Summer 2023 Newsletter

SUMMER 2023

EXHIBITIONS | EVENTS | EDUCATION | ARTIST SERVICES

Updates on NCC's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access Work

We at NCC are on a continuous journey to develop programming initiatives and employ metrics that are fundamentally rooted and aligned in anti-racist practices and anti-oppressive principles in all areas of our internal and external work.

We commit to provide pathways that advance ceramic joy for individual and collective accountability towards the betterment of our clay community. This commitment is grounded in our belief that change is possible, and that our work—and that of the artistic community as a whole—will grow stronger as oppression is eliminated.

The following actions are a snapshot of where we are, and by no means a finish line. Rather we offer them here as benchmarks of how we are moving towards a more inclusive, equitable, and just organization.

ORGANIZATION-WIDE

• Beginning February 2021, NCC staff has dedicated 20 minutes to 1 hour of our bi-monthly staff meetings to a continued process of revelation that centers anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and anti-exclusionary practices in our operations as individuals and as an organization.

• In December 2021 and January 2022, NCC was guided by Courageous Change Collective’s team of practitioner consultants through two training sessions with

teaching artists and staff. The focus for these facilitated sessions was what does it mean to be actively anti-racist and understanding white supremacy cultural norms in nonprofit organizations

• With new staff joining NCC, and a recognition that much of the previous training efforts needed to be revisited, a formal Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (DEI+A) committee was formed to assess current and historical initiatives, goals, and action steps as well as create a strategic and actionable plan for building a framework and accountability into every program area and staff roles.

EDUCATION

• NCC has implemented Education Access Scholarships options for our adult ceramics programming. We offer two scholarship options—a half-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners with financial need, and a full-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color.

• For scholarship students wishing to remain in the program, we have created a Studio Monitor Mentorship program. This program acts as a work/trade agreement and creates a path to ownership and leadership in the studio community.

With time, it will evolve and improve representation in studio leadership roles.

• We have opened early registration for students on class waiting lists from the previous term to increase accessibility for adult class registration.

• Created accessible equipment and processes for students of varying abilities stemming from neuro abilities, physical limitations, and age.

• Added Wheel 101 for BIPOC Individuals teaches the basics of wheel throwing in a space dedicated to individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Color and is intended to foster a safe, creative environment and introduction for BIPOC folks.

ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES

• Jury panelists are invited and included to ensure diverse representation on each panel.

• Panelists are shared publicly to increase transparency and trust and eliminate possible power dynamics.

• An internally-funded year-long BIPOC Emerging Artist Residency was created to replace the previous Jerome Foundation-funded Artist of Color Residency program that ended in 2017.

• Expanded the types of accepted resume and professional information that can be used to apply for grants and residencies in an effort to reach a broader audience while expanding inclusivity. Additionally, we have begun accepting submissions as spoken narrative audio files to further expand the inclusivity of our application and jury process.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

ClayToGo

NCC’s community engagement program for youth and families.

• Whenever possible, we place priority on populations who reside in lower-income brackets and who do not have the same access to creative experiences as others. Our work in this area relies on strong partnerships with Twin Cities schools and community organizations serving youth in need.

• With generous funds from several foundations and corporate gifts, NCC was able to meet demand for new and returning partnerships with local schools, community organizations, and service agencies in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding suburbs. During the calendar year 2022, NCC’s teaching artists led 69 new and returning partnerships, with over 2,660 individuals, including students in Pre-K through twelfth grades. An additional 16 public clay

ADMINISTRATION

sessions were offered via public/ free community programs, which reached over 1,700 additional youth, families, and adults.

• Some programs were short-tenured, providing 1 – 2 hours of creative engagement for a particular group of youth; others were long-tenured, taking place over several weeks, or, in some cases, over the course of an entire semester or school year, wherein youth had 30 – 50 contact hours with clay.

• We invited our partner organizations to share demographics for the constituencies with which we worked, and a majority of these sites reported that some 60%+ of the population served were people living below the poverty line, 45%+ were considered “youth at risk,” and more than 65% of the participants self-identified as BIPOC.

• NCC dedicated over $40,000 of its internally-generated grant funds to support these community programs, which amounted to 50% of the total programming costs for our ClayToGo program in 2022.

• In conjunction with NCC’s fall exhibition, A Gathering, Works from ‘Contemporary Black American Ceramic Artists’—which brought to 3-dimension a first of its kind exhibition featuring Black American clay artists—enabled 11 participating artists to visit NCC for conversations

and workshops for the public, three of who visited with select school and community partners. We were excited to provide clay experiences led by Black makers in collaboration with NCC teaching artists, with the hope that when Black students and students of color see someone who looks like them leading their clay classes, they will see their own potential future in the ceramic arts!

“This is a wonderfully inviting medium: young learners exercise their agency when they manifest their visions with clay…NCC has made it possible for our students to experience working with clay and to grow their skills over the years.”

ART@HAND

NCC’s vital aging programs for adults 55 and greater.

• In addition to our work with youth and families, we led vital aging programs with adults 55 and greater of all abilities, locales, and economic means, through strategic partnerships with organizations that serve this population. With such partners as Fairview Ebenezer, Common Bond, Opportunity Partners, and Sholom, NCC teaching artists provided creative lifelong learning opportunities through over 46 unique programs to over 1100 aging adults.

“The positive benefits of NCC’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.”

Other Outreach-Related Efforts

• Every aspect of our work in the community was guided by NCC's strategic objectives and buttressed by NCC's efforts to ensure diversity, equity, inclusion and access in all we do. From listening intently to our partners’ and their constituents’ needs; to working closely with them to provide safe and welcoming spaces in which our clay work could occur; to enabling as many interested persons to participate as space and resource allowed; to providing entry points to the medium for the novice, the experienced, and the spectator alike; to thoughtfully providing the appropriate tools, resources, training and support to our teaching roster of individuals who comprise many decades of life and experience, varying physical abilities, myriad teaching styles and philosophies, and a plethora of invisible disabilities.

• One of NCC’s long-time funders of youth-related programming has enabled our support of clay campers who otherwise would be unable to attend a summer clay camp at NCC given their family’s financial position. In 2022, we were able to provide 16 partial scholarships (value of which ranged from 15 to 100% of the camp cost) for a total of $1700 in support.

GALLERIES

• We reevaluated the process as well as the existing language in our artist agreements in an effort to increase accessibility, transparency, as well as demystify terms, and eliminate power dynamics.

• Added a staff position–Sales Gallery Artist Relations Associate–dedicated to researching historically marginalized and under-represented artists in the medium of clay to invite to gallery opportunities. This position acknowledges artists newer to NCC, reaches out to build meaningful relationships, and partners with interested artists to submit paperwork in a successful and supported gallery representation.

• In an effort to recognize the barrier of shipping costs for ceramic work, and to build trust with new-to-NCC artists by taking on the onus of this cost, NCC is responsible for all shipping costs for BIPOC artists for one year.

• When soliciting vendors for events, NCC prioritizes BIPOC- and womenowned businesses and products with a special focus on those businesses that give back to the community and have values that align with our own.

• Gallery staff is creating guidelines pertaining to cultural appropriation in works in the galleries with the goal of identifying and eliminating

cultural appropriation in the gallery and creating a space that feels safe to all. NCC sees the challenging conversation with artists as an opportunity to share our values, and while some conversations have been extremely difficult, most have been received with understanding and increased awareness. Cultural appropriation in the galleries is an ongoing and evolving work in progress.

• The Galusha Gallery has traditionally been utilized for smaller or complementary exhibitions. No curators were paid for designing exhibitions in this space. This gallery is now used as a resource to provide an exhibition space for emerging curators and makers with a focus on historically-marginalized communities. NCC internally funds a curator stipend for every externallycurated exhibition, works alongside each emerging curator/artist to share knowledge and resources and co-produce the exhibition, and partners with the curator/artist and education program areas at NCC to create impactful and accessible educational programming.

• NCC now works with a local company to produce a virtual 3D tour of all exhibitions. These are available at no cost to the public and offer accessibility to those who cannot visit the physical space, to educators to use as a free educational resource, and to artists to add to their own portfolios.

• NCC produces a juried exhibition that features the work of NCC members every other year that was reevaluated and permanently expanded in 2022 to include K-12 students and educators.

° The jurors (paid opportunity) on the panel have historically been selected with diversity as a priority, and their names and backgrounds are now shared publicly before submissions are requested to increase transparency.

° NCC expanded the member show, in recognition of membership posing a barrier to entry, to K-12 students and educators.

° NCC offered free Education Memberships to all applicants that offered information regarding free educational events at NCC and a substantial discount on all paid educational events for one year.

° Offering an exhibition opportunity to students and educators, historically overlooked in the gallery system, created a more inclusive exhibition and is an opportunity to build meaningful relationships with the hope of further diversifying the field of ceramics.

FINANCE & HUMAN RESOURCES

Administratively, we have evaluated our internal controls, financial systems, cybersecurity, and other digital tools that were in place before and during the pandemic, in order to recommend

ADMINISTRATION

improvements that will have a lasting impact long after the pandemic is over. What we discovered also led us to investigate what mechanisms and habits were at play, so that they can be revised to be more effective, equitable, and inclusive moving forward.

• From that process of inquiry and exploration we were able to streamline our invoicing procedures, activate resources to keep our artists' financial information secure, and intentionally seek out local, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and women-led companies to purchase goods and services from.

• Additionally, we have developed and incorporated data visualization tools that are color blindnessfriendly to our internal monthly reporting for our board of directors to provide alternative viewpoints for understanding the organization's financial data.

• Through the process of collective decision making, we have embarked on revising the employee handbook to develop staff benefits packages and policies through an equity lens and better incorporate the organization’s inclusive culture.

• We have adopted inclusive hiring practices as we feel it’s vital towards fostering productivity, innovation, multiple perspectives, improved employee retention, and a host of other organizational benefits.

American Pottery Festival

September 8 – 10, 2023

Sales Gallery, Main Gallery, & Galusha Gallery

Opening Night! Friday, September 8; Members Hour 5 – 6 pm; General Public 6 – 9 pm

Online Benefit Sale: Saturday, September 9, 10 am CT*

Daily in-person and virtual workshops & free artist lectures

*To purchase work from afar on Friday, please read about our free Personal Shopper service

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!

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.

Bianka Groves, Bowl

APF Schedule & Fees

Invited Artists

Chris Alveshere, Kristina Batiste, Bekah Bliss, Michaela Bromberek, Mike Cerv, Bede Clarke, Darcy Delgado, Donna de Soto, Nancy Green, Bianka Groves, Michelle Im, Shikha Joshi, Yeonsoo Kim, Lee Love, Mary Martin, Didem Mert, Kim Murton, Lizbeth Navarro, S.C. Rolf, Tricia Schmidt, Hitomi Shibata and Takuro Shibata of Studio Touya, Taylor Sijan, Olivia Tani, Minsoo Yuh, and Sunkoo Yuh.

GALLERY ADMISSION

This year welcomes back a full in-person American Pottery Festival along with virtual options. We are thrilled to enjoy a celebratory Opening Night on Friday and all of the other weekend events with you and our visiting artists!

OPENING NIGHT: Friday, September 8

Members Preview Hour: 5 – 6 pm General Public: 6 – 9 pm $25

Saturday, September 9, 10 am – 5 pm FREE

Sunday, September 10, 10 am – 3 pm FREE

Top: Shikha Joshi, Tea Set. Bottom: Didem Mert, Cup

EXHIBITIONS

PRE-FESTIVAL WORKSHOPS

100% scholarship available to BIPOC attendees. 50% scholarship available to any who identify as experiencing financial need. NCC Members receive $10 discount.

Thursday, September 7, 12 – 4 pm

Fees: $80 In-person workshop

$40 In-person for students and educators

$40 Virtual content only

Friday, September 8, 12 – 4 pm

Fees: $80 In-person workshop

$40 In-person for students and educators

$40 Virtual content only

WEEKEND WORKSHOPS

100% scholarship available to BIPOC attendees. 50% scholarship available to any who identify as experiencing financial need.

Saturday All-day Workshops

Saturday, September 9, 10 am – 4 pm

Fee: $60 In-person workshops

$30 In-person for students and educators

$30 Virtual content only

Sunday All-day Workshops

Sunday, September 10, 10 am – 2 pm

Fee: $45 In-person workshops

$25 In-person for students and educators

$25 Virtual content only

Stay tuned to our website for up-to-date

Saturday and Sunday workshop listings.

DON'T MISS!

May Featured Artists: American Pottery Festival Preview May 2 – 28

Sales Gallery and 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. 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!

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

This page, from top: Takuro Shibata, Vase. Chris Alveshere, Jar

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: S.C. Rolf, Ewer. Hitomi Shibata, Platter. Olivia Tani, Serving Bowl. Bede Clarke, Cup. Taylor Sijan, Mug. Mary Martin, Platter.

EXHIBITIONS

Chris Burch; Speak With Plants, Avé Rivera.

EXHIBITIONS

Light of Day

On view May 6 – June 25

Main Gallery

Virtual 3D Tour on view May 11

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 exhibition promises to offer the rediscovery of the relationships built over three decades of service to the field and the works acquired along the way.

The permanent collection started with Northern Clay Center’s 10th Anniversary celebration planning, when select artists were invited to provide objects for Ten Years in Retrospect, the exhibition that accompanied our celebration. These artists were part of a group of over 200 individuals whose work had been shown in curated exhibitions over the first 10 years of the Center’s life, between 1989 and 2001. From early career makers to those already distinguished within the field of ceramics, from sites as close as the Center’s own studio facilities to international locales, from functional pots to sculptural objects, from all manner of making and firing—the initial objects acquired by NCC encompassed a wide spectrum of ceramic art.

Objects were acquired either through generous donation by the artists or through purchase by NCC. The intent of these acquisitions was to build a permanent collection that would honor the past and the people and ideas that made the present day possible, and

also serve as an educational resource to the Clay Center’s constituency and the greater ceramics community.

The collection grew exponentially again in 2010 as part of NCC’s 20th Anniversary celebration, when select artists from the 2000 to 2010 calendar years of exhibitions were invited to contribute to It

Was Twenty Years Ago Today

The current collection houses objects created by over 100 ceramic makers, which includes the aforementioned acquisitions as well as additional donations of ceramic art from generous visiting, exhibiting, and teaching artists who shared their talents with us over the years.

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 ceramic arts.

This page: April D. Felipe, We Move Forward

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Betty Woodman, Artemesia Vase. Soojin Choi, S11. Stephen De Staebler, Black and Orange Legs. Warren MacKenzie, Platter. Edward Eberle, Emblem Bearer.

In Plain Sight

On view May 6 – June 25

Galusha Gallery

Virtual 3D Tour on view May 11

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, galleries, and a space dedicated to bringing clay to the community through our outreach program.

One of the largest spaces in the building, however, 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.

The studio program at NCC began with a group of visionary and dedicated artists when the doors first opened in 1990. Today, there are 37 artists participating in the program and contributing their talents and generosity to the community at NCC through sales, lectures, classes, and many appreciated volunteer hours.

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 formal gallery setting, is offered to encourage the recognition of the community of makers who are right here in our everyday NCC world.

This page: Mic Stowell, hpw21

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Beth Thompson, Untitled Marjorie Pitz, Treasures. Lynda Buscis, Rook. Carolina Niebres, Mod Chevron Pitcher. Julian Gruber, Whirling Lamp

Seven McKnight Artists

July 8 – August 20

Main Gallery and Galusha Gallery

Summer Open House: July 15, 1 – 4 pm

In 2023, NCC’s annual McKnight Artist exhibition will provide the unique opportunity to view works by the 2022 recipients of the McKnight Artist Fellowship for Ceramic Artists, Tony Kukich (St. Paul, MN) and Ginny Sims (Minneapolis, MN), as well as the 2021 recipients of the McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists: Claudia Alvarez (New York, NY), Eliza Au (Lake Dallas, TX), Edith Garcia (2020 Recipient, Half Moon Bay, CA), Lynne Hobaica (Bakersville, NC), and Janina Myronova (Wrocław, Poland). This exhibition, supported by the McKnight Foundation, showcases the success of each artist’s fellowship or residency.

The McKnight Foundation, a Minnesota-based family foundation, advances a more just, creative, and abundant future where people and planet thrive. Established in 1953, the McKnight Foundation is deeply committed to advancing climate solutions in the Midwest; building an equitable and inclusive Minnesota; and supporting the arts and culture in Minnesota, neuroscience, and international crop research.

Claudia Alvarez, Girl in Turquoise, 2022, glaze, underglaze, stoneware.

Claudia Alvarez

Claudia Alvarez (New York, NY) tackles issues relating to violence, empowerment, endurance, and what each reveal about human nature through her drawings, paintings, and ceramic sculptures. Greatly impacted by terminally ill youth and elderly patients met during past work experience, her painted and sculpted figures continue to reflect both their strength and vulnerability through the depiction of fragmented narratives as reflection of human conduct, ethics, belief systems, culture, race, assimilation, and displacement.

Alvarez received her BA from University of California, Davis in 1999 and her MFA from California College of Arts (San Francisco) in 2003. Throughout her career as a maker, she has participated in residencies at locations including SASAMA International Ceramic Art Festival (Shizuoka, Japan), Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts (Omaha, NE), SOMA (Mexico City, Mexico), and FUTUR (Rapperswil, Switzerland). She has received multiple awards including those from institutions such as Art Matters Foundation (New York, NY) and Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund (New York, NY). Currently, Alvarez is serving as an adjunct instructor at New York University (NYC), visiting assistant professor at Pratt Institute, (Brooklyn, NY), and faculty at Greenwich House Pottery (NYC).

EXHIBITIONS

Alvarez has had works exhibited nationally and internationally in both solo and group exhibitions at venues including Nexus Gallery (Berkeley, CA), Museo de la Ciudad (Merida, Mexico), The Observatory (Dublin, Ireland), Keramik Museum (Westerwald, HöhrGrenzhausen, Germany), FUTUR (Rapperswil, Switzerland), Centro Nacional de las Artes (Mexico City, Mexico), and the Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center (Nyack, NY). Her works have been featured in books, catalogs, and periodicals around the world and included in the museum collections at El Museo Latino (Omaha, NE), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Ateneo de Yucatán (Merida, Mexico), Sheldon Museum of Art (Lincoln, NE), the National Museum of Mexican Art (Chicago, IL), and the Museum of Nebraska Art (Kearny).

Eliza Au

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 (NYC), the Corning Museum of Glass (Corning, NY), the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts (Helena, MT), and Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center (Skælskør, Denmark). Au has participated in numerous conferences and panels across the US and Canada, and has presented artist lectures internationally.

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

EXHIBITIONS

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).

Edith Garcia

Edith Garcia (Half Moon Bay, CA) has long embraced unconventional and experimental projects. Within her research-driven creative productions, she addresses the ideas of transience, the status of the object in contemporary art and theory, and the consciousness of our contemporaneity as a society.

Her body of work has been exhibited throughout Canada, the U.S., Mexico, and Europe and has been the recipient of national and international awards, artists in residencies, and a Distinguished Visiting Professorship at the California College of the Arts. She has been featured in solo, touring and group exhibitions at national and international venues such as the Royal College of Art (London, UK), Gimpel Fils, (London, UK), British Ceramics Biennial, (Stoke-on-Trent, UK), Barbican Art Centre (London, UK), The Tampa Museum of Art (St. Petersburg, Florida), International Museum of Applied Arts (Torino, Italy) Transmission Gallery (Oakland, CA), Northern Clay Center (Minneapolis, MN), and Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MN).

Garcia continues to be actively engaged in critical research on the convergence of contemporary art, technologies, and our contemporary visual art and design culture with curatorial projects, publishing, and the realization of creative productions. Garcia received her BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MN) in 1998, MFA from the California College of the Arts (San Francisco) in 2004, and a research degree MPhil at the Royal College of Art (London, UK) in 2012. She has authored numerous articles for publication on visual and design culture, including VJ: AudioVisual Art and VJ Culture, Laurence King Publishing (with creative collective D-Fuse); Ceramics and the Human Figure, A & C Black Publishers and The American Ceramic Society; and has been featured in publications including Confrontational Ceramics, Ceramic Review Magazine, American Craft Magazine, Ceramics: Art and

Perception, Ceramics Monthly, and Breaking the Mould: New Approaches to Ceramics

Garcia has conducted lectures and workshops nationally and internationally at venues including Westminster University (Harrow, UK), University of Ulster (Belfast, UK), Carleton College (Northfield, MN), Cardiff School of Art and Design (Cardiff, UK), and Minneapolis College of Art and Design, (MN). Garcia currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts as the Director of Communications.

Lynne Hobaica

Lynne Hobaica (Bakersville, NC) creates both sculptural and functional forms that create story and narrative. Inspired by the beauty and struggle of the human experience, her work is fueled through the contemplation of our individual awareness of mortality and its impact on the lens through which stories and life are experienced. Referencing characters from both personal and historical mythologies and fairytales, Hobaica instills gesture and emotion to connect with audiences and shares emotional experiences from both personal and shared stories.

Hobaica received her BFA in the history of art with concentration in ceramics from Syracuse University (NY) in 2010, and her MFA in sculptural conceptions and ceramics from Kunstuniversität Linz (Austria) in 2015. She has served as instructor at numerous venues and institutions including Moshier Arts Center (Bruien, WA), Bellevue College (Bellevue, WA), Odyssey Clayworks (Ashville, NC), and Hood College (Frederick, MD). Hobaica has

Opposite page: Eliza Au, Lattice Cube, 2022, cone 6 stoneware.

This page: Edith Garcia, Stolen Diamonds, 2022, porcelain, black and white diamond dust, enamel paint.

EXHIBITIONS

continued to develop her own practice in her studio and through residency opportunities including Flower City Art Center (Rochester, NY), L’antica Deruta (Deruta, Italy), and Pottery Northwest (Seattle, WA). Additionally, Hobaica has led workshops and presentations at

both national and international locations including Accademia di Belli Arti di Perugia (Perugia, Italy), Gasworks NYC (NYC), Hartford Art School (Hartford, CT), and Penland School of Craft (Penland, NC).

In addition to recognition through publication and broadcast, Hobaica has received numerous awards for her work including the ÖH Projekt Förderung Project Grant, the De Poi Award through the Seattle Perugia Sister City Association, the Blue Ridge Soap Shed Scholarship, and was named one of Ceramic Monthly’s 2020 Emerging Artists. Her work is represented at galleries spanning the US and has been exhibited through various group, twoperson, and solo exhibitions at venues including Mesa Arts Center (Mesa, AZ), Gandee Gallery (Fabius, NY), Mir (Linz, Austria), Haystack School of Craft (Deer Isle, ME), Pigeon Toe Gallery (Portland, OR), Clay Center of New Orleans (New Orleans, LA), Pottery Northwest (Seattle, WA), The Clay Studio (Philadelphia, PA), Firehouse Gallery (Rochester, NY), and Charlie Cummings Gallery (Gainesville, FL).

Tony Kukich

Tony Kukich (Saint Paul, MN) creates paintings as well as both sculptural and functional ceramics. His current focus is on seemingly incompatible and discordant ideas that can exist simultaneously within the same person, balance and instability, worthlessness and preciousness, comfort and anxiety, knowledge and ignorance, etcetera. His most recent sculptural work began as reflections on illness and its ability to permeate and inexorably alter and shape the lives of both the individual and their loved ones. Having long made a conscious effort to avoid and compartmentalize his own experience living with and observing his partner’s long term illness, he decided that there was beauty to be found in the experience and this conversation in his work has continued to evolve with each piece steering the next transitioning over time from addressing specific and individual episodes to the greater arc of the experience and changes it brings to life.

Kukich received his BFA in ceramics and drawing from Bemidji State University (MN) in 1984 and his MFA in ceramics from Indiana University Bloomington in 1988. Throughout his career, Kukich has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors including Friends of Art Fellowship facilitated by Indiana University Bloomington in 1985, the National Society of Art and Letters Career Award in 1988, Grand Prize at Art in the Park (Bemidji, MN) in 1991, and Honorable Mention at the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Competition (Saint Paul) in 2019. Throughout his career as a maker, Kukich has held academic postings at several universities and institutions throughout the Midwest including Indiana University Bloomington, Interlochen Center for the Arts (Interlochen, MI), IU Herron School of Art and Design (Indianapolis, IN), Bemidji State University, Inver Hills Community College (Inver Grove Heights, MN), and Normandale Community College (Bloomington, MN).

Kukich’s work has been on exhibition in both group and solo exhibitions at venues across the country and around the world, including Lillstreet Art Center (Chicago, IL), Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, American Craft Museum (New York, NY), Everson Museum of Art (Syracuse, NY), Minneapolis Institute of Art (MN), Bingham Gallery (Columbia, MO), Saltstone Ceramics (Seattle, WA), Clay Center of New Orleans (LA), and the University Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg).

Janina Myronova

Janina Myronova (Wrocław, Poland) is a ceramic artist who creates narrative through figurative forms and composed backdrops. Utilizing a specific and distorted representation of the body, each composition shows a different personality and personal story to collectively reference a graphic novel

Opposite page: Lynne Hobaica, Our Holy Chi-nado, 2022, porcelain, earthenware, mixed media.

This page: Tony Kukich, MORNING HEAT, 2021, earthenware, underglazes, glaze.

EXHIBITIONS

and arcing story. Imparting her own emotion through linework, Myronova’s works are strategically charged with color to saturate and amplify their individual stories.

Myronova received her MFA from the Department of Ceramic Art at Lviv National Academy of Arts (Lviv, Ukraine) in 2012, an MFA in 2013 and PhD in 2019 from the Department of Ceramics and Glass at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts and Design (Wrocław, Poland). Continually developing her work and practice, Myronova has attended numerous residencies including opportunities at the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum (New Taipei, Taiwan), Clayarch Gimhae Musem (Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea), Galerie Lefebvre et Fils (Paris, France), the Polish Sculpture Centre (Oronsko, Poland), and the International Ceramic Research Center (Guldagergaard, Denmark). During her time in academia and residencies, she has held the titles of head of ceramics studio at Instytut Dizajnu w Kielcach (Kielce, Poland) in 2014 and 2015, and assistant professor at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts and Design (Wrocław, Poland).

Myronova has received myriad awards and honors for her work including the Silver Award at First Yatai Lotus Mountain Prize (Changchun, China), the Franz Rising Star Project Scholarship (Taipei City, Taiwan), First Prize at the 7th Bienal Internacional de Cerámica de Marratxí (Spain), First Prize in the Those Who Come category of the 5th Ceramica Multiplex Ceramic Biennale (Croatia), and was named one of 2019’s Emerging Artists by Ceramics Monthly

This page: Janina Myronova, OUTDOOR, 2022, stoneware, underglaze paint, engobe.

Opposite page: Ginny Sims, Staffordshire-inspired Pitcher in Salmon, 2022, stoneware, underglazes, oxides.

Ginny Sims

A maker of both functional and sculptural forms, Ginny Sims (Minneapolis, MN) looks to different moments in ceramic history and at the contextual information of that point in time for inspiration. Pairing these historical references with present day social and political experiences, her work has provided a source for dialogue regarding aspects of the body, domesticity and the capitalist system. Eager to further explore her work in a way that pushes both scale and concept, Sims' aim is to return to installation-based work that is more reflective of and concerned with contemporary times.

Sims received a BA in political science with a minor in studio art from University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2001, a Trinity Certificate TESOL from Trinity College London/Windsor Institute (Barcelona, Spain) in 2004, apprenticed to potter Mike Dodd in Somerset, England in 2005, completed post-baccalaureate studies in ceramics at University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006, and received her MFA from University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2012. Between and beyond her academic training, Sims has participated in various residencies at locations including Red Star Studios (Kansas City, MO), Northern Clay Center (Minneapolis, MN), Grand Marais Art Colony (Grand Marais, MN), and the Women’s Studio Workshop Parent Residency (Rosendale, NY). Throughout her career, she has received myriad awards and grants including the Jerome Foundation Study and Travel Grant in 2015, Jerome Ceramic Artist Project Grants in 2013 and 2020, an Artist Initiative Grant through the Minnesota State Arts Board in 2017, and Creative Support for Individuals through the Minnesota State Arts Board in 2022. Throughout her career

EXHIBITIONS

Sims has conducted myriad lectures and workshops at institutions across the Midwest and currently teaches art history at Minneapolis College.

Her work has been exhibited in both group and solo exhibitions across the country and internationally at various institutions including Red Star Studios (Kansas City, MO), Anderson Ranch Arts Center (Snowmass Village, CO), Katherine E. Nash Gallery (Minneapolis, MN), Weisman Art Museum (Minneapolis, MN), Leedy-Voulkos Art Center (Kansas City, MO), Ogden Museum of Southern Art (New Orleans, LA), The Shop Floor Project (Cumbria, UK), and most recently at Nemeth Art Center (Park Rapids, MN) and 0fr (Paris,

France). Additionally, Sims' work has been featured in publications including American Craft Magazine, Ceramics

Monthly, Food and Wine, and The World of Interiors

Related Events

Seven McKnight Artists

Drop-in Workshop

Visit NCC for an afternoon of claycentric fun—featuring a handbuilding activity/making station during our McKnight Summer Open House. Drop in for this free hands-on activity any time between 1 and 4 pm! There will be 30-minute sign-up sessions on the day of the event.

Saturday, July 15, 1 – 4 pm FREE

ARTIST SERVICES

About the McKnight Artist Residency Program

Since 1997, Northern Clay Center has been the steward of the McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists, made possible by the generous contributions of the McKnight Foundation. These programs directly support mid-career ceramic artists from around the world through McKnight Artist Residencies. This residency program provides three months of focused time in the studios at NCC, a stipend of $6,000, and the opportunity to share ideas, techniques, and materials science with our community of studio artists. Past residents have also enjoyed thoughtful conversations and critique between themselves and our local community.

Applications for the McKnight Artist Fellowship for Ceramic Artists and the McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists are due Friday, May 19 at 5 pm CT. More information on the programs and how to apply is available at: https://northernclaycenter.org/artistservices/grants-for-artists/

2022 McKnight Artist Resident, Janina Myronova, working in her studio at NCC.

McKnight Summer Open House

Reception for Seven McKnight Artists

Saturday, July 15, 1 – 4 pm, FREE

Assist with NCC’s Summer Clay Camp Program

We invite everyone to launch Northern Clay Center’s annual exhibition Seven McKnight Artists with a free summer event. View the works of talented, established artists from Minnesota and around the world. Artists in the exhibition are Claudia Alvarez (New York, NY), Eliza Au (Lake Dallas, TX), Edith Garcia (2020 Recipient, Half Moon Bay, CA), Lynne Hobaica (Bakersville, NC), Tony Kukich (St. Paul, MN), Janina Myronova (Wrocław, Poland), and Ginny Sims (Minneapolis, MN). This exhibition, supported by the McKnight Foundation, showcases the success of each artist’s fellowship or residency.

Join our community of clay lovers for an open house and pottery sale. Partake in food, free hands-on clay activities, a Studio Artist Sale, and our second annual Collectors’ Sale. Mark your calendars and join us to celebrate the exhibition artists, the NCC community, NCC Studio Artists, and the amazing urban Seward Neighborhood that is our home!

Collectors! Are you interested in downsizing your ceramic collection to make room for more artwork? Would rather sell the work than donate it to our ReCollect program? The Collectors’ Sale is for you! NCC will set up your space outdoors and manage all sales. The commission rate is 70% to each collector, and 30% to NCC. The collector is responsible for setting the sale price of each work. We can accept up to five collectors at this year’s open house, and the first names are already coming in. Please contact tippymaurant@ northernclaycenter.org if you would like to commit to the event. It promises to be a compelling sale!

Northern Clay Center seeks individuals, ages 18 and up, for our 2023 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 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 themed camps for up to 12 students in each camp. Instructors work with a Clay Camp Assistant to provide guidance to students and to maintain studio cleanliness.

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.

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!

A clay camp instructor (center) and two happy campers in the handbuilding studio.

SALES GALLERY

June Featured Artists

Sam Chung, Amanda Dobbratz, Sarah Haven, Peter Jadoonath

Jewelry Spotlight: April D. Felipe

May 30 – July 2

Sales Gallery & Online

Sam Chung

Sam Chung received his BA from St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN) and his MFA from Arizona State University (Tempe). Chung has taught at Northern Michigan University (Marquette) and is currently an associate professor of ceramics at Arizona State University. His work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally. Chung’s work is included in the collections of the Crocker Art Museum (Sacramento, CA), Icheon World Ceramics Center (South Korea), the International Ceramic Research Center (Guldagergaard, Denmark), and San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (TX). Most recently, his work draws influence from Korean art. Chung explains that his use of the ubiquitous symbol of the cloud, often depicted in Korean design, reflects his own floating sense of identity. He says, “These cultural references are intended to serve as an anchor to point towards my own ethnic lineage, but also question my perception of belonging within our outside of it.”

Amanda Dobbratz

Amanda Dobbratz makes functional, complex handbuilt forms which marry the whimsical and the pragmatic, often conveying a sense of play and humor. Dobbratz is a believer of “more is more,” and the richly detailed surfaces of her work serve as an elegant testament to that sentiment. Her colors and patterns reference desert landscapes, body ornamentation, and historical textiles. She distills shapes and colors from her sources into a personal taxonomy of symbols. Dobbratz was a 2015 Anonymous Potter Studio Fellow at Northern Clay Center (Minneapolis, MN), and currently serves as the Marketing & Technology Manager at Northern Clay Center.

April D. Felipe

April D. Felipe received her MFA in ceramics from Ohio University (Athens) and her BFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. She lives in Albany, Ohio, where she holds her studio practice and teaches at community arts centers in her region. Felipe is interested in the idea of adornment and the relationship between jewelry and the user. She 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. She has been a resident and Windgate Scholarship recipient through the Archie Bray Foundation for Ceramic Arts (Helena, MT). She was also a 2017 Ceramics Monthly emerging artist.

Sarah Haven

A theatre major in undergrad, Sarah Haven took a ceramics class for fun and over 20 years later, clay remains a staple of her life. In 2003, she relocated to Washington from Ohio for graduate school and decided to stay, enthralled with the Pacific Northwest. During the day, Haven works at a local nonprofit arts center, and at night she can be found pinching pots in her basement studio.

Peter Jadoonath

Peter Jadoonath is a teaching artist at Northern Clay Center (Minneapolis, MN), and maintains a studio practice in Shafer, Minnesota. Jadoonath received a BFA from Bemidji State University (MN), and has been the recipient of several honors, including a Jerome Ceramic Artist Project Grant, the Red Wing Collectors’ Society Foundation Award, and a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant. Jadoonath’s work is centered around functional, narrative-driven pottery with a sculptural presence. He describes it best in his own words: “My intent is to create pots that are drawings, and drawings that are pots”.

Opposite page, from left: Sam Chung, Cloud Vase. Amanda Dobbratz, Vessel. April D. Felipe, Urn Earrings

This page, from top: Sarah Haven, Bowl. Peter Jadoonath, Vessel

SALES GALLERY

July Featured Artists

Bianka Groves, Joshua Hebbert, Forrest Lesch-Middelton, Ian M. Petrie Jewelry Spotlight: Kate Marotz

July 5 – 30

Sales Gallery & Online

Bianka Groves

Bianka Groves received her BFA from Corcoran College of Art & Design (Washington, DC). Her work is simple and calm; it is intended to add balance to a fast-paced world. There is a bold contrast between the white of the porcelain and the incised black lines but her sense of touch is very delicate. Groves uses an inlay process, which entails covering the piece in wax and drawing through it with razors or acupuncture needles to achieve a thin, constant line, painting the carved areas in black glaze, and wiping away anything that is not in the lines. This creates a tattoo-like effect on the clay. Her high-fire porcelain wares are polished after firing to create a satiny, soft touch, each piece revealing her hand at play.

Joshua Hebbert

Originally from rural western Nebraska, Joshua Hebbert now lives in Bornholm, Denmark, where he is the ceramic technician for the Royal Danish Academy (Copenhagen). Before relocating to Denmark, he spent six years in Philadelphia, where he was a resident at The Clay Studio and taught at a variety of institutions. Hebbert’s ceramic practice is centered on experimentation and mold making as a generative process to create slip cast vessels with organically mottled colors. His process includes using plaster molds to capture prototypes, then layering colored slips to reflect and play with different moments of interior and exterior space. After taking slip cast pots out of their molds, Hebbert carves off the outer layer, unearthing unpredictable shapes and patterns. He poetically likens this process to constellations becoming visible in the night sky—shapes shift and evolve and transform.

Forrest Lesch-Middelton

Forrest Lesch-Middelton earned his BFA from New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University and his MFA from Utah State University (Logan). In 2014, he was honored as Ceramicist of the Year by Ceramics Monthly and in 2017, Lesch-Middelton was awarded a McKnight Artist Fellowship for Ceramic Artists from Northern Clay Center (Minneapolis, MN). His body of work, inspired by the traditions of Middle Eastern ceramics, is comprised of functional pottery that celebrates and contrasts the history of those ancient civilizations with the contemporary global political climate and its impact in the region. Lesch-Middelton’s work features image transfer, as well as a process he developed himself for transposing the image while the pot is still being thrown, which he calls “volumetric image transfer.” Since 2013, he has owned and operated his own company, Origins Tile, which makes tile for private and corporate locations internationally.

This page, from left: Bianka Groves, Mug. Joshua Hebbert, Tumbler Forrest Lesch-Middelton Jar

Opposite page, from left: Kate Marotz, Earrings. Ian M. Petrie, Plate

Kate Marotz

Kate Marotz received her BFA in ceramics and BS in art education from the University of Wisconsin-Stout (Menomonie, WI). Since 2015, she has been teaching high school art while simultaneously pursuing and exploring her own studio practice. Her current work bridges sculpture and functionality with pinched stoneware objects inspired by seed pods, chrysalides, shells and other vessels of natural origin. The surfaces of her objects are painted with terra sigillata in calm, muted versions of both earthy and jewel-toned colors. Marotz’s pieces are ridged, speckled, playful, and precarious. They emanate the energy of creatures from a biome at the junction of desert and ocean, at once feeling newborn and contemporary, treasured and ancient.

CALENDAR

Ian M. Petrie

Ian Petrie received his BFA in ceramics from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2013. He was awarded a Fogelberg Studio Fellowship at Northern Clay Center in 2013 and served as a resident artist at the Worcester Center for Crafts (MA) from 2016 - 2018. Petrie’s body of functional pottery devotedly references the comic book universe and celebrates the tradition of illustration. Using a quill pen to draw each comic frame and then screen-printing the narratives by hand, his pots reveal an intentionally imperfect style. The gold or silver luster on his pieces is designed to slowly wear off over time and reveal the image beneath. Petrie encourages the user to consider the presented single moment of the story, and learn to experience it from all angles.

APRIL

25 Applications open: Education Access Scholarships

MAY

1 April Featured Artists closes

2 Summer class registration opens, 10 am

May Featured Artists: APF Preview opens, 10 am

5 Reception: Light of Day and In Plain Sight, 6 pm

6 Light of Day and In Plain Sight open

11 Light of Day and In Plain Sight virtual tour online

19 Applications due: McKnight Fellowships & Residencies, 5 pm

28 May Featured Artists: APF Preview closes

30 June Featured Artists opens, 10 am

JUNE

25 Light of Day and In Plain Sight close

JULY

2 June Featured Artists closes

5 July Featured Artists opens, 10 am

8 Seven McKnight Artists opens

15 McKnight Summer Open House, 1 - 4 pm

AAH: Drop-in Workshop, 1 - 4 pm

30 July Featured Artists closes

AAH Workshop: Sizzling Summer Sets, 10 am - 12 pm

AUGUST

1 August Featured Artists opens, 10 am

20 Seven McKnight Artists closes

27 August Featured Artists closes

SEPTEMBER

8 - 10 American Pottery Festival

All event times are Central.

SALES GALLERY

August Featured Artists

Andy Bissonnette, Sarah Chenoweth-Davis, Gruchalla Rosetti Pottery, Matthew Krousey

Jewelry Spotlight: Bernadette Torres

August 1 – 27

Sales Gallery & Online

Andy Bissonnette

Andy Bissonnette holds a BFA in graphic design from Minnesota State University Moorhead. He began making pottery at the age of 17 and has melded his two passions into a style that emphasizes form, shape, texture, and pattern. He is currently experimenting with Raku firing, a process in which work is removed from the kiln red hot and subjected to postfiring reduction (or smoking), blackening the raw clay and causing crazing/ cracking in glazed surfaces. Functional or otherwise, Bissonnette is interested in creating surfaces that are rich in texture but also subtly beautiful in their simplicity. He works with limited colors, choosing to emphasize form through carving. He believes juxtaposing simple, yet elegant, forms with complex patterns creates a dynamic that is approachable yet still maintains an aura of mystery. His goal is to draw the viewer into the piece with its classical elegance and continue to engage them with the intricacy of the surface.

Sarah Chenoweth-Davis

Sarah Chenoweth-Davis earned an MFA in applied craft and design from the Oregon College of Art and Craft (Portland) and the Pacific Northwest College of Art (Portland), and a BA in biology from the College of Wooster (OH). She established her first studio in 2002, outside Hood River, Oregon, where she built her first kiln. Since then, her practice has brought her from forest, to farm, to urban jungle. Her work has been exhibited throughout the US and in Japan and has been featured in various publications including Ceramics Monthly, The Journal of Australian Ceramics, and the interactive e-book American i-Pottery

Gruchalla Rosetti Pottery

Richard Gruchalla and Carrin Rosetti are a husband-and-wife collaborative team making wheel-thrown and handbuilt Raku fired pottery. Gruchalla is an accomplished clay worker with over 50 years of experience as a professional potter. Rosetti is a trained fiber artist. Over 30 years ago, she brought her vision as a colorist and her exceptional skill in the presentation of fine detail to the clay studio. Gruchalla is responsible for the wet-working of the pottery; wheel throwing, slab construction, burnishing, or the addition of extra texture and carving. He also does the actual firing of the pieces in the Raku kiln. Rosetti takes care of the detailed glazing of the carved surfaces and collaborates with Gruchalla on forms, glazes, studio output and marketing. Their pieces are intended to be decorative objects, but may be used with the understanding that they are softer than stoneware, thus more fragile. They are food-safe, but not necessarily watertight.

SALES GALLERY

Matthew Krousey

Matthew Krousey received his BFA in ceramics from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He is a current host of the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour. In 2018, he received both a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant and an Essential Artist Award through the East Central Regional Arts Council. Krousey also recently participated in a panel discussion with Craft in America at the Library of Congress as part of the Veterans History Project. Krousey says his aim is to create a historical record of the vanishing natural world around him. “I use imagery of Minnesota’s native flora and fauna on ceramics to bring awareness to the viewer of the environment I know and love.”

Bernadette Torres

The daughter of a florist, Bernadette Torres received her BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute (MO) and her MFA from the University of Miami (FL). She is both a 2008 Charlotte Street Foundation and 2009 Creative Capital Inspiration Grant recipient. Since 2003, Torres has been teaching ceramics, drawing, and sculpture at the Penn Valley Metropolitan Community College in her home base of Kansas City. Torres refers to herself as a visual storyteller. Through her sculptural and figurative ceramic work, she transforms personal experiences and histories into new narratives and beings of empowerment. Flowers, birds and the female figure are important forms, imagery, and symbols in Torres’ worldbuilding.

Opposite page, from left: Andy Bissonnette, Vase. Sarah Chenoweth-Davis, Bowl. Gruchalla Rosetti Pottery, Vase

This page, top to bottom: Matthew Krousey, Bowl. Bernadette Torres, Rose Necklace.

ClayToGo Partner Spotlight: Northrup Elementary

January kicked off numerous afterschool programs with Twin Cities elementary and middle schools. At the time of the drafting of this newsletter text, NCC had deployed nine teaching artists to lead 15 weekly, afternoon programs. Our goal: to provide creative arts experiences to dozens and dozens of participating youth.

The majority of our partners face barriers to access the creative arts, both financial and the very nature of the material—its cumbersome weight and fragility; the associated mess with clay processes; and the heavy, large, and expensive equipment required for a sustaining ceramics studio. These materials and supporting equipment

for working with and finishing ceramics are not universally accessible to schools or individuals. NCC utilizes our existing resources of teaching artists, equipment, and technical expertise to support school arts programs during the school year.

One of our new partners is Northrup Elementary, a community school located in the Standish-Ericsson neighborhood of south Minneapolis. Northrup focuses on environmental education and enjoys their proximity to Lake Hiawatha and Minnehaha Creek. What better art medium to introduce as part of the after-school program—one that comes from nature itself!

Led by one of our newer teaching artists, Julian Gruber, this weekly clay class will run for 14 weeks in total, reaching up to 30, third through fifth grade students. Initially we signed on for the first seven weeks and our contact there, Krystalyn Everson, invited NCC back before we even completed the first iteration of classes. She was quite pleased with the programming!

“They bring quality to our program. Teaching staff have compassion, not only for what they teach, but also for our students. Our students absolutely love the class and we highly value the partnership.”

A major reason for this reality: Julian’s instruction and classroom presence.

A graduate of St. Olaf College in

Northfield, Julian came to NCC with a background in ceramics and a major in the Philosophy of Creativity: Expression, Curation, Aesthetics. He was a 2022 graduate of NCC’s MN New Institute for Ceramic Education program after spending a summer as our Dona Turbes Summer Studio Intern.

“Teaching clay projects after school reminds me how kids have boundless ideas to go along with their boundless energy. In my class, I invite my students to imagine new things as I help them problem-solve to achieve their results. Seeing their ideas take shape is inspiring for me, as I hope it is for them."

The participant’s clay explorations have included, “imagined islands, fourlegged friends, dragons, wall hangings, and treasure pots. There is design, discovery, laughter, and problemsolving happening in almost all my classes. So, I’d say we’re on track!”

One of the Northrup participants has his own clay history—his father is a potter! A budding artist, Walt has thoroughly enjoyed his clay experience under the direction of Julian.

“I like how we make a bunch of different stuff every week. I like how we can use our imagination. I like how we make something how we want to make it.”

If you are interested in learning more about the Center’s after-school clay programs, email outreach@ northernclaycenter.org.

Walt busy creating in clay!

Summer Classes & Workshops

We have finally arrived at the longawaited summer season, and it’s time to relax your routines, and revel in the warmth and energy that these months bring. And, it’s a perfect opportunity to take a trip to the NCC studios for some uninterrupted time in clay. During summer daytime hours, many of NCC’s studios will have a bounty of Clay Campers making discoveries of their own in clay, but the evenings, weekends, and open studio hours are dedicated to you. Our summer class roster—a mix of signature classes with the added flavor of some special topics and a brand-new handbuilding course, and intriguing

workshops—is sure to satisfy and sustain your clay cravings through the summer months. Our diverse cast of expert makers and teachers are ready to usher you into an energetic season of new discoveries in clay.

Take advantage of the open studio time offered to NCC students as you practice skills and incorporate classroom demonstrations into your own work. Adult students will have access to the studios during weekday evenings once Clay Camps wrap up, generally 4:30 – 9 pm, and 9 am to 9 pm access on weekends (subject to other NCC events and programming). Our education staff will happily assist you in finding the appropriate class via phone or email: 612.339.8007 x309 or education@ northernclaycenter.org.

NCC's COVID-19 protocols will continue to evolve. Please visit our website for the most up-to-date information.

We encourage you to register early as our in-person classes will fill up quickly,. If the class you are interested in fills up too quickly please reach out to education@northernclaycenter.org and ask to be added to the waitlist of your preferred class.

Education Access Scholarships

Applications open Tuesday, April 25

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 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

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 class or workshop. 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.

A student shaping a handbuilt sculpture in Studio C.

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.

Wheel 101 for BIPOC Individuals

This class teaches the basics of wheel throwing in a space dedicated to individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Color and intends to foster a safe, creative environment and introduction to clay for BIPOC folks.

I1: Mondays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Paola Evangelista

June 12 – July 10 (No class Juneteenth, June 19)

Fee: $140 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

I2: Mondays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Paola Evangelista

July 17 – August 14

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

Land of Round Pots— Wheel Throwing 101

I3: Wednesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Moz Rude

June 14–July 12

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

I4: Wednesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Moz Rude

July 19 – August 16

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

I5: Thursdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Z Kaplan

June 15 – July 13

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

I6: Thursdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Wendy Eggerman

July 20 – August 17

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

I7: Saturdays, 10 am – 1 pm

Instructor: Claire O’Connor

June 17 – July 15

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

Also check out our series of one-day project workshops listed on page 35—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.

I8: Mondays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Olivia Gallenberger

June 12 – July 10 (No class Juneteenth, June 19)

Fee: $140 + $20 lab fee (5% member discount)

I9: Mondays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Olivia Gallenberger

July 17 – August 14

Fee: $180 + $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 education@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 forms such 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: Lucy Yogerst

June 14 – August 16

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

W2: Fridays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Jennica Kruse

June 16 – August 18

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 high-temperature clay bodies and glazes. Designed for those who have taken several Wheel 201 classes or equivalent who are looking to refine their techniques and further develop their voice in clay.

W3: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Kevin Caufield—Focus on Quality & Larger Forms

June 13 – August 15 (no class July 4)

Fee: $320 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

W4: Thursdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Leila Denecke—Focus on Form

June 15 – August 17

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

W5: Saturdays, 10 am – 1 pm

Instructor: Claire O’Connor—Focus on Lidded Forms

July 22 – August 19

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

HANDBUILDING

Match the relaxed pace of summer in the studio as you embrace the s-lo-w philosophy of handbuilding. This rhythm of working with clay invites your attention in new ways, and will broaden your understanding of clay processes. Challenge your knowledge of making this summer, and explore new color palettes, processes, and fresh approaches to a familiar material.

Coil Concentration

During this 5 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 endless possibilities of form. Join this class to learn and practice multiple coil construction techniques as you work through a variety of project prompts. Focus on function and/or sculpture and learn to direct and control your coiling as you play with scale and form. Explore a variety of surface decoration from engobes, stains, and glazes. Use this class as a space to experiment and be imaginative. This class is best suited to those who have previous experience, but beginners will be nurtured.

H1: Wednesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Olivia Gallenberger

June 14 – July 12

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

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

EDUCATION

or sculptural, that you’ve always imagined and bring them to life with integrity by learning from a modularbuilding 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.

H2: Thursdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Erin Paradis

June 15 – August 17

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

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

EDUCATION

Tile Making for Everybody

Have a project in mind or want to learn the secret behind creating flat, visuallyengaging decorative or functional tiles? This is the course for you! Spend ten weeks exploring the possibilities of creating dimensional tile-work with methods like sgraffito, resists, decorating with slips and glazes, relief, and tricks for creating multiples. Instructor Elizabeth Coleman will offer demonstrations to equip you to start your project, whether that be creating accent tiles for a backsplash, decorative wall pieces, or to simply inspire and give you a jumpingoff point. Learn to integrate planning, design, and skill to build a composition or colony of ceramic tiles tailored to your imagination. All skill levels and experiences with clay are welcome.

H3: Fridays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman June 16 – August 18

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

SPECIAL TOPICS CLASSES

Novelty in Wheel-Thrown Ceramics

We all love the classics: mugs, bowls, plates and bottles. But is there more that we can make out of clay? In this intermediate/advanced class we will explore how to create novel designs using the potter’s wheel. We will both look at historical curiosities, modern innovations, and contemporary avantgarde examples to help us push our boundaries in wheel thrown ware. Our focus will be on functional ceramics, but sculptural pieces will be shared and discussed in some lessons. We will look at novel forms, original embellishments, innovative finishes, and more.

T1: Mondays, 6:30 – 9;30 pm

Instructor: Erin Holt

June 12 – August 14 (no class Juneteenth, June 19)

Fee: $320 + $40 lab fee (5% member discount)

Soda-Firing Methods

Join teaching artist Clarice Allgood 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 three kilns on three firing dates and critically examine the results of each firing. Successive firings ensure that you will have 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. Plan to 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. Previous soda-firing experience is not required. Primarily intended for those who are at advanced levels of construction—throwers and handbuilders welcome. Due to the size of the kilns and the firing process, this class is intended for smaller works like cups and bowls, all work must be smaller than 12” in diameter.

Tentative firing schedule: Kiln loadings: July 11, August 1 and 15 Firing and unloading schedule will be discussed during class.

Studio meetings all other weeks.

T2: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Instructor: Clarice Allgood

June 13 – August 15 (no class July 4th)

Fee: $320 + $100 lab fee (5% member discount)

SPECIAL TOPICS WORKSHOPS

Great Goblets

Interested in learning a unique and different way to approach pinch pots? In this workshop you will learn how to make a goblet in a couple different ways. The first half will be dedicated to construction and the second half will focus on the surface. Explore a variety of textures and colors using carving techniques and colorful engobes.

X1: Saturday, July 22, 10 am – 2 pm

Instructor: Olivia Gallenberger

Fee: $60 (5% member discount)

Kiln Repair 101

Do you have an old kiln sitting in your garage that doesn’t reach temperature and you just don’t know what to do with it? This is the workshop for you! Head out to an innovative new space in New Richmond, Wisconsin—Potter’s Without Kilns—for a two-day electric kiln repair workshop with Mark Lusardi. On day one you will be guided through the process of diagnosing a kiln and on day two you will gain technical skills as you learn how to replace elements, relays, and more! By the end of this two day workshop you will have helped transform a kiln back into a tool that is ready to fire work.

X2: Saturday and Sunday, July 29 and 30, 10 am — 2 pm

Instructor: Mark Lusardi

Fee: $170 (5% member discount)

GET WILD: Harvesting and Processing Local Wild Clay

Join Minnesota native, Amy Joy Hosterman for a weekend adventure in wild clay hunting, harvesting, and the science of clay. Hosterman is the ceramics director of the Visitor Center Artist Camp in Ewen, MI, the owner of Stinky Cheese Ceramics LLC, and Creative Director for nonprofit Outdoor Art Education Exchange (formerly Art Shape Mammoth) in Colorado.

In this two-day workshop you’ll learn how to locate, identify, harvest, and process your own wild clays and natural additives. You’ll also learn how to conduct basic tests, both in the field and back at the studio, to determine their suitability for use in your practice. Discuss soil science and sedimentary geology as they relate to finding and identifying clay deposits in your area, and compare the properties of a variety of wild clay samples that Hosterman has collected from across the country.

On Saturday, spend time off-site hunting for local wild clay and natural additives, interpreting local soil profiles, and getting hands-on experience of assessing clay for usability. Perform field tests and collect your own samples to bring back to the studio at NCC. Back in the studio, process collected materials for use in ceramics, and mix test batches of clay bodies using your collected clays and additives. Students will leave equipped with basic knowledge of how to locate, process, and utilize wild clay, and will leave with their own small batches of wild clays to continue their experiments after the workshop. This

workshop is best suited for those who have an understanding of the stages of clay, building methods, and material components. Students will need to provide their own transportation to the off-site location on the first day; the location will be within 30-45 minutes of NCC and will be sent to participants closer to the workshop.

X3: Saturday, August 12, 10 am - 3 pm, & Sunday, August 13, 10 am - 1 pm

Instructor: Amy Joy Hosterman

Fee: $175 (5% member discount)

PROJECT WORKSHOPS

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

Clay for Couples Pottery Workshops

Looking for a unique date activity that is sure to impress your partner? 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: Sunday, June 25, 10 am – 1 pm

X5: Sunday, June 25, 2 pm – 5 pm

X6: Sunday, July 23, 10 am – 1 pm

X7: Sunday, July 23, 2 pm – 5 pm

Instructor: Lucy Yogerst

Fee: $90 per couple, per session

Crafternoon and 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 2 – 4 pots and will decorate them using colored slips and textures. Your pots will be ready to pick up after approximately two weeks.

X8: Saturday, June 17, 12 pm – 3 pm

X9: Saturday, June 17, 5 pm – 8 pm

X10: Saturday, July 29, 12 pm – 3 pm

X11: Saturday, July 29, 5 pm – 8 pm

Instructor: Moz Rude

Fee: $45 per person, 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 wheel-throwing; there are no exceptions to stated age requirements.

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.

Saturday, June 24

Instructor: Eileen Cohen

F1: 10 am – 1 pm

F2: 2 – 5 pm

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

All Decked Out

Learn handbuilding skills to create a project that connects you to the outdoors when you kick back and relax on a deck or patio. Make personalized plates or trays to serve your favorite patio foods. Decorate your creations with colored slips. Ages 6+; all skill levels welcome.

Saturday, July 8

Instructor: Eileen Cohen

F3: 10 am – 1 pm

F4: 2 – 5 pm

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

Buzz!

Think about pollinators as you design a cup or mug for your favorite beverage. Learn how to use templates to handbuild forms and different ways to decorate as we tie in the theme of pollination. Decorate your creations with colored slips. Ages 6+; all skill levels welcome.

Saturday, August 5

Instructor: Eileen Cohen

F5: 10 am – 1 pm

F6: 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. 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.

Seven McKnight Artists Drop-in Workshop

Visit NCC for an afternoon of claycentric fun—featuring a handbuilding activity/making station during our

McKnight Summer Open House. Drop in for this free hands-on activity any time between 1 and 4 pm! There will be 30-minute sign-up sessions on the day of the event.

Saturday, July 15, 1 – 4 pm

Sizzling Summer Sets

Yeah, we know it’s hot out, so let’s make the most of these dog days of summer and create a series of sets of functional objects to welcome the cooler days ahead. A set of mugs for your morning coffee, a set of bowls for your favorite pasta dish, or why not a set of salt & pepper shakers to ensure the months ahead are filled with just the right amount of seasoning. Employ various handbuilding techniques to create functional sets of clay art!

23AAH7: Sunday, July 30, 10 am – 12 pm

Summer Class Registration Opens

Tuesday, May 2, at 10 am

Education Access Scholarship applications open Tuesday, April 25 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. The member discount code will be emailed to members one day prior to the opening of registration.

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 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

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 class or workshop. Once enrolled, all scholarships are non-refundable and nontransferable. 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.

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's COVID-19 protocols will continue to evolve. Please visit our website for the most up-to-date information.

Tools: Standard tool kits for introductory classes are available in NCC’s Sales Gallery for $27 + 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 4:30 – 9 pm Monday – Friday and 9 am to 9 pm access on weekends (subject to other NCC events and programming). 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 (up to $17), basic glaze materials, and a firing allowance. Tuition may not be prorated. 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 Update: NCC’s transfer and cancellation policies are in full effect at this time. However, in the event that the transfer and cancellation deadlines have passed and the registered student is ill, we would be happy to transfer your tuition to another workshop, an NCC gift card, or into a tax-deductible donation to Northern Clay Center. If you are sick or have COVID-19-related symptoms, we ask that you refrain from coming to or entering NCC for any reason.

Classes: 100% of tuition (less a $25 processing fee) will be refunded if a student elects to drop or transfer a class no later than one week (7 days) before the start of their first class.

50% of tuition (less a $25 processing fee) will be refunded if a student drops or transfers a class with less than one week's (7 days) notice. The non-refundable balance may be converted into a tax-deductible donation to the Center at the students request.

After a class has started, tuition and fees will NOT be refunded for any reason except documented medical emergencies. At the students request, tuition and fees may be converted into a tax-deductible donation to the Center.

There are no other exceptions to this policy.

Workshops: 100% of tuition (less a $25 processing fee) will be refunded if a student elects to drop or transfer a workshop for any reason no later than one week (7 days) prior to the start of their workshop.

No refunds will be given with less than one week’s (7 days) notice, except in the case of illness. At the students request, tuition may be converted into a tax-deductible donation to the Center.

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: Kim Murton

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.