WINTER 2025
EXHIBITIONS | EVENTS | EDUCATION | ARTIST SERVICES
Winter Exhibition
November 17 - December 31, 2024
Main Gallery
Annual ART@HAND Winter Open House, Sunday, November 17, 12 - 3 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 1,000 more pots, sculptures, and jewelry just in time for gift giving. 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
• Gift wrapping available
• We ship!
Winter Mugs 2024
This year’s special edition winter mugs were created by two well-loved artists from our local community: Sean Lofton, talented NCC studio artist and Artist Services Manager, and Samantha Gonzalez Longley, gifted potter and art educator at Silverwood Park. $29 each.
Each mug includes the artist’s biography and their favorite mug-worthy recipe! It’s the perfect gift for corporate clients, friends, teachers, family, or your very own mug collection. As in past years, the 2024 series is a limited run, so they won’t last long!
Winter Guest Artists
We are excited to welcome special Winter Exhibition guest artists: Andy Bissonnette, Bekah Bliss, Patty Bilbro, Yael Braha, Sam Briegel, Sarah Chenoweth Davis, Will Dickert, John Cohorst, Tara Dawley, Wendy Eggerman, Celia Feldberg, Stuart Gair, Mary Gattorna of Weather Report Ceramics, Jennifer Fujimoto, Kenyon Hansen, PJ Hargraves, Alisa (AL) Holen, Meredith Host, Peter Jadoonath, Margaret Kinkeade, Nikki Lau, Nicole McLaughlin, Didem Mert, Rachelle Miller, John Morse, Kim Murton, Matt Repsher, Andrew Rivera, Masa Sasaki, Sam Taylor, Jerilyn Virden, Brian Westrick, and Dallas Wooten
Member Benefits
Member Preview Hour
November 17, 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 gear decoration during the FREE HANDS-ON WORKSHOP at this year’s Open House. Bring your best mitten, sweater, or hat idea, or just get inspired in the studio! All projects will be fired and ready to give as gifts by December 11.
24AAH14: Sunday, November 17, 12 - 3 pm CT FREE, Studio C
*Member discount does not apply to American Pottery Festival work, or to work in the exhibition Teaching Artists of NCC
Images, this page: Winter Mugs, Sean Lofton (left), Samantha Gonzalez Longley (right), $29.
Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Tara Dawley, Cream and Sugar Set. Wendy Eggerman, Mug Collection. Margaret Kinkeade, Mug. Rachelle Miller, Jar.
Teaching Artists of NCC
November 17 - December 31, 2024
Emily Galusha Gallery
Opening reception: Sunday, November 17, 12 - 3 pm; FREE, open to everyone Virtual Tour available November 21
The teaching artists at NCC serve the community through our Adult Education program, Clay Camps, Workshops, Special Events, and Outreach programs. They represent the full spectrum of career pathways in clay and include those in the early stages of their careers, those with a storied lifetime in clay, and everything in between.
Their work encompasses utilitarian wares that bring beauty and craft to everyday rituals and sculpture that explores the boundaries of the material and the human experience. As their creative generosity is largely expressed at NCC through teaching, and their own work is rarely the focus, this is an exceptional opportunity for our community to explore the depth of talent and artistic voices of those at the core of the education program at NCC.
Participating artists include: Olivia Ahrens, Clarice Allgood, Marion Angelica, Billie June Brand, Kevin Caufield, Eileen Cohen, Elizabeth Coleman, E.C. Comstock, Maia Danks, Amanda Dobbratz, Olivia Gallenberger, Julian Gruber, Autumn Higgins, Franny Hyde, Jennica Kruse, Lee Love, Joanna Manning, Ivy Mattson, Brady McLearen, Risa Nishiguchi, Susan Obermeyer, Erin Paradis, Hannah Prichard, Chloe Rizzo, Ellie Rogers, Moz Rude, Ruby Sevilla, Sandra Daulton Shaughnessy, Chris Singewald, Audra Smith, Olivia Tani, Sequoia Wyckoff, and Lucy Yogerst.
Images, clockwise from top left: Sandra Daulton Shaughnessy, Teapot. Moz Rude, Pitcher. Joanna Manning, Candle Sticks. Kevin Caufield, Container.
Early Career Artist Grant Recipients
January 18 - March 2, 2025
Main Gallery
Opening reception: Friday, January 17, 6 - 8 pm
Artist talks: Friday, January 17, 4 pm
Virtual Tour available January 23
Join us in celebrating the achievements of our 2023 - 24 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 E.C. Comstock, Carley Holzem, Cecilia Lu, Harry Malesovas, Ivy Mattson, and Akshar Patel.
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, 2023 and August 31, 2024 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—E.C. Comstock and Harry Malesovas. The award recognizes 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, 2023, to August 31, 2024.
E.C. Comstock was raised in Boise, Idaho and attended the University of Utah (Salt Lake City), graduating with an Honors BFA in 2022. Since then, they have lived and worked in Penland, NC; Helena, MT; and currently base their work in Minneapolis at Northern Clay Center as an early career artist in residence.
Their work focuses on the intermingling of human and material agencies, the act of making as a research method to enter this intersubjectivity, and a relishing in all of the dusty, perverse, and devotional forms it can take on. They delight in generating a range of static and relational works, reaching across
E.C. Comstock, Imbricate.
EXHIBITIONS
disciplines while perpetually returning to clay as a vital community. Comstock has exhibited work at the Utah Statewide Annual Exhibition (Rio Gallery, Salt Lake City), the Carbondale Clay Center (CO), Pratt Manhattan Gallery (New York), and performed at Volkspark Rehberge (Berlin). Comstock is constantly seeking new collaborations and reading to expand their practice.
Harry Malesovas has been making art under the name CHUM for the last seven years. He began finding his style in drawing and painting, making compositions comprising monsters that spawn from his imagination— personifying the many internalized selves we all contain within us. These monsters take on many interpretations but are primarily a means of unpacking
the past and present to better understand how the many interactions we have in our lives create our present self. Malesovas had never used the medium before, but after attending his first ceramics class at the University of North Carolina (Asheville), he found his true calling and decided to leave his history major behind in a pursuit of a BFA with a concentration in ceramics.
As he worked towards his BFA he fell in love with the medium and how it allowed him to bring his fantastical creatures to life. To Malesovas, being able to not only bring a creation from his mind to paper, but then bring a creation from paper to physical form is incredibly special.
BIPOC Studio Fellowship
The BIPOC Studio Fellowship supports one early career ceramic artist of color who is working in a functional, sculptural, relational, or installationbased manner. The 2023 recipient shared a furnished studio space from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2024 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.
Akshar “Shar” Patel is a ceramic artist based out of Tallahassee (FL). Since graduating in 2020 from Florida State University (Tallahassee), with a background in biology and chemistry, Patel, along with his sister Krishna, have ventured into the world of handbuilding and promoting his work via galleries and art festivals throughout the east coast. Patel’s pieces consist of thin slabs of porcelain that are textured and then decorated with detailed watercolor-like illustrations. The surfaces are made from intricate slip transferred illustrations that he applies to newsprint and transfers on to the slabs prior to building the forms. Afterwards Patel encloses the form and alters it before applying coats of diluted underglazes and transparent glazes. Many of his designs are inspired by botanically accurate floral motifs, or
simple geometric patterns. In addition to his pottery, Shar’s gold and porcelain jewelry collection follows a similar style, utilizing the mishima technique, with inspiration from florals with a heavy emphasis on his exploration into geometric linework. All of which are further hand painted metal lustres and handmade findings.
Fogelberg Studio Fellowship
The Fogelberg Studio Fellowship supported one early career ceramic artist working in a strictly functional manner, who is a Minnesota or Wisconsin resident, and interested in pursuing a career in studio pottery. The 2023 recipient had access to a furnished private studio space from September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2024.
Carley Holzem, Pitcher.
EXHIBITIONS
Carley Holzem grew up in a small rural town in central Wisconsin called Mosinee. She then went on to get her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin - Stout (Menomonie) with a BFA in ceramics. Her porcelain body of work is thrown and altered with various attachments. The tripod feet are inspired by neolithic tripod pitchers, conveying an anamorphic quality. Holzem uses a wiggle-wire tool she found in her childhood home to facet each form. The rough mark-making left from faceting becomes softer from stretching the pot from the inside to define the shape. The layered colors from the underglaze wash and glaze emphasize the texture of the surface. She uses cone 10 semitransparent glazes ranging from satins to glossy celadons. She is interested in how the glazes interact with the underglazes as different colors layer and create dimension.
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 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
Images, this page: Ivy Mattson, Pressed and Frozen Blooms. Opposite page: Cecilia Lu, Elegy for Exported Desire.
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.
Ivy Mattson is a functional ceramicist based in Minneapolis, MN. Her wheel thrown and altered work is highly decorated—projecting joy, wonder, and curiosity—values that are echoed in her teaching practice. Mattson first began working with clay while earning her BA in art education at Concordia College (Moorhead, MN). She was then a ceramic studio artist at the Plains Art Museum (Fargo, ND), while teaching art in Moorhead. Mattson then moved Minneapolis where she completed the Minnesota New Institute for Ceramic Education Program at Northern Clay Center in 2023, while continuing to teach and make. Through reflections of nostalgic memory, Mattson experiences a cathartic process in making and hopes to help those who experience her work recapture and revitalize their present moment in light of their past.
Warren
MacKenzie Advancement Award (WMAA)
The WMAA provides an opportunity for students, apprentices, and recent graduates 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.
One cash award, up to $2,000 each, is made annually for travel, education, or research.
Cecilia Lu is a Chinese-American artist based in NYC. Her art practice engages multi-generational and familial histories in the context of mourning and nonwestern healing practices. She works primarily in installations composed of ceramics, video, performance, and printmaking. She received her BFA from Cornell University (Ithaca, NY). She has had solo shows at The Soil Factory (Ithaca, NY) and The Herbert F Johnson Museum of Art (NY); and participated in group shows in the String Room
Gallery (Aurora, NY), Community Arts Partnership ArtSpace (Ithaca, NY), Williamsburg Art and Historical Center (Brooklyn, NY), and more. Most recently, she was a ceramics artist-in-residence at Woodstock Byrdcliffe (NY).
Related Event
Early Career Artist Grant Recipient Presentations
Join us for presentations by these early career artists.
25WX13: Friday, January 17, 4 - 6 pm CT Free, NCC Library
The Excerpts of Earth: Works by Raheleh Filsoofi
January 18 - March 2, 2025
Galusha Gallery
Opening reception: Friday, January 17, 6 - 8 pm Virtual Tour available January 23
The Excerpts of Earth is an incisive sensory dialogue between the artist and the environment, articulated through the mediums of clay, sound, and poetry. This project critically interrogates conventional narratives of exploitation by advocating for a paradigm of exploration that seeks to deepen our understanding of the world's intricate systems. The ceramic vessels, formed from clay sourced from diverse locations in Nashville, embody the artist’s critical engagement with place and materiality. Accompanied by sounds gathered during travels between Tennessee and Minnesota, and interwoven with reflective poetry, these elements collectively construct a dynamic map. This map not only traces the artist's physical journey but also charts an introspective path through the layered histories and futures of the landscapes encountered. It invites viewers to confront and rethink their own roles within the ecological and cultural narratives that shape our interactions with the Earth.
Raheleh Filsoofi, a collector of soil and sound, is an itinerant artist, feminist curator, and community advocate. Her work revolves around themes of movement, immigration, and social activism. Clay and sound serve as her primary expressive mediums, enabling her to create diverse narratives through multimedia installations and performances. Her art disrupts the borders that exist between us and seeks a more inclusive world, illuminating and challenging policies and politics.
Filsoofi is the 2023 recipient of Joan Mitchell Fellowship award, the 2022 Winner of the1858 Contemporary Southern Art Award, and the recipient of the 2021 Southern Prize Tennessee State Fellowship. She is an Assistant Professor of Ceramics in the Department of Art at Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN) and holds the secondary appointment at the Blair School of Music. She received her MFA in fine arts from Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton) and a BFA in ceramics from Al-Zahra University (Tehran, Iran).
Images, top to bottom: Raheleh Filsoofi, The Inh(a_i)bited Space.
Raheleh Filsoofi portrait
ARTIST SERVICES
Artist Grants
NCC proudly offers five grant programs for current students, recent graduates, and early to mid-career artists—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 careers. 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 via Zoom, on Thursday, January 16 from 6 - 7 pm. 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 session 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 Artist Services Manager Sean Lofton at seanlofton@northernclaycenter.org. Mark your calendar today and submit your application by the deadlines below.
FELLOWSHIPS
McKnight Fellowship for Ceramic Artists
The McKnight 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 2025. 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 2025 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/artist fellowships.
Applications open March 14, 2025. The deadline for the 2025 McKnight Fellowship for Ceramic Artists is Friday, May 16, 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.
ARTIST SERVICES
This award is available to current undergraduate or graduate students, recent graduates (within one year), or those who have completed a universityequivalent 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 2025 for a project taking place between May 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026. 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 24, 2025. The deadline to apply for the WMAA is Sunday, April 6, 5 pm CT.
RESIDENCIES
McKnight Residency for Ceramic Artists
The McKnight 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, threemonth residencies will be awarded in 2025 through a competitive application process, and will take place during the 2026 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 14, 2025. The deadline for the McKnight Residency is Friday, May 16, 5 pm CT.
Early Career Artist Residencies (ECAR)
The Early Career Artist Residency program encompasses two unique fellowships, designed to provide up to three 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 2027. 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, 2025 to August 31, 2026.
Artist Services & Grant Programs Eligibility Table
ARTIST SERVICES
McKnight Ceramic Artist Fellowship
NCC Studio Program (fees apply)
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 2025 recipient will receive a furnished studio space from September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2026. The recipient will be provided additional resources to pursue mentorship and research opportunities including the support of more robust materials and firing use, and monthly financial assistance to buttress cost of living.
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 awards you are applying for. One application may be used for multiple opportunities and eligibility varies for each opportunity.
Applications open Friday, January 24, 2025. The deadline to apply for the ECAR program is Sunday, April 6, 5 pm CT.
What is an early career artist?
We use a broad and flexible 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
Ongoing
• 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
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.
January Featured Artists: Karin Kraemer, Jeff Oestreich, Andrew Rivera, Andy Shaw
On view: January 7 - February 2, 2025
Sales Gallery & Online
Karin Kraemer
Duluth, Minnesota
Karin Kraemer grew up in Minneapolis. She holds a BFA in hot glass from St. Cloud State University and an MFA in ceramics from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. She has lived all over the country, working and exploring, but says she loves Minnesota best. “Coming back to the north woods really has been coming home,” she says. “I moved to Duluth, Minnesota, several years ago. I love to camp, be in the woods, work in the garden, and cook. These things all come together in my work: it celebrates everything from individual flowers in my garden to landscape, good friends, and making food.” Kraemer owns Duluth Pottery Studio and Gallery in the Lincoln Park Crafts District.
Jeff Oestreich
Taylors Falls, Minnesota
Jeff Oestreich received his education at Bemidji State University, the University of Minnesota, and at the Bernard Leach Pottery (St. Ives, England). He has exhibited and taught throughout the United States, as well as in New Zealand. Oestreich is well known for his functional stoneware pots. Wheel-thrown and altered, the minimally glazed work is fired in a soda kiln at his residence and studio near Taylors Falls, Minnesota.
Andrew Rivera
Hutchinson, Minnesota
Andrew Rivera received his BFA in ceramics and sculpture from the University of Minnesota Duluth and completed the Minnesota New Institute for Ceramic Education (MN NICE) program at Northern Clay Center (Minneapolis, MN). He completed a long term residency at The Clay Studio of Missoula. Rivera currently works out of his home studio and teaches ceramics in the Twin Cities area. Inspired by function, history, design, and culture, his wares reflect on personal identity and his Mexican heritage.
Images, this page, from left: Karin Kraemer, Plate. Jeff Oestreich, Jar
Andrew Rivera, Lantern
Opposite page, from left: Andy Shaw, Platter. Clay campers concentrate on the potter's wheel.
Andy Shaw Winterville, North Carolina Andy Shaw teaches ceramics at East Carolina University (Greenville, NC). His creative projects include the MidAtlantic Keramik Exchange (Reykjavik Iceland), the Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge) Ceramics Factory production studio, and co-directing the Queeramics Symposium (LSU). Shaw has completed artist residencies at the SÍM Residency (Reykjavik) and Íshús Hafnarfjarðar (Iceland), the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (Halifax), The Clay Studio of Philadelphia as the 2007 Evelyn Shapiro Foundation Fellow, Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts (Helena, MT), Arrowmont School of Crafts (Gaitlinburg, TN), and as a McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists fellow at Northern Clay Center.
NCC Seeks Clay Camp Teachers and Assistants
Northern Clay Center seeks college students, recent graduates, and educators—aged 18 and over—for our summer camp positions.
Each summer, NCC hosts dozens of weeklong, half- and full-day camps for children and teens ages 6 - 17. Clay Camp Instructors create and lead projects inspired by a variety of themes, such as potions, woodland creatures, outerspace, and more! Instructors work closely with NCC’s Education Manager and Clay Camp Assistants to provide guidance to students and maintain studio cleanliness.
Clay Camp Assistants provide classroom support for the weekly camps and gain insight into ceramic education.
Both Clay Camp Instructors and Assistants are paid positions.
If you are interested in learning more, contact us at education@ northernclaycenter.org.
February Featured Artists: Ian Bassett, Peter Jadoonath, Kirk Lyttle, Beth Thompson
On view: February 4 - March 2, 2025
Sales Gallery & Online
Ian Bassett
Concord, California
Ian Bassett is a visual artist and potter living in the San Francisco East Bay. He was born in Seoul, Korea and grew up in Connecticut on Long Island Sound. He received his BFA in ceramics from the New Hampshire Institute of Art (Manchester), a Post Baccalaureate in ceramics from Hood College (Frederick, MD) and his MFA in ceramics from Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Crafts. Bassett has taught at Diablo Valley College (Pleasant Hill, CA), was the studio technician at Art Academy University (San Francisco) and the ceramics studio manager at Ox Bow School of Art and Artist Residencies (Saugatuck, MI). He is currently is an adjunct professor at Los Medanos College (Pittsburg, CA) teaching ceramics, art history, 3D design, and sculpture. He also teaches at Clay by the Bay Ceramics Studio (San Francisco). In June 2020 Bassett and his wife opened Applied Contemporary a Craft Gallery (Oakland, CA).
Peter Jadoonath
Shafer, Minnesota
Peter Jadoonath is a teaching artist at Northern Clay Center, 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, narrativedriven 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”.
Kirk Lyttle St. Paul, Minnesota
Kirk Lyttle was born and schooled in Seattle, Washington. In addition to his ceramics practice, Lyttle was an illustrator and graphic artist for the Pioneer Press (St, Paul, MN). He and his wife, Jil Franke, reside in St. Paul, Minnesota and fire their pots alongside Linda Christianson in her doublechambered Bourry box kiln. His work slowly evolves with the introduction of new clays, slips, and the nature of the drawings that grace his pots. Of his work, Lyttle says, “I’d like my pots to appear as though they were knocked off on a whim; the drawings have been done for my personal amusement. If some of them have acquired an aura that transcends these inauspicious beginnings, I’d like it if this were attributed to the mysterious atmosphere of the wood-fired kiln.”
Images, this page, from left: Ian Bassett, Mug. Peter Jadoonath, Cup Kirk Lyttle, Plate
Opposite page, from left: Beth Thompson, That Moment. NCC Teaching Artist, Heather Schroeder (center) with GGAL participants at WISE.
OUTREACH
ClayToGo Partner Spotlight: WISE
Beth Thompson
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Beth Thompson studied ceramic sculpture at Northern Clay Center, where she began to sculpt realistic, life-sized dogs out of clay. Animals are her visual medium, and through capturing them in moments of expression and connection she explores human emotions, intimacy and inner dialogues without the barriers of discourse surrounding human figurative work. Thompson emphasizes the power of tapping into vulnerability and quiet states of feeling through the interactions between figures in her work. Her sculpting process includes sketching from life, photo collection, and studying video to learn about the anatomy, musculature, kinesiology and gesture of her subjects. She then makes small scale models to find poses and form before moving on to sculpting the final work from a solid piece of clay on armatures. After sculpting, Thompson lets the clay begin hardening before cutting it into sections, hollowing it out, and reassembling.
Let us take you on a journey through one year programming with one of our newer partners, Women's Initiative for Self Empowerment (WISE).
WISE is a nonprofit with a mission to serve and empower immigrant and refugee women and girls in the journey of self-actualization through education and leadership development. They provide culturally responsive education and advocacy through partnerships. This is where NCC comes in! NCC has worked with WISE’s program Girls Getting Ahead in Leadership (GGAL)— an academic, leadership, and college preparation program for underserved and at-risk immigrant and/or refugee girls in grades 6 - 12.
WISE and NCC first partnered in 2023 with a workshop in conjunction with NCC’s exhibition Coastal Sweetgrass: Clay & Land & Craft which featured Gullah artists, Andrea CayetanoJefferson and Ashlyn Pope. In the workshop, participants learned both basket-weaving and ceramic skills. From there, our partnership blossomed into further programming and in spring of 2024 NCC developed and held ongoing after-school ClayToGo sessions for GGAL at Humboldt High School (St. Paul, MN). Then, during the summer NCC held a workshop to create to be part of the fall 2024 exhibition, Pathways: Collaboration, Community, Clay. In 2025 we will extend our partnership to two locations in addition to Humboldt High School—Sejong Academy Korean Immersion School (St. Paul, MN) and Washington Technology Magnet School (St. Paul, MN).
NCC’s Community Engagement Manager, Alysha Hill worked with GGAL Coordinator, Jess Miano to develop programs that fit the needs of GGAL participants. Heather Schroeder was NCC’s teaching artist for all GGAL programs in 2024, leading participants through a range of projects including pinch pot couch containers, slab birds and flowers, mugs, and ramen bowls with spoons.
Upon Jess’s reflection of the 2024 programming, she spoke highly of WISE’s experience with NCC.
“Heather was very thoughtful in choosing projects that were engaging and appropriate for the student’s abilities. I observed an increase in students’ selfconfidence throughout the program. I heard students make statements like, ‘Wow, I’m really good at this!’
And, ‘Ms. Jess, I think I’m going to need to take a clay class in college!’
OUTREACH
She also said,
“GGAL had an incredible experience working with Northern Clay Center! Heather was very thoughtful in her planning. She listened to participant feedback and tailored projects to fit their interests and needs. Each week the girls gained new skills and could see their personal growth as their work was returned
to them. It was a very effective way to encourage students to develop a growth mindset! This was also a wonderful opportunity for our students to practice mindfulness, self-expression, and creativity. Thank you Northern Clay Center!”
Heather shared that she
“felt like each project had some sort of takeaway for the participants. I saw such a big shift in the confidence of the girls during the time I had with them! At the start of the first two sessions many of them expressed that they felt like they were not artists, and didn't like how their projects were turning out. By the end of those two sessions, each of them was smiling and saying things like, ‘I made that! I am an ARTIST’ with a big smile. It was so rewarding to watch them within just an hour have such a huge shift in how they viewed themselves and their art.”
A rewarding aspect of working with clay, is that we often see when a teacher demonstrates a lesson to a group, students often take on that knowledge and apply their creativity with their new skill sets rather than mimicking exactly what the teacher has demonstrated. In the end they are all the same thing being made but in vastly different and unique ways. That's really the beauty of ceramics, the personal variations it can hold—from perspective, taste, and methods of storytelling. We see many participants inspiring one another throughout the process, especially in ongoing programs.
Heather said,
“this was such a diverse group of students, and due to the mission of WISE I felt like everyone supported each other in the ways that they needed.” During the spring program Heather said “I felt that the most effective project was the ramen bowls. This was a project that many of the girls expressed interest in wanting to do. During the making of this project a few of the girls shared about traditional pottery from the towns/villages they grew up in, even sharing photos of objects they have. Many of them created bowls with symbols specific to their cultural backgrounds. My favorite part of the program was
being able to hear about traditions and lore that have been passed down within their families and how they reflected those stories in their art.”
NCC’s partnership with WISE is a great example of how NCC works tremendously hard to offer high quality ceramics education and opportunities to our partners. Through outreach programs, we are able to connect with a broader audience and share the vibrant opportunities available at and through NCC, such as exhibitions, visiting artists, and related events. Outreach not only introduces students to the diverse world of ceramic arts but
also highlights potential career paths in the field, aligning with our mission to expand opportunities for those interested in ceramics. We are honored to be able to partner with WISE for over a year now and continue to expand on opportunities, grow together and continue to reach as far as we can.
If you have a school or organization that is interested in working with clay for a program, residency, and/or after school program, please contact NCC’s Community Engagement Coordinator, at 612.339.8007 x313 or outreach@ northernclaycenter.org.
NOVEMBER
15 - 16 Galleries CLOSED
17 Winter Exhibition and Teaching Artists of NCC open Winter Open House, 12 – 3 pm
Member Preview Hour, 11 am – 12 pm AAH Winter Workshop, 12 – 3 pm
19 Applications open: Education Access Scholarships
21 Virtual tour online: Winter Exhibition and Teaching Artists of NCC
28 NCC CLOSED
DECEMBER
3 Winter class registration opens, 10 am
24 Galleries open 10 am - 2 pm
25 NCC CLOSED
31 Winter Exhibition and Teaching Artists of NCC close
Last day to make a donation to NCC's year end fundraising campaign!
JANUARY
1 NCC CLOSED
6 GALLERIES CLOSED
7 January Featured Artists opens
16 Info session: NCC grant programs, 6 pm
17 Artist talks: Early Career Artist Grant Recipients, 4 pm Opening reception: Early Career Artist Grant Recipients and The Excerpts of Earth, 6 - 8 pm
18 Early Career Artist Grant Recipients and The Excerpts of Earth open
23 Virtual tour online: Early Career Artist Grant Recipients and The Excerpts of Earth
24 Applications open: WMAA and ECARs
26 AAH: Pottery for Pets, 10 am - 12 pm
FEBRUARY
2 January Featured Artists closes 3 GALLERIES CLOSED 4 February Featured Artists opens
MARCH
2 Early Career Artist Grant Recipients and The Excerpts of Earth close February Featured Artists closes AAH: Wall Pockets, 10 am - 12 pm
3 GALLERIES CLOSED
14 Applications open: McKnight Fellowships and Residencies
Images, opposite page: GGAL participants decorating their projects with colored slips.
This page: Participants present their finished coil pots.
Winter Classes & Workshops
Embrace the warm glow of NCC’s kilns this winter, and hunker down inside the studios with one of our many talented teaching artists for a 5- or 10-week class or workshop! Whether you’re interested in handbuilding, wheel throwing, specialty topics, or family activities, our roster of classes and workshops will be sure to inspire some cozy creations.
We continue to 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 from 9 am - 9 pm (subject to other NCC events, programming, and studio schedules). During open studio, please be mindful of other students and make sure others feel welcome in this shared space. Weekly open studio schedules will be posted on the bulletin boards in each studio, as well as on our website; select the Education tab from the top menu on our homepage and click “Student Info” (northernclaycenter. org/education/student-info).
We encourage you to register early as our in-person classes fill up quickly. If the class you are interested in sells out, reach out to education@northernclaycenter.org and ask to be added to the waitlist of your preferred class.
All classes and workshops, unless otherwise noted, are for adults ages 18 and over.
Education Access Scholarship applications open Tuesday, November 19
NCC is committed to maintaining accountability and pursuing action to build meaningful diversity, impactful equity, and genuine inclusivity in the ceramic community. We recognize that there are significant systemic racial and economic impacts that impede participation in the arts, and resulting financial barriers contribute to further divide. To address and help bridge financial barriers to ceramic education, NCC has implemented scholarship options for our education programming. Our goal is to open access to the ceramic arts and welcome all who wish to learn, grow as an artist, and participate in the ceramic arts community.
We offer two scholarship options:
• a 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
Interested in clay but unsure where to start? Sign up for our beginner classes and get hands-on experience and guided instruction during our 5-week beginner classes. Learn all of the basics such as building, throwing, slab rolling, and/ or 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 term, or over consecutive terms) to build your skills and prepare for Intermediate-toAdvanced 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 $25, all glazing materials, firings, and open studio access.
Be sure to check out our series of oneday project workshops beginning on page 24—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.
BW1: Mondays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: Paola Evangelista
January 6 - February 3
Fee: $190 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)
BW2: Mondays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: Paola Evangelista
February 10 - March 10
Fee: $190 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)
BW3: Tuesdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: NCC Teaching Artist
January 7 - February 4
Fee: $190 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)
BW4: Tuesdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: NCC Teaching Artist
February 11 - March 11
Fee: $190 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)
BW5: Wednesdays, 10 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Maia Danks
January 8 - February 5
Fee: $190 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)
BW6: Wednesdays, 10 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Maia Danks
February 12 - March 12
Fee: $190 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)
BW7: Thursdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: Olivia Ahrens
January 9 - February 6
Fee: $190 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)
BW8: Thursdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: Olivia Ahrens
February 13 - March 13
Fee: $190 + $60 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.
BH1: Tuesdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman
January 7 - February 4
Fee: $190 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)
BH2: Tuesdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman
February 11 - March 11
Fee: $190 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)
BH3: Wednesdays, 10 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Lydia Gutowsky
January 8 - February 5
Fee: $190 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)
BH4: Wednesdays, 10 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Lydia Gutowsky
February 12 - March 12
Fee: $190 + $60 lab fee (5% member discount)
Beginnermediate Wheel Throwing
So you’ve taken a few beginner classes, but don’t feel ready for an Intermediate-to-Advanced class just yet? Try a “beginnermediate” level class for students who fall somewhere in between! Expand on the basics of wheel throwing, perfect your bowls and cylinders, and spend more time getting your hands dirty with an NCC instructor for a full term.
BW9: Thursdays, 10 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Lisa Himmelstrup
January 9 - March 13
Fee: $380 + $120 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, just email 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 $25, 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.
EDUCATION
Student in a throwing studio, busily filling up ware boards.
Design History-Inspired Sets
Create beautifully cohesive pairs, trios, and larger collections in this playful, design-driven class. Students will look at examples of fine serving ware and other home goods from various historical periods including art deco, nouveau, and mid-century modern. Practice drawing and designing work, drafting ideas together before taking to the wheel, and bringing them to life. Instructor demos will focus on both short-form skill and technical lessons, as well as more longform projects.
AW1: Mondays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: Erin Holt
January 6 - March 10
Fee: $380 + $120 lab fee (5% member discount)
Toolbox Essentials
This class is designed for anyone who wants to explore different types of pottery forms using the tools they already have! Students will utilize the tools in their tool box for inspiration and ideas of objects to execute, including lidded forms, handles, ribbed surfaces, and template throwing.
AW2: Tuesdays, 10 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Sandra Daulton Shaughnessy
January 7 - March 11
Fee: $380 + $120 lab fee (5% member discount)
Altered Forms
Learn more about thrown and altered techniques to make pots that break out of the traditional mold. Instructor demonstrations will teach you how to cut, add, and alter your pottery to create new shapes, forms, and textures.
AW3: Tuesdays, 2 - 5 pm
Instructor: Paola Evangelista
January 7 - March 11
Fee: $380 + $120 lab fee (5% member discount)
Throwing Boot Camp
Elevate your throwing skills! Whether you're still mastering basics or are an advanced potter aiming to refine your technique, this class offers personalized instruction and hands-on practice to help you achieve your ceramic goals.
AW4: Wednesdays, 2 - 5 pm
Instructor: Kevin Caufield
January 8 - March 12
Fee: $380 + $120 lab fee (5% member discount)
The Buzz About Bowls
Bowls are a simple idea at first glance, but if you take a deep dive into studying this essential form, you’ll discover
the many nuances that turn bowls from ordinary to captivating. Using the potter’s wheel, explore the many variations of forms, feet, and glazing techniques as you design and craft bowls tailored to specific functions. Topics and demonstrations will start with soup bowls and go from there! Practice your precision with sets of bowls and nesting bowls, and play with size and scale as you create serving bowls, mixing bowls, and more.
AW5: Thursdays, 10 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Chris Singewald
January 9 - March 13
Fee: $380 + $120 lab fee (5% member discount)
Guided Study in Wheel Throwing
Are you looking for a more individualized approach to your ceramic instruction? Established artists and makers are invited to join this guided study to sharpen their throwing skills and techniques, expand their repertoire of forms, and advance their craft.
AW6: Thursdays, 2 - 5 pm
Instructor: Leila Denecke
January 9 - March 13
Fee: $380 + $120 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.
Crazy for Texture
Calling all texture lovers! Do you love the way certain glazes melt and pool together on a textured surface? Or the excitement you get from experiencing a new ceramic surface design? Join teaching artist Marion Angelica and learn how to create your own textural tools, including rollers, stamps, impression blocks, and sprig molds. After making the tools, students will use them to craft unique bowls, plates, platters, and mugs in this 10-week class.
AH1: Tuesdays, 2 - 5 pm
Instructor: Marion Angelica
January 7 - March 11
Fee: $380 + $120 lab fee (5% member discount)
One-Part Mold Making
Learn how to make and use one-part bisque and plaster molds. The class will create forms for texturing slabs, sprig molds, and press and drape molds. Students will learn how to mix and pour plaster. Demonstrations will also cover slip and glaze techniques for low- and high-fire work.
AH2: Thursdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman
January 9 - March 13
Fee: $380 + $120 lab fee (5% member discount)
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.
AH3: Fridays, 10 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Franny Hyde
January 10 - March 14
Fee: $380 + $120 lab fee (5% member discount)
SPECIAL TOPICS CLASSES
Surface Decoration
Explore the rich possibilities of surface decoration to enhance your ceramic forms with teaching artist, Emily Murphy! Whether through expressive brushwork, intricate inlay techniques, printmaking on clay, or layered glazing, you’ll discover a multitude of ways to enhance your work. This class is a canvas for finding your unique artistic voice and experimenting with various methods and materials to create pieces that truly speak to your style. The inclusive instruction will cater to intermediate and advanced skill levels, fostering a supportive community where you can refine your skills and express your individuality through the art of pottery.
T1: Tuesdays, 10 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Emily Murphy
January 7 - March 11
Fee: $380 + $120 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 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.
T2: Wednesdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: Clarice Allgood
January 8 - March 12
Fee: $380 + $195 lab fee (5% member discount)
Tentative kiln loadings: January 29, February 19, and March 12
Firing and unloading schedule will be discussed during class. Studio meetings all other weeks.
Put a Lid On It
Learn how to add the perfect finishing touch to your thrown pieces in this hybrid wheel and handbuilding class. Whether you’re working on bowls, jars, jugs, or pitchers—no matter their shape—you’ll explore various techniques to craft custom covers that complete your designs with style.
T3: Thursdays, 2 - 5 pm
Instructor: Lucy Yogerst
January 9 - March 13
Fee: $380 + $120 lab fee (5% member discount)
EDUCATION
SPECIAL TOPICS WORKSHOPS
NCC will provide all materials and tools for these workshops.
Serving Spoons
Spend a few cozy hours learning how to create a variety of serving spoons for your home, for gifts, or just for fun! Build tiny scoops for salt dishes, spoons for sugar bowls, and ladles. Best for those with some previous handbuilding ceramic experience.
T4: Saturday, January 11, 10 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Marion Angelica Fee: $65 (5% member discount)
The Hot Seat: Electric Kiln Firing 101
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
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 anyone aspiring to become an NCC studio artist. Basic clay knowledge is preferred.
T5: Saturday, February 1, 10 am - 1 pm
Instructor: Audra Smith
Fee: $55 (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 $55 fee includes instruction and materials for one adult. Students can expect to make up to three pots and decorate them using colorful slips and textures. Your pots will be ready to pick up in about two weeks.
X1: Saturday, January 18, 12 - 3 pm
X2: Saturday, January 18, 5 - 8 pm
X3: Saturday, March 15, 12 - 3 pm
X4: Saturday, March 15, 5 - 8 pm
Instructor: Olivia Ahrens
Fee: $55 per person, per session
Clay for Couples Pottery Workshops
Looking for a unique date activity that is sure to impress, or an unconventional Valentine’s Day activity? Try NCC’s Clay for Couples, with a special Valentine’s Day session this term! 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 $110 fee includes instruction, materials, and firings for two adults. Completed pieces will be ready to pick up about two weeks later.
X5: Friday, January 17, 6 - 9 pm
X6: Friday, March 14, 6 - 9 pm
Instructor: Olivia Ahrens
Fee: $110 per couple, per session
Cocoa for Couples
First date, or been together for 20 years? Great—come to NCC for a creative date night! 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? We’ll decorate our creations with colorful clay slips.
Pieces will be fired and ready for pickup approximately two weeks following the workshop.
X7: Friday, February 7, 6 - 9 pm
X8: Friday, March 7, 6 - 9 pm
Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman Fee: $110 per couple
Pots with colorful geometric decoration waiting to be fired.
20th 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 weekend 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. Novices and experienced potters alike are welcome. All materials are included. Students can expect to make up to three 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.
X9: Friday, February 14, 6 - 9 pm
X10: Saturday, February 15, 12 - 3 pm
X11: Saturday, February 15, 5 - 8 pm
Instructor: NCC Teaching Artist
Fee: $110 per couple
Make Your Own Plant Stakes
Prepare for April showers and lush summer gardens—or pamper your indoor plants and herbs—with handmade ceramic plant stakes!
Students will learn basic slab-building techniques and use stamps to embellish their new garden markers. A fun and easy project for all skill levels.
X12: Saturday, March 1, 10 am - 12 pm
Instructor: NCC Teaching Artist
Fee: $55 (5% member discount)
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 over the course of this 8-week class. High-temperature clay and glazes will be used. Wear old clothes, bring an old towel and a onegallon bucket for each participant. Class sessions are designed to allow adults and children to work side-by-side in a collaborative environment. Ages 9+; all skill levels welcome.
F1: Sundays, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Instructor: Elizabeth Coleman
January 12 - March 2
Fee: $340 for two people, one adult and one child
Family Wheel Throwing Workshops
Learn how to use the potter’s wheel in this warm and cozy wintertime workshop! Practice centering, opening,
pulling, and shaping the clay, then paint your projects with colored slips. Dress for mess! Ages 9+; all skill levels welcome.
Saturday, January 25
Instructor: Eileen Cohen
F2: 10 am - 1 pm
F3: 2 - 5 pm
Fee: $65 for two people, one adult and one child. $30 for each additional participant; please contact education@ northernclaycenter.org to register additional participants.
Cupid’s Chalice
Celebrate your love of clay and all things Valentine’s! Make a cup worthy of Cupid ready to hold your favorite drink, or make a cup for someone you love using paper templates and colored slips. Ages 6+; all skill levels welcome.
Saturday, February 15
Instructor: Eileen Cohen
F4: 10 am - 1 pm
F5: 2 - 5 pm
Fee: $65 for two people, one adult and one child. $30 for each additional participant; please contact education@ northernclaycenter.org to register additional participants.
Rise & Shine!
What fuels your morning? Waffles, toast, coffee, or fruit? Get a jump on your day with handmade ceramics for the most important meal of the day. Learn how to make a variety of forms, such as a dish or mug for your favorite morning food or beverage. Ages 6+; all skill levels welcome.
Saturday, March 8
Instructor: Eileen Cohen
F6: 10 am - 1 pm
F7: 2 - 5 pm
Fee: $65 for two people, one adult and one child. $30 for each additional participant; please contact education@ northernclaycenter.org to register additional participants.
A student preparing to attach a handle to a mug body.
EDUCATION
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.
Y1: Saturdays, 10 am - 12 pm
Instructor: Erin Holt
Ongoing
Fee: $285 (5% member discount)
Four additional sessions: $145 (5% member discount)
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 our online sign up form. Sessions expire six months after the date of purchase.
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 and older (and their families!), ART@HAND offers lectures, tours, workshops, and hands-on activities.
ART@HAND
Winter Open House Workshop
Join us in the studio to create a ceramic winter gear decoration during the FREE HANDS-ON WORKSHOP at this year’s Open House. Bring your best mitten, sweater, or hat idea, or just get inspired in the studio! All projects will be fired and ready to give as gifts by December 11.
24AAH14: Sunday, November 17, 12 - 3 pm CT FREE, Studio C
Pottery for Pets
Make a personalized pet dish for a furry, feathered, or scaled friend. Learn handbuilding basics using slabs and decorating techniques to personalize your dish (if you don't have a pet, your dish will work for humans too). All skill levels welcome.
25AAH1: Sunday, January 26, 10 am - 12 pm Instructor: Eileen Cohen Free
Wall Pockets
Looking for a creative way to display your favorite florals? Consider using the wall! Learn how to use slabs to make a wall pocket for a small plant or cut flowers, then paint your projects with colored slips. All skill levels welcome.
25AAH2: Sunday, March 2, 10 am - 12 pm
Instructor: Eileen Cohen
Free
VISITING ARTIST WORKSHOPS & LECTURES
Early Career Artist Grant Recipient Presentations
Join us for presentations by these early career artists.
25WX13: Friday, January 17, 4 - 6 pm CT Free, NCC Library
Colorful pots awaiting pick up in the handbuilding studio.
Winter Class Registration Opens
Tuesday, December 3 at 10 am
Education Access Scholarship applications open Tuesday, November 19
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. If the class you are interested in sells out, reach out to education@northernclaycenter.org and ask to be added to the waitlist of your preferred class.
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 serve basis to adult students only. Students are eligible to receive only one scholarship per session. We will do our best to offer students one of their top three choices of 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.
For any questions regarding NCC’s scholarship program, please contact education@northernclaycenter.org
Policies:
Tools: Standard tool kits are available during check-in on the first day of class and 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: Unless otherwise specified, students must be 18 or older to register for NCC’s adult classes and workshops. Family wheel throwing classes and workshops are open to attendees aged 9 and above, while handbuilding workshops for families are open for those aged 6 and above. NCC’s age restrictions are nonnegotiable and will be strictly enforced.
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 $25), 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.
Class Refunds: 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.
Workshop Refunds: 100% of tuition (less a $25 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.
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.
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.
Special Hours
11/15 - 11/16/24: Galleries closed, Winter Exhibition install
11/28/24: Closed, Thanksgiving Day
12/24/24: Open 10 am - 2 pm, Christmas Eve
12/25/24: Closed, Christmas Day
1/1/25: Closed, New Year's Day
1/6/25: Galleries closed
2/3/25: Galleries closed
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.
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.
Front cover: John Morse, Plate