever the same. Geier received his AA from Waubonsee Community College (Sugar Grove, IL) and his BS in geography from Northern Illinois University (DeKalb).

Doug Casebeer, Brian Geier, Jeff Oestreich, Will Swanson Jewelry Spotlight: Kristen Cliffel

Jeff Oestreich

Jeff Oestreich received his education at Bemidji State University, the University of Minnesota, and at the Bernard Leach Pottery in St. Ives, England. He has exhibited and taught throughout the United States, as well as in New Zealand. Oestreich is well known for his functional stoneware pots. Wheel-thrown and altered, the minimally glazed work is fired in a soda kiln at his residence and studio near Taylors Falls, Minnesota.

Will Swanson

Will Swanson uses stoneware and porcelain clays to create dinnerware, baking and serving dishes, vases, and other useful pots for the kitchen and table. His pots are individually wheel-thrown, and often are altered or assembled from wheel-thrown parts. In all his work, Swanson wants to make pots that attain a satisfying simplicity while allowing the character of the earth materials and the hand-making process to be evident. Swanson shares his studio with his wife Janel Jacobson and together they welcome potters and visitors to the annual St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour.

Coming this Spring in the Sales Gallery!

Visit us in the Sales Gallery this spring for a sneak peek viewing of the work by our emerging artist residency grant recipients! During the months of April and May, we’ll represent the work of our Fogelberg, Anonymous Artist, and BIPOC Studio Fellows—Johannah Cairns, Sean Lofton, Evelyn Mtika, and Katie Reeves—as they near the halfway point in their residencies.

Images, previous page from left: Doug Casebeer, Kristen Cliffel, Brian Geier. This page from left: Jeff Oestreich, Will Swanson.

Evelyn Rose Mtika, Homesickness; Mama, 2021, earthenware, majolica, glaze, underglaze.

May Featured Artists

American Pottery Festival Preview

On view: May 2 – 28 Sales Gallery & Online

The American Pottery Festival Preview is your first chance to see and buy work by our visiting APF artists in the gallery, until APF Opening Night on Friday, September 8. Please join us for this special opportunity—while we may not know what autumn will hold for our inperson 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 2, so set your alarms!

This year, we are fortunate to also represent most of this year’s APF artists during the NCECA conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 15 – 18. NCC invites you to visit us at our NCECA Gallery Expo space to be the very first to see their work in person at a special Collector’s Preview opening on the evening of March 14. We hope to see you there!

Please visit www.northernclaycenter.org for updates on APF events, artist rosters, ticket information, volunteer needs, and opportunities to purchase work.

Images, this page: Kim Murton. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Minsoo Yuh, Nancy Green, Taylor Sijan, Shikha Joshi, Lizbeth Navarro.

APF 2023

September 8 – 10, 2023

Join us for the 25th Annual American Pottery Festival, September 8 – 10, 2023! Our annual fundraiser will once again gather ceramic artists from all over the US who represent the best in the field and offer a wide array of ideations, processes, forms, and surfaces. The event kicks off with our Opening Night Party on Friday night, September 8, 2023–YES, we are bringing it back!

The American Pottery Festival is Northern Clay Center’s annual fundraiser. All contributions support NCC’s mission of advancement of the ceramic arts for artists, learners, and the community through education, exhibitions, scholarships, and grant programs. It serves as a mindfully-forged platform to bring together makers, clay lovers, learners, collectors, and simply the curious, to play and be inspired.

Annually, NCC extends invitations to artists with diverse representation as a priority. These artists represent rich, lived experiences and varying perspectives whose pots display a vast array of techniques, aesthetics, and materials as well as pathways to a career in clay. The richness of experience, knowledge, and generosity represented by 2023’s artists will provide learning opportunities for everyone, from student to collector to fellow maker. The weekend is filled with opportunities to engage directly with artists during image presentations, workshops, lectures, panel discussions, and casual gallery chats. Scholarships are available for all workshops.

Please visit www.northernclaycenter.org for updates on APF events, artist rosters, ticket information, volunteer needs, and opportunities to purchase work.

ARTIST

Grant Deadlines

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 early or mid-career ceramic maker, visit our website for details about opportunities that you be eligible for. Applications for all programs will be available on our website.

Deadlines: Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award (WMAA)

Friday, March 31, 2023, by 5 pm CT

Early Career Artist Residencies (ECAR) Comprising the Fogelberg, Anonymous Artist, and BIPOC Studio Fellowships Friday, March 31, 2023, by 5 pm CT

McKnight Artist Residencies for Ceramic Artists

Friday, May 19, 2023, by 5 pm CT

McKnight Artist Fellowships for Ceramic Artists

Friday, May 19, 2023, by 5 pm CT

Former APF and current sales gallery artist, Bianka Groves (center, in brown jumpsuit) with friends at the last iteration of our Opening Night Party, way back in 2019!

Calling All Teaching Artists!

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

Clay Camp Instructors create and lead programs 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 to maintain studio cleanliness. Instructors are paid positions.

Clay Camp Assistants work closely with NCC's Education Manager 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.

We are looking for so many new faces to join our teaching roster in 2023! We have positions available in two of our programs—ClayToGo and Summer Clay Camps.

Teach with NCC’s ClayToGo program

Northern Clay Center is seeking 3+ teaching artists to teach with our ClayToGo program.

This role primarily involves teaching off-site at such locations as elementary, middle, and high schools; libraries; and community organizations with populations from underserved communities. Teaching artists are responsible for planning lessons, communicating with host sites, collecting and transporting materials from NCC, and planning their own transportation.

This is an independently-contracted, part-time position—averaging 15 hours a month. Starting wage is $25/hour for teaching contact time, plus additional prep time and drive time. The ideal applicants should have at least two years of experience teaching ceramics— both handbuilding and wheel-throwing techniques—and must have worked with youth in a teaching role. Experience working with diverse populations is preferred. Enthusiasm and passion are must-have qualities!

Assist with NCC’s Summer Clay Camp program

Northern Clay Center seeks individuals, ages 18 and up, for our 2023 summer camp positions.

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. Often, these positions lead to paid teaching positions! Experience working with clay, and interest and experience in working with young people is essential.

See our website for full details about all of these positions and how to apply!

NCC clay camp teacher with a group of young artists.

MN NICE: Year Nine

In November, we celebrated our eighth graduating class of Minnesota New Institute for Ceramic Education (MN NICE). The program is currently in its ninth year with another group of dedicated students. This exciting cohort seeks to focus their ideas and skills and build more cohesive bodies of work. Students enrolled in the 2022 cohort include:Jennifer Azzariti, Ray Caron, Lydia Gutowsky, Ivy Mattson, Janelle Pochart, Randy Schutt, and Doug Van Beek. As they finished the first trimester, Claire Miller, education manager at NCC, interviewed students to gather insight on their experience so far.

Jennifer Azzariti: I heard about the program on an episode of Tales of a Red Clay Rambler during the pandemic and thought to myself— I would love to do that . I was very motivated as an independent student at my community pottery, and sought out resources and inspiration, but I felt the need for uninterrupted time and guidance to further develop techniques and processes, amplify my personal aesthetic, push the conceptual boundaries of what I have been making, and develop a more cohesive body of work. I wanted to learn how to take control of the firing process, and gain enough knowledge to eventually have a studio of my own.

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

MN NICE participants in a group critique session.

What experience have you found most motivational, and why?

Ray Caron: MN NICE has provided a forum which helps focus my adventures in discovering the potentials of ceramics. Class discussions are very fruitful as is delving into the abundant history of ceramics. With aesthetic discussions in class I've torn down my approach to creating works from clay. I've taken a hiatus from making mugs and vases to producing non-utilitarian, purely sculptural pieces which was a surprising and unexpected return to my initial work in clay, only with a new perspective. I have a refreshed excitement when I go to the studio and work with clay.

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

Ivy Mattson: Finding one’s flow is essential and uplifted through the MN NICE program. We’ve had the opportunity to engage with scaffolded self-reflection in which one reflects on life and practices. Through these observations we are then able to see a fuller picture of what the creative process looks like for each person in the cohort. I can enthusiastically say that my approach to the process and ideas is much more researchinfluenced now than it was before. It is great to have deepened historical and material context, and while my process is still developing, I’ve been able to further identify and improve it.

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

Lydia Gutowsky: Having the others in the studio to touch base and check in with has been invaluable. Diving deep and finding one's voice is neither comfortable nor easy, and having others in solidarity and support of this endeavor has been incredibly important to my pushing through moments of doubt and finding new solutions.

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

Randy Schutt (RS): The small, personal classroom dynamic offers deep and meaningful conversations and insights!

Janelle Pochardt (JP): Our class is different from traditional classrooms because we often meet outside of NCC. We have also met a number of ceramic artists that come in and share their experiences with us.

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

RS: Session one has helped me articulate a deeper and clearer vision that I have been trying to put my finger on the past couple of years.

JP: MN NICE is helping me to really focus on my ceramic work. I hope to develop the skills needed to set up a business of my own in the next two sessions.

FEBRUARY

7 Spring class registration opens, 10 am

11 Workshop: McKnight Fellows, Tony Kukich & Ginny Sims-Burchard, 10 am

MARCH

3 Public reception: BREACH and CARRIERS, 6 - 8 pm

4 BREACH and CARRIERS open

7 March Featured Artists opens

9 BREACH and CARRIERS virtual tour online

15 - 18 NCC at NCECA

31 Applications due: WMAA & ECARs, 5 pm

APRIL

2 March Featured Artists closes

4 April Featured Artists opens

11 AAH: Looking and Learning, 6:30 pm

21 Info session: MN NICE, 6 pm

23 BREACH and CARRIERS close

30 April Featured Artists closes

MAY

2 May Featured Artists: APF Preview opens, 10 am Summer class registration opens, 10 am

5 Public reception: Light of Day and In Plain Sight 6 - 8 pm

6 Light of Day and In Plain Sight open

11 Light of Day and In Plain Sight virtual tour online

12 Applications due: Sales Gallery representation, 5 pm

13 AAH: Gnomes of Note, 2 - 4 pm

19 Applications due: McKnight Fellowships & Residencies, 5 pm

28 May Featured Artists: APF Preview closes

All event times are Central.

Sustaining Collaborations with Our Community

Creating experiential and lifelong learning opportunities is a goal of Northern Clay Center’s outreach program. While not always possible given the constraints of funding and the competing demands on our partner staff and teaching artists’ schedules, sometimes these opportunities take on a life of their own, ultimately becoming sustainable, with a little help from some very important individuals.

Brynne Macosko Paguyo is one such individual. Her love of teaching and clay find common ground each year at Southside Family School (SSFS) in Minneapolis. A classroom teacher at SSFS for over 25 years, she has been the critical ingredient in the success of NCC’s long-term partnership with SSFS, which dates back to 2001. Macosko Paguyo has been our ceramics instructor at SSFS since 2008 and annually engages the student population in in-depth clay experiences. NCC provides logistical support, tools, clay and other necessary materials, and fires completed student work in our kilns. With this particular structure of programming, the school is able to employ the talent they already have on staff and get access to a temporary clay studio and firing facilities each year.

“Clay club cultivates authentic exploration. Not only do students experiment with creating forms and textures, they also navigate their

A participant at this year’s SSFS collaboration. “Will my gnome get lonely in the kiln if you don’t make one too?”

understanding of sculpture and 3D space. This is a wonderfully inviting medium. Young learners exercise their agency when they manifest their visions with clay…Northern Clay Center has made it possible for our students to experience working with clay and to grow their skills over the years. Our school would not be able to have a clay program without Northern Clay Center… Children are able to make work that lasts. They create sculptures that they and their family and friends can cherish. They make drinking vessels, bowls, plates on which they and their family and friends can eat. This is such an amazing and empowering experience,” stated Macosko Paguyo.

This year, seventh and eighth grade students had the opportunity to resume their studies in clay after a break due to COVID and scheduling conflicts last year. The experience was nostalgic for them, as reported by Macosko Paguyo.

Nostalgia drives the efforts of another important individual who leads NCC’s work with long-time partner Martin Luther Manor. Teaching artist Susan Obermeyer has, over the past decade, shared the wonders of art and clay with hundreds of people who have resided at or participated in programs at Martin Luther Manor in Bloomington, Minnesota. Our initial work with this partner began in 2009, as our organization was in the preliminary

months of launching its ART@HAND program. Obermeyer took over as lead teaching artist there in 2011.

On a monthly basis, Obermeyer visits three different constituencies at Martin Luther Manor for a 90-minute workshop. Residents who live in the assisted living apartments at Meadow Woods, people who spend a few days each week at Campus Club Adult Day Center, and residents receiving care at Martin Luther Care Center gather monthly to create art together and to share conversation and community.

“The objects created become cherished gifts for the resident’s families. The residents give their work to sons and daughters, grandchildren, and friends. Many times, I’ve heard stories that pieces created by residents are kept and beloved by their families, who have later displayed the art at their loved one’s wake and funeral. The families cherish the art their loved one sculpted with their hands, painted with their brushstrokes, and created toward the end of their lives.”

“The positive benefits of Northern Clay Center’s programming with this constituency cannot be understated. Many of the residents are experiencing a difficult time in their lives. They may even be close to the end of their life, but for a brief 90 minutes, they can forget what’s going on in their world. Creating

allows the mind to focus on what is right in front of you. Other thoughts and worries tend to disappear, if only for a brief time…An atmosphere of positivity exists when we’re together. Much kindness and laughter are expressed.

“Having the opportunity to teach clay to the lovely people at Martin Luther Manor fills my heart with joy. I’ve had the honor of working with so many these past years. Friendships have been formed, stories have been shared, creativity shared, and happiness felt by all. This experience is priceless.”

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.

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 classes will fill up quickly.

Education Access Scholarships

Applications open Tuesday, January 31

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

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: Mondays, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Paola Evangelista March 20 – April 17

Fee: $180 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

I2: Mondays, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Paola Evangelista April 24 – May 22

Fee: $180 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

I3: Tuesdays, 10 am – 1 pm

Instructor: Hannah Prichard March 21 – April 18

Fee: $180 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

I4: Tuesdays, 10 am – 1 pm

Instructor: Hannah Prichard

April 25 – May 23

Fee: $180 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

I5: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Ruby Sevilla

March 21 – April 18

Fee: $180 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

I6: Tuesdays, 1:00 – 4:00 pm

Instructor: Z Kaplan

April 25 – May 23

Fee: $180 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

I7: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Ruby Sevilla

April 25 – May 23

Fee: $180 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

I8: Fridays, 6:30-9:30 pm

Instructor: Sean Lofton

March 24 – April 21

Fee: $180 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

I9: Fridays, 6:30-9:30 pm

Instructor: Sean Lofton

April 28 – May 26

Fee: $180 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

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.

I10: Mondays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Olivia Gallenberger

March 20 – April 17

Fee: $180 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

I11: Mondays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Olivia Gallenberger April 24 – May 22

Fee: $180 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

Also check out our series of one-day workshops listed on pages 26 - 27—ideal for makers with little or no previous experience.

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 clairemiller@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 wheel-throwing 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: Wednesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Audra Smith

March 22 – May 24

Fee: $360 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

W2: Fridays, 1 – 4 pm

Instructor: Jennica Kruse

March 24 – May 26

Fee: $360 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

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

W3: Saturdays, 10 am – 1 pm

Instructor: Risa Nishiguchi

March 25 – May 27

Fee: $360 + $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.

W4: Mondays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Erin Holt, Focus on Handles March 20 – May 22

Fee: $360 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

W5: Tuesdays, 10 am – 1 pm

Instructor: Lisa Himmelstrup, Focusing Your Intentions March 21 – May 23

Fee: $360 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

W6: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: David Swenson, Focus on Refinement March 21 – May 23

Fee: $360 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

W7: Thursdays, 1 – 4 pm

Instructor: Leila Denecke, Focus on Form and Function

March 23 – May 25

Fee: $360 + $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.

Livin’ Large: Modular Handbuilding

Join Erin Paradis, 2019 Jerome Ceramic Artist Project Grant recipient, for ten weeks of dreaming—and building big—in clay. Create the larger works, functional or sculptural, that you’ve always imagined and bring them to life with integrity by learning from a modular-building artist and honing handbuilding techniques. Absorb and practice new techniques to push the dimensions of your work and practice building in smaller considered and sound sections to create larger, more substantial pieces. Expect class and individually-guided demonstrations, one-on-one discussions, and group critiques, as well as helpful resources and suggestions from the instructor to push your concepts and skills to a new level. Students are encouraged to come prepared with an idea so projects can begin quickly. Intermediate to advanced levels.

H1: Wednesdays, 1 – 4 pm

Instructor: Erin Paradis March 22 – May 24

Fee: $360 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

Mugging and More + Some Glaze Making Basics

Mugs, teacups, wine stems, tumblers, short glasses, and even stemmed martini holders are awaiting your hands. And then there are handles. There are so many different ways to make interesting handles. And as the wise potters like to say “It’s the handle that makes the mug” because if a handle is uncomfortable, folks won’t love or even use a mug. For those interested in glazes there will be an opportunity to understand glaze make up and try your hand at creating new colored glazes. Designed for intermediate makers and up.

H2: Thursdays, 10 am – 1 pm

Instructor: Marion Angelica March 23 – May 25

Fee: $360 + $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 tile-making, 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 projectprompts, provided by the instructor. Intermediate to advanced level.

H3: Thursdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman

March 23 – May 25

Fee: $360 + $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 24 – May 26

Fee: $360 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

SPECIAL TOPICS CLASSES

Kitchen Satellites of Love

Expand your vocabulary and your imagination around the idea of domestic utility—tackling new forms you can use in your kitchen or gift to another foodie. We will explore mixing and batter bowls, garlic boxes, salt cellars, utensil organizers, cream and sugar sets, condiment dishes, ramekins, ewers, casseroles, and ladles…what else can you think of? Let’s make it! Build on the basics and stretch your

technical wheel skills in practical ways. Further develop your critical eye, refining forms and editing your output through group discussions.

T1: Wednesdays, 1 - 4 pm

Instructor: Chris Singewald March 22 – May 24

Fee: $360 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

Some Kitchen 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.

T2: Thursdays, 10 am – 1 pm

Instructor: Lucy Yogerst March 23 – May 25

Fee: $360 + $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

A

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 20, May 4, & 25

Firing and unloading schedule will be discussed during class. Studio meetings all other weeks.

T3: Thursdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Emily Murphy March 24 – May 26

Fee: $360 + $100 lab fee (5% member discount)

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

SPECIAL TOPICS WORKSHOPS

Building Keepsakes with Paper Clay

Have you heard of paperclay but never quite understood what it is? In this three-day workshop you will take a deep dive into many aspects of paper clay and gain hands-on experience. Due to the burn out that occurs during firing, this is not a material typically used in NCC studios and this workshop is a special exception! On day one of this workshop you will be introduced to the background and history of paper clay in the NCC library. On days two and three you will be hands-on in the studio building small sculptural keepsakes. Pieces will be once-fired at the workshop's conclusion and ready for pick up within two to three weeks. Basic handbuilding knowledge is preferred.

X1: Friday, March 31, 5 – 7 pm and Saturday & Sunday, April 1 & 2, 10 am – 1 pm

Instructor: Paola Evangelista

Fee: $120 (5% member discount)

The Hot Seat—Kiln Firing 101

Great for art educators!

So, you’ve read your kiln manual but still have questions about firing? Worry no more! In this one-day workshop, you will learn the basics of firing and maintaining your own kiln. Covering basic information about kiln styles, firing speeds, kiln requirements, and firing temperatures, this class will have you walking away more confident in your ability to be in control of your kiln. The workshop is led by teaching artists who fire multiple kilns each month. 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 firing only

X2: Saturday, April 29, 1 – 4 pm

Instructor: Hannah Prichard Fee: $50 (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.

X3: In person, Saturday & Sunday, June 3 & 4, 10 am – 4 pm

Instructor: Mark Lusardi

Fee: $270

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.

X4: Friday, March 24, 6:30 –9:30 pm

X5: Saturday, April 15, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

X6: Friday, May 12, 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.

X7: Saturday, April 8, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

X8: Saturday, April 29, 1 – 4 pm

X9: Saturday, May 13, 1 – 4 pm

Instructor: NCC Teaching Artist

Fee: $45 per person, per session

Cocoa for Couples

First date or been together 20+ years? Great—come to NCC for a creative date! You’ll learn to handbuild a hot-cocoa mug and then the challenge begins: will you make matching mugs? Characters from the same story? (Beauty and Beast? Batman and Robin?) Will you express your individual styles? We will decorate our creations with colorful clay slips. Pieces will be fired and ready for pick-up two to three weeks following the workshop.

Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman

X10: Saturday, March 25, 3 - 5 pm

Fee: $90 per couple, per session

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 wheelthrowing; there are no exceptions to stated age requirements.

Throwing Together

Parents and kids spend a little Q.T. together learning a new skill. Learn to make basic cylinders, bowls, plates, and more as you grow your skills using the potter’s wheel. High-temperature clay and glazes will be used. Wear old clothes, bring an old towel and a onegallon bucket for each participant. Class sessions are designed to allow adults and children to work side-by-side in a collaborative environment. Ages 9+; all skill levels welcome.

F1: Sundays, 1:30 – 3:30 pm

Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman March 26 – May 14

Fee: $330* (5% member discount)

*Note: This fee is for two people, one adult and one child.

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 levels welcome.

Instructor: Eileen Cohen

Saturday, March 25

F2: 10 am - 1 pm F3: 2 - 5 pm

Fee: $60 for two people, $25 for each additional participant

Platter Earth

In celebration of Earth Day, create a platter that honors the planet and its wonders. Learn to use templates and soft slabs to make handbuilt plates and platters. Decorate your projects with colored slip. Ages 6+; all skill levels welcome.

Instructor: Eileen Cohen

Saturday, April 22

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 14

F6: 10 am - 1 pm

F7: 2 - 5 pm

Fee: $60 for two people, $25 for each additional participant

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

Looking and Learning

Join us in person and via Zoom for another installment of this show-and-tell series, featuring emerging voices in clay: Evelyn Rose Mtika and Katie Reeves. The presenters will each share and discuss objects from their personal collections that have inspired and influenced their making or brought joy and new ways of seeing the world through their presence in the artists’ lives.

This gathering will also provide an opportunity for these artists to share where they are at in their making journeys as resident artists through the Center’s artist service program.

About the artists:

Evelyn Rose Mtika is NCC’s BIPOC Studio Fellow, in residence from fall of 2022 through summer of 2023. Mtika earned her BFA from University of Hartford (West Hartford, CT) with a major in ceramics and a minor in painting. Her work includes portraiture, figure, text, and is focused on exploring intertwined cultural connections and differences. Her body of work is related to defining the experience of living within and between the Black and African diaspora.

Katie Reeves is NCC’s Fogelberg Studio Fellow, in residence from fall 2022 through summer 2023. Reeves recently completed two undergraduate degrees in art education and fine arts, with a concentration in ceramics, at the University of Wisconsin-Stout (Menomonie, WI). Over the course of the last several years, their work has been part of over 25 exhibitions across the United States. They make functional ceramic wares focusing on the themes of sexuality, femininity, intimacy, and classicality. In addition to their studio work, Reeves shares their talents and skills with NCC and the community as NCC’s outreach technician.

23AAH4: Tuesday, April 11, 6 – 7 pm

Gnomes of Note

Your garden can be a magical place, home to many creatures among the vegetative growth. What better local for a sanctuary of gnomes made by hand. A favorite workshop for all ages, this in-person gathering will ensure each participant creates a gnome of note, perfect for the outdoors or in!

Saturday May 13, 2 - 4 pm

FREE

VISITING ARTIST WORKSHOPS & LECTURES

McKnight Fellowship Artist Workshop: Tony Kukich & Ginny Sims-Burchard 2021 McKnight Ceramic Artist Fellows Tony Kukich (St. Paul) and Ginny SimsBurchard (Minneapolis) will each give a presentation about their work and development as artists, then share studio time, showing their techniques and skills. This program is supported by the McKnight Foundation.

23WX14: Saturday, February 11, 10 am

Free

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

Spring Class Registration Opens Tuesday, February 7, at 10 am

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. Member discounts are available online.

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

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 classes or workshops. Once enrolled, all scholarships are non-refundable 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.

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.

For any questions regarding NCC’s scholarship program, please contact Claire Miller, Education Manager, at clairemiller@northernclaycenter.org

Policies:

COVID-19 Protocols: NCC will continue to require masks to be worn inside our facilities at all times. Our offerings may continue to evolve as public health concerns continue. Class sizes may continue to be limited and appropriate safety initiatives will remain in place.

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 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!

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.

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 Claire Miller at clairemiller@northernclaycenter. org or call 612.339.8007 x309.

2424 Franklin Avenue East Minneapolis, MN 55406

612.339.8007 nccinfo@northernclaycenter.org www.northernclaycenter.org

Visit Us

2424 Franklin Avenue East, Minneapolis, MN 55406 612.339.8007 nccinfo@northernclaycenter.org

Gallery hours: 10 am - 5 pm, 7 days a week Office hours: 9 am - 5:30 pm, Monday - Friday Masks are required.

Information for Visitors with Disabilities

Please contact us at 612.339.8007 or nccinfo@northernclaycenter.org with any questions about our facility or with requests for accommodations.

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 to make a booking

Signed Interpretation: Signed interpretation is available for any public NCC event. Please call us at least three weeks in advance to request an interpreter.

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: Ewer, Olivia Tani

Nonprofit Organization

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

Wheelchair seating for classes or other accommodations: We offer a rehabilitationstyle potter’s wheel for those individuals that are in wheelchairs. NCC is ADA compliant and is entirely wheelchair accessible. Please contact us in advance of attendance if there are other accommodations we can provide.

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

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.