WINTER EXHIBITIONS | EVENTS | EDUCATION | ARTIST SERVICES
2024
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EXHIBITIONS
Winter Exhibition November 19 - December 31, 2023 Main Gallery Annual ART@HAND Winter Open House, Sunday, November 19, 12 – 4 pm Member Preview Hour, 11 am – 12 pm Works go live online at 12 pm CT
Winter is the season to share your curiosity and clay appreciation with those you love! We’ll have over 1000 extra pots, sculptures, and even jewelry. You will find local artists, as well as those who hail from all over the US, and who represent a diverse range of cultures, races, identities, and lived experiences. Come enjoy the space and choose the work that connects with you, or let us know if you’d like some guidance. Every purchase helps us continue programming and financially supports the individual artists in the exhibition! We can help you choose the perfect present, gift-wrap for you, and even ship! Shop for Gifts • Pots, sculptures, ceramic jewelry, and handmade studio tools from over 85 artists • Free gift wrapping available • We ship! Winter Guest Artists We are excited to welcome special Winter Exhibition guest artists: Chris Alveshere, Kristina Batiste, Bekah Bliss, Michaela Bromberek, Mike Cerv, Donna de Soto, Darcy Delgado, Tom Doyle, Liza Ferrari, Kate Fisher, Nancy Green, Charlotte Grenier, Michelle Im, Alyson Iwamoto, Kate Johnson, Shika Joshi, Yeonsoo Kim, Kate Marotz, Mary Martin, Antonio Martinez, Didem Mert, John Morse, Kim Murton, Lizbeth Navarro, Rita Panton, Hitomi Shibata and Takuro Shibata of Studio Touya, Taylor Sijan, Carla Tome, Veronica Watkins, Minsoo Yuh, and Sunkoo Yuh.
Winter Mugs 2023 This year’s winter mugs were created by two highly-respected and wellloved artists from our local community: Hannah Prichard, gifted NCC studio artist and technician, and Micah Schedler, talented local potter. $29 each. Each mug includes the artist’s biography and their favorite mug-worthy recipe! Complimentary gift wrapping is available. It’s the perfect gift for corporate clients, friends, teachers, family, or your very own mug collection. As in past years, the 2023 series is a limited run, so they won’t last long! Member Benefits Member Preview Hour November 19, 11 am - 12 pm Enjoy your membership perks! NCC Members benefit from special early access to the galleries for one hour before the public. Remember to use your member discount—10% off most ceramic purchases*—during checkout!
Share your member discount in the gallery with a friend! Invite one friend to join you for the Open House, and they will receive your discount in the checkout line as well. Related Event ART@HAND Winter Open House Workshop Join us in the studio to create a ceramic winter critter during the FREE HANDSON WORKSHOP at this year’s Open House. All projects will be fired and ready to give as gifts by December 11. 23AAH11: Sunday, November 19, 12 - 4 pm CT FREE, Studio C *Member discount does not apply to American Pottery Festival work, or to work in the exhibition galleries
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EXHIBITIONS
Images, opposite page: Winter Mugs, Hannah Prichard (left), Michah Schedler (right), $29. This page, clockwise from top left: Ewer, Antonio Martinez. Platters, Liza Ferrari. Plates, John Morse. Earrings, Kate Johnson.
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EXHIBITIONS
MN NICE Graduates November 19 - December 31, 2023 Emily Galusha Gallery Opening reception: Sunday, November 19, 12 - 4 pm
MN NICE is an advanced certificate program that provides rigorous, personalized instruction for artists who are serious about taking the next step in their ceramic education. The program is designed to respond to the changing needs of emerging makers and to give non-traditional students high-level training in ceramic materials, history and theory, and professional practice. Through instruction and individual mentorship, artists build the skills, knowledge, and insight necessary to create a personal and cohesive body of work. The 2022 - 23 MN NICE artists joined this program because a horizon line was taking shape for them, and they felt compelled to pursue a sharpened focus. They made an intense commitment to bring their work under a collective critical eye in the hopes of stepping toward a new future on terms they have defined through this program, with a new professional peer network, and a deeper understanding of the potential held by a daily life engaged in contemporary ceramics. Participating artists include: Jennifer Azzariti is a ceramic artist and educator living and working in Washington, DC. Clay has been her focus for more than ten years, evolving from life-long research of
creative materials. Her hand-built, functional objects borrow inspiration and techniques from other material languages, like printmaking and origami, and incorporate sculptural elements inspired by the natural world. Azzariti holds a post-baccalaureate certificate in fine arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art and completed the Minnesota New Institute for Ceramic Education Program at Northern Clay Center in 2023.
Ray Caron received a BA in theatre arts in 1983 with an emphasis in art history. He returned to the University of Minnesota and completed a BFA in painting in 2003. He has devoted himself to ceramics for over 20 years, completing the MN NICE Program at Northern Clay Center in 2023. His current hand-built sculptures honor the earth as a living being and are based on the four elements–earth, water, air, and fire.
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Lydia Gutowsky is currently based in Minneapolis, MN, and focuses on creating sculptural ceramics as well as selling functional work. She began making ceramics in high school and has continued her art through her early adulthood, majoring in ceramics and metal casting at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Lydia reflects on her childhood in her work, using colors, textures, and forms that speak to the comfort and discomfort felt in her youth. She is continuing this exploration as a member of the ninth cohort of the MN NICE Program at Northern Clay Center.
Ivy Mattson is a functional ceramicist based in Minneapolis, MN. Her wheel thrown and altered pottery is highly decorated, projecting joy, wonder, and curiosity–values that are echoed in her teaching practice. Mattson first experienced clay when earning her BA in Art Education at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. She was a ceramic studio artist at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo, ND, exhibiting work and teaching art in Moorhead before recently moving to Minneapolis. She continues her work in clay at Northern Clay Center, completing the MN New Institute for Ceramic Education Program in 2023.
Images, opposite page: Ray Caron, Bowl with Wire. This page, left to right: Jennifer Azzariti, Alice Creamer. Lydia Gutowsky, Third Eye Playscape.
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Janelle Pochardt is a ceramic artist living in West Fargo, ND. She discovered clay while finishing a degree in Art Education at Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Pochardt hand-builds with white stoneware clay and adds decorative images using underglazes and slips. She is drawn to imagery and colors in children’s books, gardens, and the changing seasons. Pochardt graduated from the Minnesota New Institute for Ceramic Education Program at Northern Clay Center in 2023. Randy Schütt is a studio artist and art educator, teaching high school ceramics, drawing, and painting in St. Paul, MN. After graduating with a BFA in painting, he began teaching and earned an MA in art education. He has been working with clay since 2005 and has exhibited in national juried shows since 2014. His work explores and combines the commonalities of education, meditation, and ceramics.
Images, clockwise from top left: Ivy Mattson, Lidded Container. Janelle Pochardt, Leaf Vase. Randy Schütt, Hope (bowl).
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EXHIBITIONS
Emerging Artist Grant Recipients January 13 - February 18, 2024 Main Gallery Exhibition opening: Friday, January 12, 6 - 8 pm Artist talks: Friday, January 12, 4 pm
Join us in celebrating the achievements of our 2022 - 23 Early Career Artist Grant Recipients. Northern Clay Center administers several grant programs designed to support artists in the early stages of their careers through residencies, grants, and education. This exhibition features the work of Clarice Allgood, Johannah Cairns, Sean Lofton, Evelyn Rose Mtika, and Katie Reeves. Early Career Artist Residencies Northern Clay Center’s Early Career Artist Residency programs—the Anonymous Artist Studio Fellowship the BIPOC Studio Fellowship, and the Fogelberg Studio Fellowship— are designed to provide emerging ceramic artists an opportunity to be in residence for one year at NCC. Between September 1, 2022 and August 31, 2023, the residents had the opportunity to develop their work while exchanging ideas and knowledge with a dynamic network of ceramic artists. Among national clay art centers, NCC offers an urban experience within a diverse and supportive community. Anonymous Artist Studio Fellowship The Anonymous Artist Studio Fellowship was awarded to two early career ceramic artists working in a functional, sculptural, relational, or installation-based manner. Fellows shared a furnished studio space with 24/7 access to NCC’s facilities from September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2023.
Johannah Cairns, Of the Same Cloth.
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Johannah Cairns is a ceramic and textile figure sculptor whose work showcases soft-bodied dolls that represent the conflict between desire for the safety of home comforts and the innate need for meaningful interpersonal connection. Cairns received a BA in visual art from University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS) in 2020 and a Post-Baccalaureate of Artisanry Ceramics Certificate from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2022. Also in 2022, she was nominated for the Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award at the International Sculpture Center (Hamilton Township, NJ) and in 2019, the Windgate University Fellows Scholarship Endowment through University of Kansas and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (Gatlinburg, TN). Cairns has participated in several group exhibitions including New Works in Ceramics at Gallery X (New Bedford, MA) in 2022 and the Graduate Exchange Exhibition at the Drewelowe Gallery at the University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA). Sean Lofton developed a new body of work that was informed by his time as a resident artist at Northern Clay Center. Prior to his arrival, he was working exclusively with clay as a sculptural and installation-based medium. However, he found himself returning to functional pottery as a means of personal expression.
Images, this page: Sean Lofton, Rippled Teapots. Opposite page: Evelyn Rose Mtika, No One Knows the Heavy Load I Carry.
Much of his time in his studio was spent reflecting on the new home he found
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BIPOC Studio Fellowship The BIPOC Studio Fellowship supports one early career ceramic artist of color who is working in a functional, sculptural, relational, or installation-based manner. The 2022 recipient shared a furnished studio space from September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023 and was provided additional resources to pursue mentorship opportunities including participation in the NCECA conference, support more robust materials and firing use, and to buttress the cost of living.
in Minnesota. Having grown up in the South, he never experienced anything like his first winter in Minneapolis. It was a wonderful and alien experience for him. He spent his time walking across the frozen lakes of the Twin Cities, struck by the strange splendor of true winter. He writes, “I was amazed to see the frozen face of the lake covered in cracks, yet it remained unyielding to steps. In these pots, I have worked to emulate those early walks and the impressions that I had. I used slips to add surface cracks that may cause an initial tenuous contact with my pottery, just like my first probing steps along the frozen shore. The use of a clear glaze, with the subtlest
hint of blue echo the temperature of my first winter. Lastly, the application of dark stains that quote the moments when the snow would clear from the lake's icy surface and reveal the dark depths below. All of this has been applied to the pottery shapes I was familiar with from my earliest ceramic education.” This fusion of new and old impressions created pots that feel familiar yet novel to him, allowing every vessel to become a discovery. His hope is that these pots will bring a similar feeling to anyone who interacts with them, and transport them to a similar time of discovery in their lives.
Evelyn Rose Mtika is an emerging artist who received a BFA from University of Hartford (West Hartford, CT) with a major in ceramics and a minor in painting. Her work includes portraiture, figure, text, and is focused on exploring intertwined cultural connection and differences. Her body of work is related to defining the experience of living within and between the Black and African diaspora. As a west Philadelphia resident, Mtika hopes to eventually make a difference working in the community she grew up in by helping to make art more accessible. She has had work shown at various galleries such as Clay Art Center (Port Chester, NY), Saratoga Clay Arts Center (Schuylerville, NY), Joseloff Gallery at University of Hartford, and Tyler School of Art Gallery at Temple University (Philadelphia, PA). In April 2022, she produced her capstone exhibition, Hands on, within Silpe Gallery at University of Hartford. Fogelberg Studio Fellowship The Fogelberg Studio Fellowship supported one early career ceramic artist working in a strictly functional
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manner, who is a Minnesota or Wisconsin resident, and interested in pursuing a career in studio pottery. The 2022 recipient had access to a furnished private studio space from September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2023. Katie Reeves makes functional ceramic ware that focuses on the themes of sexuality, femininity, classicality, and intimacy. Their sexuality plays a large role in what they make. As a lesbian, Reeves is very attracted to femininity. They reference the female form in their work with the use of soft and voluptuous curves in their pieces. Using porcelain as a clay body, and the addition of sprigs and slip trailing, they create work that is feminine and delicate, while simultaneously being bold and sassy. Their work makes direct references to antiquity—specifically Baroque and Rococo ornamentation. They are drawn to the intricate and extravagant detailing on old metalware, such as that on antique frames, silverware, and furniture. Using slip detailing, Reeves creates intricate designs that mimic many of these patterns. They enjoy the combinations of decorative embellishments and use many of these qualities in their functional wares. These techniques give their pieces an elegant feel. They focus on making work that is comfortable in the hand and on the mouth. Reeves’ work emphasizes the
moments of contact between the user and the object. The suppleness of the curves and the textures of the slip trailing are meant to invite the viewer to run their fingers along each moment. They enjoy watching the user interact with the piece as they discover every texture.
Pottery Museum of Red Wing Award The Pottery Museum of Red Wing Award is presented to one maker in the local ceramics community as selected through a nominative process. Supporting their development and highlighting their
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achievements, this award aims to elevate the recognition of each recipient within the ceramics community. The Pottery Museum of Red Wing Award is made possible by the Red Wing Collectors Society Foundation, and is presented by Northern Clay Center to a deserving individual pursuing a career in pottery, or studying or researching the historical aspects of the pottery industry. The Foundation endeavors to broaden appreciation of pottery—past and present—or the general public and maintains the Red Wing Pottery Museum in Red Wing, Minnesota. Northern Clay Center has awarded this grant on behalf of the Foundation since 2004. Clarice Allgood had a somewhat unconventional ceramic history of workshops, open studios, and unofficial residencies that led to her arrival in Minnesota in 2018. In 2019, she graduated from the advanced certificate program MN NICE and was the 2020 Fogelberg Fellow at Northern Clay Center. From a free-spirited, traveling childhood and her academic education in philosophy comes a perspective rooted in thoughtfulness and curiosity. Though Allgood’s ceramics are often grounded in practicality, they maintain a particular whimsy and environmental aesthetic. The forms and use of her pots and objects are meant to enrich what she calls “quiet acts of self-reliance”: They
are watering cans for gardening, bowls for knitting, utensils for cooking, and bookends to organize reading. Though Allgood is thoroughly involved in the making and conceptualizing processes, the magic, nature, and mystery of relinquishing her work to the powers of the soda kiln is currently an important part of her practice.
Related Event Early Career Artist Grant Recipient Presentations Join us for presentations by these five early career artists. 24WX11: Friday, January 12, 4 – 6 pm CT Free, NCC Library Images, opposite page: Katie Reeves, Lucifer. This page: Clarice Allgood, Plate.
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Warren MacKenzie Century Celebration January 13 - February 18, 2024 Galusha Gallery
This January, NCC will exhibit works by Warren MacKenzie in honor of what would have been his 100th birthday. Works in the exhibition will explore the NCC collection from MacKenzie’s last years of firing as well as works from several private collections. Many will be on offer for purchase and will fund NCC’s continuation of the Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award. Launched in 2014, the Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award (WMAA) honors the educational legacy of Warren MacKenzie. Recipients of the award can research new techniques or processes, study with a mentor or in an apprentice program, visit other ceramic art centers or institutions for classes and workshops, collaborate with artists or other media, or travel. In the nine years since the WMAA’s inception, 18 early career ceramic artists have benefitted from the award. They have gone on to set up vibrant studio practices, teach others, and exhibit their work at world-renowned museums. NCC is very proud to contribute to the success of these artists, and hopes, through the generosity of our community, to continue doing so for many years into the future. To make a contribution to the WMAA, please visit northernclaycenter.org/ support-us/ and add "WMAA" in the comment section, and we'll designate your donation for this fund, continuing his legacy. Images, this page, top to bottom: Warren MacKenzie Throwing in 1988. Warren MacKenzie Sphere of Influence. Opposite page: Warren MacKenzie, Shino Platter.
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“Warren was in a league of his own; his legacy taught me to discover a sense of dignity and enduring hidden beauty in the everyday actions I have with clay. Though these actions may seem small, they draw on, build, and continue the rich ceramic tradition that Warren was so keen on supporting. Thank you for everything, Warren.” —Kevin Kao, ceramic artist and first-year recipient of NCC’s Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award “As MacKenzie’s student, I felt strongly, and still do, that pots should be of use while still embodying a strong sense of aestheticism. Warren’s pots have never pandered to novelty. They have never been outspoken, as he often is, and they are certainly not stylish. They are, however, comfortable and necessary additions to the homes and kitchens of us all. They are spiritual, often transcendental ... Warren is fun, laughs easily, loves gestures, and is totally obsessed with making pots—constantly. His message to us way back then was that if you want to make pots, ‘Just go do it.’ It sounded so direct, so simple. It wasn’t.” —Randy Johnston, former student, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, excerpt from the McKnight Foundation’s 1999 Distinguished Artist Award catalogue “Before receiving Warren MacKenzie, an American Potter from my mom in 1991, I had no idea a potter could go to college, or have a book, or make an impact beyond his or her community. Without Warren, I may have never gone on to art school, or learned that pots could be political. Without even knowing it, he paid me one of the greatest compliments of my career when I likely needed it most. And, all I can imagine is that every single potter in my generation and beyond, has some kind of similar story about him. Thanks Warren; your impact is immeasurable and your legacy will outlive us all.” —Forrest Lesch-Middelton, ceramic artist
“Warren was never officially my teacher, but it is impossible to be around the man and not be influenced by his aesthetic, his philosophy, and his whole calm, inspiring aura. When I brought my high school ceramics students to visit Warren, he was generous with his time and his stories, treating us to demonstrations and explanations just as enthusiastically as I would imagine he had done so for his actual students at the U. It was clear he not only loved making pots, he also loved passing on the knowledge of making pots.” —Tricia Schmidt, artist and K12 educator
“In any culture, the needs of the people control the direction of their self-expression. In earlier times, people were directed by their need to find food and to survive. Later they developed belief systems, turning to religion or magic, concerned with gods and goddesses, myths, political power. Artistic expression became a way to support those beliefs, to oppose enemies, to strengthen the culture. I do not believe it is any different in our times.” —Warren MacKenzie, NCC’s Regis Master lecture, 1997
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SALES GALLERY
January Featured Artists: Illumination On view: January 3 - February 4, 2024 Sales Gallery & Online
It’s a new year. It’s likely cold where you are. You could no doubt use some sunshine and a nap. We could all use a little extra light this time of year. This January’s featured show in the sales gallery is all about light and warmth in the long, dark days of winter. Mugs for steaming cider, lamps to read by, candlesticks to host flickering flames, knitting bowls, and hand-poured votives in small ceramic bowls from local candle magician, Nina Dojan. Come explore a space filled with light and hundreds of works to bring illumination into your own space! Welcoming guest artists Alana Cuellar, Eleanor Foy, Sarah German, Julian Gruber, and Ashley Hise. Featuring special new works by Maggie Jaszczak, Ani Kasten, and Brent Pafford.
Images, clockwise from top left: Lantern, Alana Cuellar. Hanging Lamp, Sarah German. Lamp, Ani Kasten. Whirling Lamp, Julien Gruber. Lamp, Ashley Hise.
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February Featured Artists: Christina Erives, Ernest Miller, Lisa Orr, S.C. Rolf, Jewelry Spotlight: Maia Leppo On view: February 6 - March 3, 2024 Sales Gallery & Online
Christina Margarita Erives Los Angeles, CA Christina Margarita Erives is a MexicanAmerican artist from Los Angeles, California. Erives received her MFA from Pennsylvania State University and has worked as an instructor and resident artist at various studios and universities across the United States. Her ceramic work is highly stylized, sometimes sculptural, sometimes functional, and always colorful. Informed by her heritage and using a diverse range of imagery, Erives investigates the stories we create and tell about food and contemporary womanhood. She cherishes the beautiful power of ceramic artifacts as keepers of ancient knowledge and cultures. Through her clay objects, Erives immortalizes her own experiences, aspiring that they’ll one day offer the future a tangible glimpse of our present.
Images, left to right: Tile, Christina Margarita Erives. Bowl, Ernest Miller. Mug, Lisa Orr.
Ernest Miller Minneapolis, MN Ernest Miller has exhibited his ceramics in various regional and national art fairs including the Uptown Art Fair in Minneapolis and the Plaza Art Fair in Kansas City, Missouri. Miller teaches at Fired Up Studios in Minneapolis and at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts in Wayzata, Minnesota. In 2011, he received a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative grant. Miller studied at Olney Central College in Olney, Illinois, and received his BFA from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. Miller’s work is inspired by architecture and machinery found in the rural Midwestern landscape. He is interested in the aesthetic of weathered paint and surface deterioration that reflects time and use. He applies these influences to his pots to create a hybrid between functional and sculptural work, utilizing wheel-throwing and off-wheel alteration.
Lisa Orr Northborough, MA Lisa Orr completed an MFA at The New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 1992. She has been awarded a Fulbright and National Endowment for the Arts fellowship through Mid-America Arts Alliance. Orr taught high school ceramics in Austin, Texas, and travels extensively for lectures and workshops. She creates low-fire pottery intended for use in everyday life. Though rooted in the deep history of ceramics, her forms are fluid and often gently asymmetrical—a combination of the clay’s natural expression and her own inspiration in the moment. Her slip work and relief decorations along with her rich colors suggest images of sky, coral reef, or flowers in bloom. The work is a riot of color, energy, memories, and emotion, all of which come together to create finished work that is cohesive and confident.
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CALENDAR
NOVEMBER 14 Applications open for Education Access Scholarships 17 - 19 Galleries CLOSED 19 Winter Exhibition and MN NICE Graduates open Winter Open House, 12 – 4 pm Member Preview Hour, 11 am – 12 pm AAH Winter Workshop, 12 – 4 pm 23 NCC CLOSED 28 Winter class registration opens, 10 am DECEMBER 24 Galleries open 10 am - 2 pm 25 NCC CLOSED 31 Winter Exhibition and MN NICE Graduates close Last day to make a donation to NCC's year end fundraising campaign! S.C. Rolf River Falls, WI S.C. Rolf lives and works as a studio potter in River Falls, WI, creating oneof-a-kind functional pots. His work reflects an ongoing search to unite his ideas with the generosity and the intimacy that the functional pot offers. Rolf holds multiple degrees in art and exhibits his work nationally and internationally. Rolf has received a number of national and international awards. He lectures and teaches workshops throughout the country. His work has been included in numerous publications, museum collections, and best of all, many kitchen cupboards.
Images, left to right: Teapot, S.C. Rolf. Necklace, Maia Leppo.
Jewelry Spotlight: Maia Leppo Pittsburgh, PA Maia Leppo graduated from Tufts University (Medford, MA) in 2008 with a degree in biology and community health. She received training in jewelry and metals from various craft schools, including Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (Gatlinburg, TN), Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft (Columbia, NC), Penland School of Craft (Bakersville, NC), and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (Deer Isle, ME) and her MFA from State University of New York at New Paltz. She has participated in artist residencies at Arrowmont and Fallingwater (Fall Run, PA) and has taught around the country including Penland, Arrowmont, Pocosin, and Touchstone Center for Crafts (Farmington, PA). She currently works out of her studio in the Brewhouse Association on the south side of Pittsburgh.
JANUARY 1 NCC CLOSED 3 January Featured Artists opens 11 Info session: NCC grant programs, 6 pm 12 Artist talks: Early Career Artist Grant Recipients, 4 pm Opening reception: Early Career Grant Recipients and Warren MacKenzie Century Celebration, 6 - 8 pm 13 Early Career Grant Recipients and Warren MacKenzie Century Celebration open 25 Artist talk: Larry Buller, 6 pm 26 Applications open for Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award and Early Career Artist Residencies FEBRUARY 4 January Featured Artists closes 6 February Featured Artists opens 18 Early Career Grant Recipients and Warren MacKenzie Century Celebration close MARCH 1 Opening reception: Edible and Firstlings, 6 - 8 pm 2 Edible and Firstlings open 3 February Featured Artists closes 15 Applications open for McKnight Fellowships and Residencies 31 Applications due for WMAA and ECARs, 5 pm CT
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2023 25th Annual American Pottery Festival Review
The American Pottery Festival weekend always, always, gives us new reasons to appreciate artists and all of you who support them during the weekend. This year was especially wonderful because NCC was finally able to host a full-blown slate of weekend events. Far from a simple fundraiser, this event brought with it waves of talent, curiosity, inspiration, and seemingly endless acts of generosity. For the first time since 2019, we were able to host a happy and entertaining Opening Night on Friday— and for all those who attended, the fun in the air was palpable. • Of the 25 invited artists on this year’s roster, 19 attended in person and 18 offered lectures, demonstrations, or workshops to over 200 total participants from all over the country. • For this year’s APF artists, the NCC staff produced a Welcome Cocktail Party, catered by Nettie Colón of Red Hen Gastrolab, a public Opening Night Party, and a Thank You Pizza Party. • This year saw the return of volunteers in the building to help clean the building to optimum shininess, paint pedestals, prep menus, wrap purchases, and more! For the NCC crew that remains at the venue after the weekend—while our visiting artists and guests head back home into their everyday lives—there are endless memories and a deep well of gratitude for the contributions of so many artists, collectors, supporters, and others. A special thank you goes out to those who volunteered this year,
whether it was time, donations, talent, or all of the above, we know we can only host this level of event with your generosity. APF might be over, but we are all still recounting conversations and new friends, and sending our deepest respect and genuine thanks to those who joined us this year in any way! We are already well on our way to planning 2024 APF—be sure to mark your calendars for September 6 - 8! So, start planning those Opening Night outfits…
Images, top to bottom: APF artists Takuro Shibata (left) and Hitomi Shibata (right) delivering a workshop to an in-person and virtual crowd. NCC sales gallery manager, Rachel Nusbaum (center), shows work by APF artist Didem Mert to attendees.
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ARTIST SERVICES
Artist Grants
NCC proudly offers five grant programs for current students, recent graduates, and early to mid-career artists—the two Early Career Artist Residencies, the McKnight Artist Fellowship for Ceramic Artists, the McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists, and the Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award. Each year we look to increase our reach into the depth of talent in the region, nation, and the globe to support and enable ceramic artists at all stages of their career. Grants and residencies are open to those who have taken traditional paths of apprenticeship, those who have pursued academic training, and those who have developed their craft in independent studio environments. Now is the time to take the next step and apply for one of the many grants and residencies offered at Northern Clay Center. NCC encourages applicants who represent the full range of artistic styles, and is committed to supporting a diverse pool of artists whose work demonstrates strong artistic merit. Accordingly, awards for our grant programs will represent, as much as possible, artists that are diverse in genre, expertise, gender, race, ethnicity, and geography. Learn about the application process and your eligibility at a free information session hosted in NCC’s library and via Zoom, on Thursday, January 11 from 6 7 pm. Seating is limited so registration for in-person attendance is required. Please watch our website for additional info sessions at sites around the Twin Cities Metro Area and state. If you are interested in having a presentation at your school or organization (in Minnesota or almost anywhere in the
country), we are always happy to deliver an info sessions via Zoom to share about these opportunities, please contact Sean Lofton at seanlofton@ northernclaycenter.org to arrange. For complete award packages and eligibility requirements please visit our website and follow the “Artist Services” tab for more information. Have questions about the eligibility of your work, or how to make your application as successful as possible? We are always available to answer questions and give feedback on your submissions. Please contact NCC’s artist services coordinator, Sean Lofton at seanlofton@northernclaycenter.org. Mark your calendar today and submit your application by the deadlines below.
FELLOWSHIPS McKnight Artist Fellowship for Ceramic Artists The McKnight Artist Fellowship for Ceramic Artists supports outstanding Minnesota ceramic artists who identify with any methodology—whether it be functional, sculptural, or relational—all techniques are welcome. The intent of this program is to recognize and support midcareer artists living and working in Minnesota who demonstrate a sustained level of accomplishment, commitment, and artistic excellence. Two $25,000 grants will be awarded in 2024. Fellowship support may be pursued for, but not limited to: experimenting with new techniques and materials; purchasing materials and equipment; collaborating with
other artists; or pursuing education, exhibition, or travel opportunities. The 2024 Fellowship recipients will deliver a workshop and at the culmination of the grant period, will be featured in a catalogue and group exhibition at Northern Clay Center that will also travel to 3 - 5 sites around the state of Minnesota and western Wisconsin. This program is made possible by the generous support of the McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded on the belief that Minnesota thrives when its artists and culture bearers thrive, the McKnight Foundation’s arts and culture program is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country. Support for individual working Minnesota artists and culture bearers has been a cornerstone of the program since it began in 1982. The McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowships Program provides annual, unrestricted cash awards to outstanding mid-career Minnesota artists in 15 different creative disciplines. Program partner organizations administer the fellowships and structure them to respond to the unique challenges of different disciplines. Currently, the foundation contributes about $2.8 million per year to its statewide fellowships. For more information, visit mcknight.org/artistfellowships. Applications open March 15, 2024. The deadline for the 2024 McKnight Fellowship for Ceramic Artists is Friday, May 17, 5 pm CT Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award (WMAA) The WMAA, founded in 2014, provides an opportunity for students and emerging artists to continue their ceramic research and education for a period of up to twelve consecutive months within the grant year, further expanding their professional development. This award is available to current undergraduate or graduate students,
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recent graduates (within one year), or those who have completed a university-equivalent training in ceramics (including apprenticeship and mentorship programs) within the year prior to the application deadline. During the grant year, the recipient can research a new technique or process, study with a mentor or in an apprenticeship setting, travel to other ceramic art centers or institutions for classes and workshops, collaborate with artists of another media, and travel. Proposals to fund large capital equipment purchases will not be accepted. One cash award will be made in 2024 for a project taking place between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025. The recipient will contribute project updates to NCC’s social media and is required to give a public presentation at their school or other institution following the completion of their proposed activities. This award is made possible through the support of generous individual and institutional donors in the honor of Warren MacKenzie’s legacy of ceramic education, both traditional and non-traditional. Applications open Friday, January 26, 2024. The deadline to apply for the WMAA is Sunday, March 31, 5 pm CT.
RESIDENCIES McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists The McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists recognizes and supports midcareer ceramic artists whose work demonstrates exceptional artistic merit and who have already proven their abilities within the field. The program
provides recipients with the opportunity to be in residence for three months at Northern Clay Center, where they can develop their work and exchange ideas and knowledge with Minnesota ceramic artists. Up to three, three month residencies will be awarded in 2024 through a competitive application process, and will take place during the 2025 calendar year. NCC will invite one to two other artists through a nominative process. Each resident artist will receive a $6,000 award to account for expenses during their residency, studio space provided at no cost, and a glaze and firing stipend. During the residency each artist will present a public lecture, for which they will receive an additional honorarium. At the culmination of the grant period the recipients will be featured in a catalogue and group exhibition at Northern Clay Center that will also travel to 3 - 5 sites around the state of Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Recipients are also required to submit a final report at the end of the grant period. This program is made possible by the generous support of the McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis. Applications open Friday, March 15, 2024. The deadline for the McKnight Artist Residency is Friday, May 17, 5 pm CT. Early Career Artist Residencies (ECAR) The Early Career Artist Residency program encompasses two unique fellowships, designed to provide up to four ceramic artists with the opportunity to be in residence at Northern Clay Center for one year, where they can develop their work and exchange ideas and knowledge with other ceramic artists.
Each recipient will have a furnished studio space with 24/7 access to NCC’s facilities. In addition to the workspace, each fellowship includes an annual material and firing stipend as well as professional development and enrichment opportunities offered through NCC’s education, exhibitions, and sales gallery programs. A group exhibition featuring work produced during the fellowship period will take place at Northern Clay Center in January of 2026. Additionally, recipients have the opportunity to present a brief slide lecture on their work in conjunction with the exhibition. Anonymous Artist Studio Fellowship The Anonymous Artist Studio Fellowship will be awarded to two early career ceramic artists working in a functional, sculptural, relational, or installationbased manner. Fellows will share a furnished studio space with 24/7 access to NCC’s facilities from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025. BIPOC Studio Fellowship The BIPOC Studio Fellowship will support one early career ceramic artist of color who is working in a functional, sculptural, relational, or installationbased manner. The 2024 recipient will share a furnished studio space from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025. The recipient will be provided additional resources to pursue mentorship opportunities including participation in the NCECA conference, support more robust materials and firing use, and to buttress the cost of living.
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Artist Services & Grant Programs Eligibility Table Program
Early Career Artists
Mid-career Artists
MN Artists
Non-MN Artists
Early Career Artist Residencies
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Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award
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McKnight Ceramic Artist Fellowship
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McKnight Ceramic Artist Residency
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NCC Studio Program (fees apply)
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These programs are made possible by the generous contributions from several anonymous donors, as well as various secondary market sales at Northern Clay Center, with the intention to nurture the creative expression of aspiring ceramic artists. When applying please note which of the three awards you are applying for. One application may be used for multiple opportunities and eligibility varies for each opportunity. Applications open Friday, January 26, 2024. The deadline to apply for the ECAR program is Sunday, March 31, 5 pm CT.
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College/ University Students
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Recent College Graduates •
March 31, 5 pm
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March 31, 5 pm May 17, 5 pm
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May 17, 5 pm
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Deadline
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What is an early career artist? We use a broad and elastic definition of “early career” when assessing eligibility for the WMAA and ECAR programs. There is no singular definition of an early career artist. Our programs support those artists who show significant potential, yet are under-recognized. Early career artists: • Are the principal creators of new work • Take risks and embrace challenges • Have voices revealing significant potential • Are rigorous in their approach to creation and production • Have some evidence of professional or artistic achievement • Are not recognized as established artists by other makers, curators, producers, critics, and arts administrators
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Ongoing
Career stage is a factor but not a limiting one. Many artists fall into the early career category, but not all do. Age is not a factor in determining an early career artist. Good luck everyone!
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McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists: Larry Buller
Join Northern Clay Center in welcoming our 2023 winter McKnight Artist Resident, Larry Buller (Lincoln, Nebraska). We look forward to supporting his creative practice while establishing new connections with our local ceramic’s community. Buller creates kitschy, low-brow ceramics that push the boundaries of this traditional craft form. Buller’s work is shaped by the repressive, yet flamboyant gay subculture of the 1980s. His art embraces themes of sexual fetish, masculinity, and religion. Noting that Queer voices are traditionally marginalized by the dominant culture, viewers are initially seduced by lavish surface treatments including gemstones, gold luster, and decals. Upon closer inspection, a subversive intention is revealed. Buller relishes in creating art that questions the boundaries of what is in “good taste” for the domestic environment. Showy vases and platters are imbued with images of men in bondage gear or puppy play masks, surrounded by religious iconography, chubby cherubs, and flowers. Buller received his MFA from the HixonLied College of Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska in 2016. In addition to maintaining an active studio practice, he is also a parttime lecturer in the foundations art program at the University. Buller has also been an activate artist-in-residence around the country and world. His most recent residency experiences include the Zentrum für Keramik (Berlin, DE), Anderson Ranch Art Center (Snowmass Village, CO), and Red Lodge Clay Center (Red Lodge, MT). In addition to recognition through residency
opportunities, Buller has been featured by a number of galleries including the American Museum of Ceramic Art (Pomona, CA), the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts (Omaha, NE), Mortal Machine Art Gallery (New Orleans, LA), SCOPE Art Show (Miami, FL), the Society of Arts and Crafts (Boston, MA) and a variety of exhibitions at National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conferences.
Related Event McKnight Artist Resident Talk: Larry Buller Join us on Thursday, January 25, at 6 pm, when Buller will present a free lecture about his work and process. 24WX12: Thursday, January 25, 6 pm Free, NCC Library
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NCC Brings Visiting Artists to Local Schools & Colleges
During the fall of 2023, NCC placed four American Pottery Festival artists at local schools and colleges across the Twin Cities Metro—Chris Alveshere at Central High School (St. Paul), Bekah Bliss at Anoka-Ramsey Community College (Coon Rapids), Didem Mert at Woodbury High School, and Shikha Joshi at South High School (Minneapolis). Each artist demonstrated a technique they use in their practice and talked through their journey to becoming a successful ceramic artist. “The workshop was an amazing learning opportunity for all who attended. Bekah shared a wealth of information regarding hand-building, terra sigillata, and the business aspects of being a potter. I was impressed by her method of making a lid that fits. An email I received from a participant said ‘Thanks for bringing Bekah Bliss for the workshop. It was just so very good. I am excited to try some of her techniques.’ Thanks so much for hosting the American Pottery Festival and bringing such outstanding clay artists to our community.” —Mark Lambert, ceramics instructor, Anoka-Ramsey Community College. “Amazing opportunity. I continue to be grateful and overwhelmed by the kindness from the clay community. Anoka was so so good.” —Bekah Bliss, APF artist “It was awesome having such an accomplished, yet completely approachable, artist like Didem speak to my students about her work. They asked great questions and Didem was willing to talk about all aspects of her practice with them. She showed slides of her work and made her talk relevant and interesting to all the students in the room, even the non-clay kids. It was a great experience for my students and I, and I think Didem enjoyed herself too.” —Tricia Schmidt, art teacher, Woodbury High School
“We loved having Chris. It was awesome to have someone with an educational background who knew how to speak to our kids and engage them. Chris was relatable with the students and geared his demo towards their interests and passions. We are so thankful to have had this opportunity to learn from a working artist!” —Anna King, art teacher, Central High School. Alveshere was even sought out by one of the student's parents on Instagram to thank him for providing their child with this experience. NCC has also been developing new mentorship models for early career artists to share their experiences with the next generation of makers—with the aim of decreasing barriers to the ceramic arts for young artists and employing NCC’s many resources on their journey. Lily Fein—artist-curator of The Skin of the Pot: Works by Lily Fein—alongside recipients of NCC’s Early Career Artist Residencies, visited local high schools and colleges to present on their work and pathway through clay. These schools were Roosevelt High School (Minneapolis), Roseville High School, South High School (Minneapolis), and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. In addition, visiting artists Andrea Cayetano-Jefferson and Ashlyn Pope— both exhibiting artists in NCC’s exhibition Coastal Sweetgrass: Clay & Land & Craft—led ClayToGo workshops for NCC partners Woman's Initiative for Self Empowerment (WISE) and Dream of Wild Health. WISE provides culturally responsive education and advocacy to immigrant and refugee women, girls, and those on
A young artist creating a pinch pot from coils.
the feminine gender spectrum through partnerships. Dream of Wild Health is one of the oldest and longest-operating Native American-led nonprofits in the Twin Cities. They work to restore health and well-being in the Native community by recovering knowledge of and access to healthy Indigenous foods, medicines, and lifeways. These visits provide opportunities for students to envision how art could play a role in their lives and brings clay to those who may not be able to attend an in-house NCC workshop or class. We are so grateful for the dedication of our community in helping to support our mission to advance the ceramic arts. NCC could not continue this work without the support of artists, schools, and funders. These workshops were made possible through funding by E.A. Michelson Philanthropy and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Winter Classes & Workshops
NCC is thrilled to welcome both new and returning students back into our studios this winter, and to kick 2024 off with a bang! This year, instead of a typical New Year’s resolution, why not develop your own artistic and ceramic skills with one of our fabulous instructors? Whether you’re interested in wheel throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, working solo or with family, our roster of classes and workshops will be sure to pique your interest. We offer open studio benefits to all enrolled adults for the duration of their class. Students may use this time to practice techniques learned during class hours, experiment, or practice their craft independently. Adult students generally have access to our studios Mondays, 4:30 - 9 pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 am - midnight; and Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 9 am - 9 pm (subject to other NCC events, programming, and studio schedules). Students no longer need to sign up for access to open studio, and space is available on a first come, first serve basis. Please be mindful of other students and make sure others feel welcome in this shared space. Weekly open studio schedules will be on our website (northernclaycenter.org/education/ student-info), as well as posted on the bulletin boards in each studio.
Education Access Scholarship applications open Tuesday, November 14 NCC is committed to maintaining accountability and pursuing action to build meaningful diversity, impactful equity, and genuine inclusivity in the ceramic community. We recognize that there are significant systemic racial and economic impacts that impede participation in the arts, and resulting financial barriers contribute to further divide. To address and help bridge barriers to ceramic education, NCC has implemented scholarship options for our education programming. Our goal is to open access to the ceramic arts and welcome all who wish to learn, grow as an artist, and participate in the ceramic arts community. We offer two scholarship options: • a half-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners experiencing financial need • a full-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color Scholarships are limited. For more information about these scholarships and to apply, please visit our website at northernclaycenter.org/education.
BEGINNER CLASSES Are you interested in clay but unsure where to start? Sign up for our beginner classes and get hands-on experience and guided instruction during our five week beginner classes. Learn all of the basics such as building, throwing, slab
rolling, and glazing techniques. These classes have plenty of guidance for beginners, making them ideal if you have little to no experience with clay and want to test your interest and grow your skills. We recommend you take a beginner class two or more times (within one quarter, or over consecutive quarters) to build your skills and prepare for Intermediate Wheel or Handbuilding 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 $27 at NCC. Lab fee includes one 25 pound bag of clay up to a cost of $17, all glazing materials, firings, and open studio access. Also check out our series of one day project workshops beginning on page 27—ideal for makers with little or no previous experience. Beginner Wheel Throwing Get your wheels turning as you learn the basics of throwing pots on the potter’s wheel. This class will get you familiar with the material of clay and introduce foundational wheel-thrown forms such as bowls and cylinders. Formerly known as “Land of Round Pots.” 24WBW1: Mondays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Paola Evangelista January 8 - 29 (no class New Year’s Day) Fee: $145 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount) 24WBW2: Mondays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Paola Evangelista February 5 - March 4 Fee: $185 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount)
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24WBW3: Wednesdays, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Lucy Yogerst January 3 - 31 Fee: $185 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount)
24WBH2: Mondays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Olivia Gallenberger February 5 - March 4 Fee: $185 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount)
24WBW4: Wednesdays, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Lisa Himmelstrup February 7 - March 6 Fee: $185 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount)
24WBH3: Thursdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman January 4 - February 1 Fee: $185 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount)
24WBW5: Wednesdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Allison Gailey January 3 - 31 Fee: $185 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount)
24WBH4: Thursdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman February 8 - March 7 Fee: $185 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount)
24WBW6: Wednesdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Allison Gailey February 7 - March 6 Fee: $185 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount) 24WBW7: Thursdays, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Chris Singewald January 4 - February 1 Fee: $185 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount) 24WBW8: Thursdays, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Chris Singewald February 8 - March 7 Fee: $185 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount) Beginner Handbuilding 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. Formerly known as the “Three Graces of Handbuilding.” 24WBH1: Mondays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Olivia Gallenberger January 8 - 29 (no class New Year’s Day) Fee: $145 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount)
INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED CLASSES Looking to refine your techniques and further develop your voice in clay? Intermediate-to-Advanced classes will take your skill set to the next level and deepen your understanding of clay! Many of these classes have a specific focus but leave room for personal interests and growth. If you’re unsure which level to register for, our education staff will happily assist you in finding the appropriate class, via phone or email: 612.339.8007 x309 or education@ northernclaycenter.org. As with all NCC classes, please wear old clothes and bring an old towel, a bucket no larger than one gallon, and a set of tools to the first class. Tool kits are available for $27 at NCC. Lab fee includes one 25 pound bag of clay up to a cost of $17, all glazing materials, firings, and open studio access. INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED WHEEL THROWING Take the next step on your journey with the potter’s wheel, build on your foundations, and discover the secrets of
making great pots during these 10-week classes. 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 like glazing, staining, and slipping, and be introduced to firing procedures. These classes are designed for those with previous wheelthrowing experience, who have taken some beginner classes (or equivalent), and who feel comfortable navigating basic forms on the wheel. Focus: Matching Sets and Paired Pieces This class will explore both conventional and novel pots, sets, and multi-part pieces to create pleasing and intriguing displays. Tea sets, serving trays, lidded objects, storage jars, and more will be covered over the course of ten weeks. No previous experience in creating these forms is needed for this course. 24WAW1: Mondays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Erin Holt January 8 - March 4 (no class New Year's Day) Fee: $330 + $50 lab fee (5% member discount) Focus: Bountiful Bowls It’s a bowl-a-palooza! Now is your chance to move beyond traditional wheel-thrown bowls, and try advanced projects such as berry bowls, nesting bowls, salad bowls, and pleated and footed bowls. 24WAW2: Tuesdays, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Sandra Daulton Shaughnessy January 2 - March 5 Fee: $370 + $50 lab fee (5% member discount)
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Focus: Form and Function Learn the essential elements of form and function in this class tailored to individuals interested in honing their skills in crafting pottery that combines aesthetic appeal with practical usability. 24WAW3: Thursdays, 2 - 5 pm Instructor: Leila Denecke January 4 - March 7 Fee: $370 + $50 lab fee (5% member discount) Focus: Five Potters Stand on the shoulders of potters past, and honor five distinguished artists from Minnesota, Virginia, and England– Warren MacKenzie (1924 - 2018), Shirley Johnson (1928 - 2010), William Marshall (1923 - 2007), John Glick (1938 - 2017), and Marlene Jack (1948 - 2023). Join Jeff Oestreich as he shares examples from each and shows you how to incorporate their design elements into your own work. 24WAW4: Thursdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Jeff Oestreich January 4 - March 7 Fee: $370 + $50 lab fee Focus: Dinner Sets Explore all that dinner sets have to offer with teaching artist Risa Nishiguchi! Learn more about creating your own unique tableware, such as plates, lidded containers, serving bowls, platters, drinkware, and more! 24WAW5: Saturdays, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Risa Nishiguchi January 6 - March 9 Fee: $370 + $50 lab fee (5% member discount)
INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED HANDBUILDING Take a break from crouching over the potter’s wheel and come over to Studio C for some handbuilding! Learn new techniques in coiling, pinching, and slab-building, and delve into concepts that offer new perspectives and ways to reimagine working with clay. Bring your favorite tools and challenging ideas to the first class. Focus: Abstract Sculpture Learn how to build organic structural forms through coil building. Sculptural utilitarian work will be welcome, but the class will have a heavy emphasis on purely abstract sculpture. Students are encouraged to design their own works of art that fit within the firing size limits of the NCC kilns. 24WAH1: Tuesdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Moz Rude January 2 - March 5 Fee: $370 + $50 lab fee (5% member discount) Focus: Building Bigger Join Erin Paradis for ten weeks of indepth learning of how to build bigger in clay. Create the sizable works– functional or sculptural–that you’ve always imagined! You will learn how to build modularly, use slab strips, and various ways to support your structures. You will also discuss glaze and surface treatments and create test tiles to experiment with these possibilities. 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 in a throwing studio, busily filling up ware boards.
24WAH2: Wednesdays, 2 - 5 pm Instructor: Erin Paradis January 3 - March 6 Fee: $370 + $50 lab fee (5% member discount) Focus: Coil Concentration Devote your attention to your artistic and technical development through coil building, a versatile and dynamic way to handbuild allowing for unique and endless possibilities of form. Learn and practice multiple coil construction techniques as you work through a variety of project prompts. Students will have the opportunity to explore a variety of surface decoration techniques with engobes, stains, and glazes. 24WAH3: Wednesdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Olivia Gallenberger January 3 - March 6 Fee: $370 + $50 lab fee (5% member discount)
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Focus: Beyond the Mug Let’s move on from the traditional mugs we all know and love, and try our hands at different types of drinkware–steins, flutes, teabowls… and why not try a teapot too! The possibilities are endless.
flexibly between modes of making and utilize a variety of building methods as tools to achieve your personal expression of a pot. This class is open to intermediate and advanced-level wheel throwers and handbuilders alike.
24WAH4: Thursdays, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Marion Angelica January 4 - March 7 Fee: $370 + $50 lab fee (5% member discount)
24WT1: Tuesdays, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Hannah Prichard January 2 - 30 Fee: $185 + $50 lab fee (5% member discount)
Focus: Guided Study in Handbuilding Expand your handbuilding fundamentals to explore figural, architectural, animal, decorative, and functional applications of clay. Work with low- or high-temperature clays as you accept technical challenges and achieve your sculptural vision with guidance from the instructor. Investigate critical thinking as it pertains to the evolution of your work. Bring your favorite tools and have some challenging ideas ready for the first class.
Soda-firing Methods Join Clarice Allgood in the studio to dive deeper into the techniques and materials to get the most from the soda kiln’s kiss of fire. Load and fire at least three kilns on three firing dates and critically examine the results of each firing. Successive firings ensure that 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. Primarily intended for those who are at intermediate to advanced levels of construction— throwers and handbuilders welcome.
24WAH5: Fridays, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Franny Hyde January 5 - March 8 Fee: $370 + $50 lab fee (5% member discount)
SPECIAL TOPICS CLASSES Best of Both Worlds Take breaks from sitting at the wheel and stretch your functional potterymaking skills in a different direction in this class that combines the best of both worlds—handbuilding and wheelthrowing. Grow your building vocabulary and challenge your way of approaching pottery by expanding your knowledge of handbuilding techniques, such as pinching and coiling. Learn to transition
24WT2: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 9:30 pm Instructor: Clarice Allgood January 2 - March 5 Fee: $370 + $150 lab fee (5% member discount) Kiln loadings: January 23, February 13, and March 5 Firing and unloading schedule will be discussed during class. Studio meetings all other weeks.
Intro to Ceramic Jewelry Making Learn the basics of porcelain ceramic jewelry! NCC’s 2023 BIPOC Studio Fellow, Shar Patel, will teach you how to design, shape, decorate, glaze, polish, and create your own handmade jewelry findings. Recommended for any skill level. 24WT3: Thursdays, 2 - 5 pm Instructor: Shar Patel January 4 - February 1 Fee: $185 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount) Paddle & Press: Sprig-ornamented Coil Pots Join 2023 Anonymous Artist Fellow, E.C. Comstock, for this five week coiling class for students of all skill levels as they introduce the process of creating sprig molds. Demonstrations will cover both symmetrical and asymmetrical coil pots from miniature to large, as well as making bisque ceramic sprig molds from found objects or by carving. Students will also have the option of carving bisque stamps. 24WT4: Thursdays, 2 - 5 pm Instructor: E.C. Comstock February 8 - March 7 Fee: $185 + $25 lab fee (5% member discount)
SPECIAL TOPICS WORKSHOPS NCC will provide all materials and tools for these workshops. The Hot Seat: Intro to Electric Kiln Firing So, you’ve read your kiln manual but still have questions about firing? We’ve got answers! In this one-day workshop, you will learn the basics of firing and
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maintaining your own electric kiln. Covering basic information about firing speeds, kiln requirements, and firing temperatures, this class will have you walking away more confident in your ability to be in control of your kiln. The workshop is led by teaching artists who fire multiple kilns each month. This workshop does not authorize NCC students to fire our kilns independently but is helpful for art educators and those aspiring to become a NCC studio artist. Basic clay knowledge is preferred. 24WT5: Saturday, January 13, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Hannah Prichard Fee: $50 (5% member discount) Mortars & Pestles Would you like to expand your wheel experience while making something unique and useful for your kitchen? This class is a great opportunity for anyone with interest in the intersection of form and function. We will cover all the basics and particularities of crafting a mortar and pestle on the wheel to create a finished utilitarian conversation piece. Previous wheel experience recommended. 24WT6: Saturday, February 24, 2 - 5 pm Instructor: E.C. Comstock Fee: $60 (5% member discount)
PROJECT WORKSHOPS No previous experience required! NCC will provide all materials and tools for these workshops. Crafternoon & Crafterdark Pottery Workshops Bring your friends and make a few new ones and get creative 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 three to five pots and decorate them using colorful slips and textures. Your pots will be ready to pick up after approximately two weeks. 24WX1: Saturday, January 20, 12 - 3 pm 24WX2: Saturday, January 20, 5 - 8 pm 24WX3: Saturday, February 10, 12 - 3 pm 24WX4: Saturday, February 10, 5 - 8 pm Instructor: NCC Teaching Artist Fee: $45 per person, per session Clay for Couples Pottery Workshops Looking for a unique date activity that is sure to impress your partner? Look no further than NCC’s original Clay for Couples. Sign up with your significant other, BFF, or family member 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, materials, and firings for two adults. Completed pieces will be ready to pick up about two weeks later. 24WX5: Sunday, January 14, 1 - 4 pm 24WX6: Friday, January 26, 6 - 9 pm 24WX7: Friday, March 8, 6 - 9 pm Instructors: Carley Holzem (Fridays) and Lucy Yogerst (Sunday) Fee: $90 per couple, per session
Colorful examples of slumped glass using ceramic molds.
19th Annual Valentine’s Day Workshops Celebrate love by getting into some mud! We’ll take care of your Valentine's Day plans with a creative week full of clayful opportunities! So, get your valentine or best friend and register early for this popular pottery experience. In this class, you will cover the basics of throwing pots on the wheel in a festively decorated space. Novices and experienced potters alike are welcome. All materials are included. Students can expect to make 3 - 5 pots and decorate them using colored slips and textures. The class fee includes instruction and materials for two adults. Pots will be fired at NCC and ready for pick-up approximately two weeks following the workshop. 24WX8: Sunday, February 11, 1 - 4 pm 24WX9: Wednesday, February 14, 6:30 - 9:30 pm Instructor: Lucy Yogerst Fee: $90 per couple
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Cocoa for Couples First date, or been together for 20 years? Great! Come to NCC for a creative date night! It’s the perfect gift idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day all week long. You’ll learn to handbuild a hot cocoa mug and then the challenge begins. Will you make matching mugs? Characters from the same story? Will you express your individual styles? Then, decorate your creations with our colorful clay slips. Pieces will be fired and ready for pick-up approximately two weeks following the workshop.
24WF1: Sundays, 1:30 - 3:30 pm Instructor: Keather Lindman January 7 - February 25 Fee: $330 for two people, one adult and one child
24WX10: Friday, February 16, 6:30 - 8:30 pm Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman Fee: $90 per couple
Saturday, January 20 Instructor: Eileen Cohen 24WF2: 10 am - 1 pm 24WF3: 2 - 5 pm Fee: $60 for one adult and one child, $25 for each additional participant
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILY & FRIENDS For all family classes, children must be accompanied by an adult. Neither children nor adults will have access to open studio time during the quarter. Weekend workshops are open to all skill levels, ages 6 and up for handbuilding workshops and 9 and up for wheel-throwing; there are no exceptions to stated age requirements. Throwing Together Parents and kids spend a little quality time together learning a new skill! Learn to make basic cylinders, bowls, plates, and more as you grow your skills using the potter’s wheel. High-temperature clay and glazes will be used. Wear old clothes, bring an old towel and a one-gallon bucket for each participant. Class sessions are designed to allow adults and children to work side-byside in a collaborative environment. Ages 9+; all skill levels welcome.
Winter Wonderland Workshop Be inspired by the world around you as you make a covered jar topped with a winter scene. Skis, sleeping bears, evergreens, and mittens are encouraged. Learn basic slab construction and paint your projects with colored slips. Ages 6+; all skill levels welcome.
Pottery Throw Down Learn how to use a potter’s wheel and practice centering, opening, pulling, and shaping the clay. Paint your projects with colored slips. Ages 9+; all skill levels welcome. Dress for mess! Saturday, February 17 Instructor: Eileen Cohen F4: 10 am - 1 pm F5: 2 - 5 pm Fee: $60 for one adult and one child, $25 for each additional participant Breakfast Buffet Workshop Rise and shine! Make plates inspired by your favorite morning foods. Learn handbuilding basics using slabs and decorating techniques to personalize your dish. Ages 6+; all skill levels welcome. Don’t waffle!
Saturday, March 9 Instructor: Eileen Cohen F6: 10 am - 1 pm F7: 2 - 5 pm Fee: $60 for one adult and one child, $25 for each additional participant
CLAY FOR YOUTH Pottery Punch Card for Teens Our Pottery Punch Card for Teens program is currently at capacity, if you would like to be added to the waitlist please reach out to education@ northernclaycenter.org and request to be added to the waitlist. When a spot opens we will reach out and extend the opportunity to register. 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. Students do not have access to open studio time. For ages 13 to 17 only. 24WY1: Saturdays, 10 am - 12 pm Instructor: Erin Holt Ongoing Fee: $265 (5% member discount) Four additional sessions: $135 (5% member discount)
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PLEASE NOTE: Classes will meet every Saturday unless otherwise posted (some Saturdays are not available due to holidays or NCC events). Students must sign up for sessions in advance for sessions on an online sign up form. Your eight class sessions expire six months after the date of purchase.
ART@HAND CLAY FOR OLDER ADULTS
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ART@HAND is NCC’s series of accessible programs for enjoyment of the ceramic arts. Intended for individuals 55 years and older (and their families!), ART@HAND offers many free lectures, tours, workshops and hands-on activities. Programs are offered both at NCC and throughout the Metro Area through site-specific partnerships with organizations that serve this age demographic. ART@HAND Winter Open House Workshop Join us in the studio to create a ceramic winter critter during the FREE HANDSON WORKSHOP at this year’s Open House. All projects will be fired and ready to give as gifts by December 11. Please note, children must be accompanied by an adult guardian. 23AAH11: Sunday, November 19, 12 - 4 pm CT Free Night Lights Make a votive with an illuminating design to add glow and warmth to dark winter nights. Let your creativity shine as light and shadow dance through your votive. Learn how to build with slabs and decorate with colored slips. Ages 6+; all skills welcome. Please note, children must be accompanied by an adult guardian.
24AAH1: Sunday, January 14, 10 - 1 pm Instructor: Eileen Cohen Free Glazey for You Show your love of clay as you make a heart shaped tray or plate to hold endless piles of love and hugs. Learn basic hand building skills and paint with your projects with colored slips, including red and pink. Ages 6+; all skills welcome. Please note, children must be accompanied by an adult guardian. 24AAH2: Sunday, February 11, 10 am - 1 pm Instructor: Eileen Cohen Free
VISITING ARTIST WORKSHOPS & LECTURES Early Career Artist Grant Recipient Presentations Join us for presentations by these five emerging artists. 24WX11: Friday, January 12, 4 - 6 pm Free, NCC Library McKnight Artist Resident Talk: Larry Buller Join us on Thursday, January 25, at 6 pm, when Buller will present a free lecture about his work and process. 24WX12: Thursday, January 25, 6 pm Free, NCC Library
A young artist showing off their freshly thrown pot.
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Winter Class Registration Opens Tuesday, November 28, at 10 am Education Access Scholarship applications open Tuesday, November 14
To Register: Register with cash, or any major credit card. NCC accepts registration online at www.northernclaycenter.org, in the gallery, or by telephone at 612.339.8007. Member discounts are available online. Due to the high demand for classes, we require full payment with your registration to reserve your seat in class. NCC will send confirmation of registration. If there is insufficient enrollment, we will cancel class, notify registered students, and refund all payments without penalty. Decisions are made approximately one week before classes begin. Please register early or you might find that your favorite class is full, or canceled due to low enrollment. Education Access Scholarships: To address and help bridge financial barriers to ceramic education, NCC is implementing new scholarship options for our education programming. This will open access to the ceramic arts and welcome all who wish to learn, grow as an artist, and participate in the ceramic arts community. We offer two scholarship options: • a half-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners with financial need • a full-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color Scholarships are limited and will be available on a first come first served basis to adult students only. Students are eligible to receive only one scholarship per session. We will do our best to offer you one of your top three choices of 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. You will be notified of the status of your application within 7 - 10 days of application. A member of NCC staff will reach out to aid you in registration if you receive a scholarship. For any questions regarding NCC’s scholarship program, please contact Morgan Lee, Education Manager, at morganlee@northernclaycenter.org Policies: 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 9 am and 9 pm Wednesday through Sunday, 4:30 to 9 pm on Mondays, and 9 am to midnight on Tuesday and Thursday evenings (subject to other NCC events and programming). Browse our open studio schedule online to check the most up-to-date listing of available studios. NCC reserves the right to close studios for special classes or workshops. Minimum Age Restrictions: Only students ages 18 and up are eligible to register for NCC’s adult classes and workshops. Continuing Education Credits: If you are a teacher in need of CEUs, contact the education department to learn how NCC’s classes and workshops can be taken for continuing education credit. Weather: As a general rule, NCC will remain open during inclement weather. We take our cues from local colleges and universities for canceling or rescheduling classes during particularly hazardous conditions. When in doubt, feel free to call us at 612.339.8007, and please be safe!
Tuition, Fees, & Refunds: Please refer to class listings for tuition and fees. Unless otherwise noted, fees for adult classes include instruction, open studio time, 25 pounds of clay (up to $17), basic glaze materials, and a firing allowance. Tuition may not be pro-rated. Some students may incur additional expenses if they choose unusual glaze materials or if their work occupies a large volume of kiln space. 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 day of the first class meeting. 50% of tuition (less a $25 processing fee) will be refunded if a student drops or transfers a class within the seven days prior to the first class meeting or within the first two business days after the first meeting. After this period, if a student elects to drop a class, tuition and fees will NOT be refunded for any reason except documented medical emergencies. There are no other exceptions to this policy. Workshops: 100% of tuition (less a $15 processing fee) will be refunded if a student elects to drop or transfer a workshop for any reason at least one week (seven days) prior to the workshop. No refunds will be given with less than one week’s notice. If you find you need to cancel your enrollment, email education@northernclaycenter.org or call 612.339.8007 x309.
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NCC seeks Clay Camp teachers and assistants
Northern Clay Center seeks college students and recent graduates, ages 18 and up, for our summer camp positions. Each summer, NCC hosts dozens of weeklong, half- and full-day clay camps for youth ages 6 - 17. Clay Camp Instructors create and lead projects through myriad themed camps. Instructors work with a Clay Camp Assistant to provide guidance to students and maintain studio cleanliness. Instructors are paid positions.
Clay Camp Assistants work closely with NCC's Education Coordinator and Clay Camp Instructors to provide classroom support for weekly summer clay camps. Assistants are valued volunteers who can earn credit toward NCC's adult education classes based on hours worked. If you are interested in learning more, contact us at education@ northernclaycenter.org.
Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities, MN Permit No. 28375
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 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 physical or cognitive 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.
Special Hours 11/17 - 11/18/23: Galleries closed, Winter Exhibition install 11/23/23: Closed, Thanksgiving Day 12/24/23: Open 10 am - 2 pm, Christmas Eve 12/25/23: Closed, Christmas Day 1/1/24: Closed, New Year's Day
Please call us at least three weeks in advance to request an interpreter. Wheelchair seating for classes or other accommodations: We offer a rehabilitationstyle potter’s wheel for those individuals who use 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.
Signed Interpretation: Signed interpretation is available for any public NCC event.
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: Kate Marotz, Coffee Pot.
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.