NORTHERN CLAY CENTER PRESENTS
Pathways
COLLABORATION, COMMUNITY, CLAY
SEPTEMBER 21 –NOVEMBER 3 2024
NORTHERN CLAY CENTER –MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
NORTHERN CLAY CENTER PRESENTS
COLLABORATION, COMMUNITY, CLAY
RACHAEL
COMMUNITY OUTREACH-ALYSHA
ESSAYS
MARNE JONES
LINDA CHRISTIANSON
MIKE NORMAN
MOLLY ANNE BISHOP
TYLER QUINTIN
DEL BEY
SAYGE CARROLL
FIORENZA PANCINO
NCC
HILL
Exhibition view
L to R:
Black Oil Can, 2024, Stoneware, wire, rubber stopper, 8.5 x 5 x 5
White Oil Can, 2024, Stoneware, wire, rubber stopper, 8 x 4.25 x 4.75
FULL-TIME POTTER
Linda Christianson
Working as a full-time potter, Linda Christianson has cast a wide network of support within the field of ceramics, a fruit born from her dedication to pursuing her passion and being an active agent in the broader clay community. As a younger artist, she found motivation in the materiality of clay: “Finding the right ratio of what material wants to do naturally and how much of my own influence to exert on it… how to organize it in a way that satisfies my own curiosity of ideas, form, surface and utility. My challenge has always been to adjust my life to finding ways to maintain a daily practice while keeping my mental space free.” She posits that selling work is just another opportunity to let go and to improve previously explored ideas in form and surface.
It has taken Linda some time to find equilibrium between life’s demands and being a full-time maker. Consistency with her daily practice, sales, exhibitions, and nurturing connections early on has sustained a long-term customer base. Welcoming opportunities for alternative income streams—such as working odd jobs (in the beginning), teaching workshops and part time, academic instruction, and mentorship positions—have not only aided in financial stability but have deepened her roots among generations of ceramic artists. These opportunities pushed her to evolve in unexpected ways. “Each opportunity felt like a door I was unable or unwilling to open. I was always able to open it, trusting that by following my curiosity, some kind of goodness would follow.” Following her intuition to participate in challenging public speaking roles that require research and historical
reflection, as well as organizational roles (such as the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour), she has been able to define her positionality within the field, contribute to its history, and pass it down to younger generations of makers.
Investing in community has landed Linda in several different roles of mentorship—most recently, as an instructor for Clay Cohorts. This alternative, yearlong, online program offers personalized professional development and technical skill advancement opportunities through instruction and peer learning. “I feel humbled and privileged to work with, get to know, and learn from my students; they enrich my life and studio work in ways I would have never anticipated.” When asked about how her relationship to her mentees has changed over time, she says: “I was always aware of my decision to not pass on my own set of aesthetics, but rather …skills, history, and a way to look and question one’s work. I remain connected to many of these folks, and it has given me great joy to see them thrive. I have, in turn, grown from their readings, the work they share, and conversations that continue over decades.” Looking forward, Linda shares this advice that continually sustains her practice:
Work everyday
Follow my own curiosity
Don’t spend too much money
Make only what I want to make
Help others
Say yes to interesting opportunities that come up, even if afraid or feeling ill equipped
East of the Sun West of the Moon, 2024, Terracotta, underglaze, 13.5 x 14 x 4.5
FULL-TIME POTTER
Mike Norman
Mentorship and the development of a personal artistic voice began early on for Mike Norman, as both his parents were artists in their own right. His family history runs rich in adventure—with a psychic grandmother who grew up on Sami Lands in Northern Finland, to a Welch great grandfather who became a cabin boy on a whaling ship in England, sailing the world and eventually ending up in New York. There, his grandfather lived as a mold maker and then crossed the country to land in Duluth, MN. He also had a French-born grandmother who grew up where Gauguin was raised. “All of the genetic bits of themselves were swirled up in a big pot and were given birth to me and my sister, with all that stuff mixed in.”
Many of his father’s friends were also artists, including Sid Fossum, Birney Quick, and Matt Lasure. In his youth, Mike’s father took him to visit Cameron Booth’s painting studio, who had been painting many scenes with horses—a major influence in his work. The tangibility of that supernal moment was striking: “And it was sort of like, a sacred place…the way the light was, where he was sitting, the smell of linseed oil, turpentine, and the oil paints he was using.” Mike also mentions his introduction to ceramics through Warren MacKenzie, along with Bernard Leach and Michael Cardew. Japanese art also drew his attention, particularly the block prints of Shiko Munakata.
Never drawn to academia, Mike feels as though his influences lie in political happenings, the history of the artists around him, and the animals that share his home. Although he learned a milieu of techniques from well-known mentors, he is adamant that finding one’s own voice is not something that can be taught—that life itself will curate the meaning of one’s work and its expression.
Having worked solo for over 50 years in his studio, his wife Jan Davies asked if he wanted to have Olivia Jenson as an assistant. He quickly agreed. “Olivia has brought her generosity and energy along with her own vision as to what she feels ceramics brings to her, and what she brings to it— which is similar but different to mine. It has been a very positive and wonderful thing. As Jan says, “Olivia has become part of our family, and we love her dearly.”
Mentorship has come full circle for Mike, and when asked what advice he would give future generations, he says this:
Look at your own survival…doing whatever work you plan to do, have a part-time job, and live cheaply, so you can acquire the money to set up your studio and cover your basic needs to take care of yourself. Look at works that inspire you and look at how those artists managed. Also, extend yourself and go out and visit people you admire. If you love what you want to do, that is the first thing that needs to happen—you should feel excited about the work. It is important to be forward, open, strong, and be willing to take chances. Don’t let fear of the unknown govern your life.
L to R:
Tell Me Everything Vase, 2022, Earthenware, 4.75 x 6 x 2
I Love Being Quiet With You Vase, 2022, Earthenware, 4.75 x 6 x 2
Doing Nothing With You Vase, 2022, Earthenware, 4.75 x 6 x 2
RETAIL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Molly Anne Bishop
Weaving one’s creative practice with one’s livelihood can present some unique challenges, as well as unforeseen opportunities and partnerships. After her undergraduate education, Molly Anne Bishop began to carve a path for her narrativedriven illustrative work through retail partnerships, graphic design, and illustrative pottery. Her daily sketchbook practice has fueled and sustained the many avenues of her professional arts practice, which span the gamut of ceramics, apparel design, advertising, and a comic series:
Because a lot of my work is ideated in my sketchbook, which is a private space, I’m not afraid to try things out, explore ideas, or make mistakes. When I look through my sketchbook over the years, my illustrations have become more confident, but a lot of the themes are present across time: pop culture references, inspiration from nature and art history, excavation of personal feelings, working through ideas of freedom, femininity, and understanding the self in relation to friends and romantic partners.
Molly uses the wholesale platform Faire to expand her audience, which is a “one-stop” platform that connects retailers with small businesses and arts businesses. She also works with brands to create unique products and graphics for advertising. When asked how Molly can stay true to her artistic voice while also considering her client’s intentions, she states, “I set boundaries by creating reasonable expectations through a clear quote or contract, and I do not take job offers that don’t feel true to my style or artistic vision.”
Sustaining her arts business hasn’t always been a clear-cut journey. “Unfortunately, my undergraduate education didn’t include a whole lot of guidance on running a business. It was sort of seen as selling out to start a brand.” She had gained much of the necessary skills to run her business through trial and error, and through her first residency at Red Lodge Clay Center, a residency program that is structured around a part-time work exchange:
It was there that I got some of the knowledge on how a gallery works, how to photograph art, ship ceramics, and what a professional (and unprofessional) relationship with artists looks like from the gallerists’ point of view…When starting out selling graphics on products, I made a lot of mistakes but also asked a lot of questions to my community both in Chicago and through Instagram. I can’t state how important your peers are in skill sharing.
Not being afraid to ask for help or ask questions unlocked a plethora of vital resources for Molly. She also started a “small biz” support group with a few friends who meet virtually once a month to share updates, ask questions, and discuss challenges.
As a small business owner, she nurtures a reciprocal relationship with the communities that sustain her. When possible, she has done pro-bono illustrations for non-profits such as the Portland Homeless Family Services, Sarah’s Circle, and Mask Sonoma. What drives her practice is the feedback she gets from people who say that her work “makes them feel seen or less alone”.
Idle Thoughts – Asian “Lion King”, 2024, Stoneware, underglaze, glaze, paint, resin, 18.5 x 16.5 x 16
RESIDENCIES
Tyler Quintin
Through the path of residencies, many ceramicists take advantage of professional development opportunities that offer direct, tangible experiences to cultivate a transferable toolbox of skills needed to navigate the complexities of life as a working artist. Dedicated time afforded to their studio practices also lays the groundwork for self-directed discovery and innovation. Instead of moving onto graduate school after obtaining his undergraduate degree, Tyler Quintin completed a work/study assistantship at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (Gatlinburg, TN) and has been an artist in residence at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (Deer Isle, ME) and the Morean Center for Clay (St. Petersburg, FL). He is currently a longterm resident at Red Lodge Clay Center (Red Lodge, MT). Academia posed some challenges for Tyler when it came to balancing his creative drive and the pressure to create work under a system of specific assessment. “I’d come to learn slowly; you need to live life to develop a voice.” Tyler found that self-directed learning fit the flow of his studio practice, which has “helped develop both [his] visual and conceptual language exponentially.”
Community is an integral part of both academic and residency environments—each having their own tangible distinctions. From his experience, Tyler has found a much stronger and long-lasting sense of community within residencies where the competitive pressure is lessened, as each artist is following their own professional path while supporting their fellow residents. He finds inspiration in their professional dedication to expand the possibilities within the field. “I love that idea that [the people] I’m working alongside now are the next leaders in the clay world.”
Although mentorship isn’t as clearly structured in most residency systems, Tyler has still found support through meeting and interacting with more experienced and established artists, while actively stepping into a mentorship role himself— both within his resident cohort and teaching opportunities:
I have been in residence with individuals with less experience and have helped by sharing opportunities and advice. I generally feel that resident cohorts foster a mutual mentorship as we’re all in the process of developing our careers. Something I love about this clay community is that artists are generally willing and happy to share about their experiences and provide advice.
He has also found that the sense of acceptance felt through his inclusion in juried exhibitions has been influential to navigating his unique place in the field.
Many of the residencies that Tyler has participated in are built around a work exchange model that requires residents to perform a wide range of tasks to develop skills that support the kaleidoscopic facets of making and selling artwork, teaching and mentoring others through their own practices, and developing the technical knowledge to be able to run their own studios one day. “I think the work exchange aspects of residencies have the potential to be some of the most beneficial parts [of residencies]. I deeply value the personal growth and hands-on skills [that] I’ve learned through various types of work [in the gallery, studio maintenance, and arts education].”
L to R:
Twisted Galaxy: Portals of Reflection, 2020, Stoneware, chain, amulets, cowrie shells, mother-of-pearl, black silk suture, 4.75 x 5.5 x 6
Galaxy of Pain for My Name, 2022, Stoneware, distressed silk, chain, amulets, crystals, 6 x 4.5 x 4.5
K-12 EDUCATION & YOUTH MENTORSHIP
Del Bey
Being exposed to different art media through a magnet program in northern Chicago sparked a lifelong curiosity of visual exploration for Del Bey, who would later become a K-12 visual arts educator in Minneapolis, MN. She covers the entire spectrum of basics of drawing, painting, 3D form, perspective/illusion of space, and sculpture—all taught online. “We give students an opportunity to explore what they are more interested in—touching the bases of different possibilities but always coming into the same foundations of elements and principles of art.” Each student’s support system is foundational to their ability to engage with the lessons in a virtual setting. “Students that have the support to stay on track thrive more than the students who are left on their own, just like in the classroom.” Knowing each student’s story builds empathy and patience when guiding them on their artistic journey.
Communicating to her audience as an artist is crucial, and it took Del some time to develop her own voice outside of the relationship she had with clay (and other media) as an educator. She uses her intuition and trial and error when layering her mixed media ceramic work—the ceramics are the foundation. Found objects and materials (both heirlooms and everyday objects) bring deeper layers of meaning to the sculptures, much like layering the different elements of a narrative through physical form:
Losing friends and close family even before COVID-19 inspired me to think about my ancestors and the difficulties they went through that allowed me to be here.
Looking at my family history—which I have been challenged to find information about because I am part Cherokee, Jamaican, African, and Irish—is very disconnected. My mother was an immigrant, and I am very sensitive to that experience as well. It was her dream to make it to America, so when I am creating, I am thinking of how stories are told from generation to generation and how they change over time (intentionally and unintentionally). I think about how the words and meanings get twisted beyond the original intent, and how this can happen on a major scale, or a minor scale. The words we use are so very strong, but so fragile in their meaning.
Del uses clay and other media to reflect on social interaction and perception. “I have to be so clear and concise with teaching. I find clay a way to open up my interpretation. I am really inspired by nature and time, and clay has a way of allowing you to incorporate all of that in what you are creating, through the process, and showing it through the results.” She explains how she uses the different stages of clay to her advantage. For example, in the wet stage of working with clay, she “is usually telling stories.” Through storytelling, Del believes that this is how we are able to get through our everyday lives and connect with others, which always leads back to her creative practice.
L to R:
Passage, 2024, Buff stoneware, ochre, 8.75 x 4.75 x 4.75
Passage, 2024, Buff stoneware, ochre, 5.5 x 4.25 x 4
MUDLUK STUDIOS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Sayge Carroll
Sayge Carroll has a deep history with entrepreneurship and surrounding themselves with networks of strong BIPOC women who are fundamentally dedicated to community enrichment. Along with Sarah Harris, they opened their first tiny studio to women of color and their allies back in 2000, to fill a void in Minneapolis at the time. It included exhibitions, workshopping projects, performance, video, and food to bring people together for an evening every other month—a blueprint for Mudluk Pottery. Soon, they grew out of their studio and transitioned to a space called the “Center for Independent Artists,” which ignited a desire to create their own physical space that could cradle a more expansive reach. Sayge went back to school to gain credibility to apply for a business loan to materialize their dream, which eventually evolved into Mudluk Pottery (along with Keegan Xavi and Katrina Knutson)—a Black/Queer/woman-owned ceramics sanctuary that promises a “clean, safe, and creative environment.” They say,
My ideas around community and opening access to people was really based on my inability to have access, but what I am really doing when opening these spaces is addressing the grind culture [of today’s world], and what it does to deplete us of our ability to dream, play, or relax. What I find with clay is that it’s an incredible way to ground yourself for better health and well-being all around.
Sayge’s understanding of interaction crosses predetermined boundaries to reveal an honesty of intention and an openness to serendipitous
opportunity. The way they speak of getting to know community members in the studio feels deeply warm and personal. Space equates to familiarity during instruction, and they delight in the joy they see when students succeed. “Empathizing is a life skill that allows me to navigate—it’s something that’s imperative.” Sayge shares their experience working at PrairieCare for youth going through trauma, where they were able to witness the gift of clay instilling a sense of control amid situations where the students felt they had little or none. “[The student’s artwork is] something that will last longer on the earth than they will. It’s this memory, it’s proof they can make things, that they have power…and I think that lasts with people.”
One of Sayge’s many mediums is the ever-evolving interactions within their own life and the pulse they keep on their community:
My whole practice, my art practice, is my life practice. My prioritizing starts with making sure that I am healthy. It’s why I don’t work well in [corporate or academic] systems, and why we are starting this studio. My whole art practice is more of an apothecary on how to care for myself—I have to process a lot of grief and difficulty as a Queer Black woman living in the United States. There are a lot of places that are difficult to exist in, and I find that I would rather be in places where my oddness is embraced and celebrated, and difference is celebrated.
Mantra a Minneapolis, 2024, Ceramic, steel wire, 88 x 51 x 50
RESIDENCIES
Fiorenza Pancino
Dedicating herself to her artwork, and then recontextualizing her practice through residencies abroad, has given Fiorenza Pancino a refreshing depth of perspective. “Each artist translates their life into their [art] works, and artist residencies abroad take you out of your comfort zone. The experiences are not just intellectual experiences but allow one to feel different emotions and stimuli in [one’s] body—they allow you to meet other people to connect with, and all of this transforms and enriches [one’s] work. Recently, Fiorenza participated in an artist residency through Esperienza Italia at a community clay studio created to connect Minneapolis residents with opportunities to find joy in the material interactions with clay. Fiorenza’s time in Minneapolis was spent working on a participatory art project that explored the complex emotion of fear. She conducted 45 interviews with community members within the studio and beyond to influence the text and graphics of 45 bowls (using the form as a metaphor for “containers of the souls”). The work will be exhibited in a solo exhibition next year at the Soo Visual Arts Center in Minneapolis.
Fiorenza’s formal education at the Istituto Albe Steiner (Turin, Italy) instigated her hard work ethic and fostered a deep self-awareness, as the pedagogy was centered around the belief that “there were no essential limits to human knowledge, and that educating a learner’s will and feelings is just as important as intellectual advancement.” She says, “My education made me a craftsman capable of translating all my thoughts and concepts into my work.” She gained applied experience working for the Faenza Art Ceramic
Center, owned by Antonietta Mazzotti, which she says added to her toolbox of both hard and soft skills, such as new ceramic techniques, how to communicate with the public, and positioning her practice within a commercial setting:
I always worked a lot, did a lot of research, and I always walked two parallel paths: the pottery workshop with little orders and my personal artistic research. I always believed in my work. I traveled and participated in many ceramic competitions. Now I’m grateful: I accomplished a lot and still live my art with a lot of passion, and this is the most important thing.
She finds that making art exposes one to the deeper meaning of life and that her success has largely depended on her perseverance, which has afforded her the patience to endure the tribulations of the artistic process and working with others:
Kindness needs to be cultivated because relationships are so important, and for 10 years, I have been doing meditations, and this helps me find my center. My work is about courage, but also fragility, innocence, and the shadow side we all have. Making art has made me a better person.
Looking forward to younger generations of artists, she reflects on how it was often the most difficult moments of transformation that brought forth great opportunities. She encourages each artist to “find the best path that suits their personality.”
ART@HAND Partner: WISE, Teaching Artist: Heather Schroeder Project: Identity, 2024, Earthenware, engobe, glaze, wire, 22.5 x 24 x .5
ART@HAND Partner: Common Bond at Wilder Square and Ebenezer: Park Apartments, Teaching Artist: Elizabeth Coleman Project: Memory, 2024, Earthenware, engobe, glaze, wire, 24.5 x 70 x .5
COMMUNITY OUTREACH / NORTHERN CLAY CENTER
Alysha Hill
Northern Clay Center’s extensive outreach programs have been sowing seeds of connection, each specifically designed to fit the unique learning styles, abilities, intentions and development of the residents of Minneapolis and the Twin Cities. Alysha Hill, the community engagement manager at NCC, discusses how their community programming exists within, and extends beyond, the studio walls. Instructors meet community members on location around the city, bringing clay supplies, tools, and even sometimes translators and extra helpers to ensure an optimal learning experience. Content ranges from structured courses that scaffold skill building to clay experiences focused on the potential of material engagement to offer social, emotional, and physiological enrichment for the community. Duration of these courses are tailored to best suit the community member’s needs. Programs such as ART@HAND (serving the Assisted Living Community) and ClayToGo (often serving after-school and cultural programs) widen the reach of potential partners when it comes to physical accessibility, transportation, and scheduling, which helps reduce barriers many community members face when it comes to accessing clay.
Alysha describes how each partnership is unique, and she works closely with her instructors to consider every aspect of the learning environment to ensure an optimal outcome:
With Common Bond at Wilder Square, Ebenezer Park Apartments (both assistedliving residences), and WISE [Women’s Initiative of Self-Empowerment], we have ongoing programs with multiple meeting sessions and one teaching artist designated throughout. With these programs, the teaching artist really gets to build a relationship with the students and understand their interests, learning styles, group dynamics, etc., so they are able to cater not only to their lesson, but the teaching style to best suit the group’s needs and interests.
Shorter workshops are also a great way to reach artists who are just starting to find their voice, or
are possibly more interested in the experiential aspects of nurturing a relationship with the material. “Lesson-based models are based on a continuous educational relationship that is designed to build each student’s skill set, and deepen their understanding of the medium, other ceramic artists, the process, and themselves. There is less focus on the product, but rather building on their toolbox of knowledge to further apply those skills.”
ART@HAND Participants reflecting on the Portrait Silhouette: Memory project noted that clay made them feel “calm,” “creative,” and “happy,” while exploring their identities in a multitude of ways. Some chose their place of origin, such as the farm they grew up on. One participant even sculpted “their mother’s face, like theirs,” one of the first things we often see in life, a lasting memory. ClayToGo Participants also reported feelings of tranquility when working with clay. They said the material made them feel “calm,” “chill,” “relaxed,” and “creative.” When asked what identity means to them, one participant noted, “It is something that makes you who you are, being yourself,” while another simply stated the perfect verb: “finding.” Much like clay, we too are perpetually in a state of becoming.
The benefits of working in clay are expansive— Alysha describes how ART@HAND and ClayToGo programming participants have noticed “an improvement of cognitive skills, socialization, decreased depression, and increased mobility as well as a decrease in isolation stemming from the increase in communication among participants during the program, all of which has built a stronger sense of community among participants, staff, and artists overall.” When asked how she has witnessed clay’s ability to initiate cross-generational learning, Alysha details how “family, friends, and youth develop strong memories and deep connections by taking creative risks while working side by side. These programs naturally provide interaction among participants and allow them to embrace one another as makers through the process of experience. This opens up a realm of diversity, from age, culture, and traditions, creating a more inclusive and dynamic community.”
ABOUT NORTHERN CLAY CENTER
Northern Clay Center’s mission is to advance the ceramic arts for artists, learners, and the community, through education, exhibitions, and artist services. Its goals are to create and promote high-quality, relevant, and participatory ceramic arts educational experiences; cultivate and challenge ceramic arts audiences through extraordinary exhibitions and programming; support ceramic artists in the expansion of their artistic and professional skills; embrace makers from diverse cultures, experiences, and traditions in order to create a more inclusive clay community; and excel as a non-profit arts organization.
Exhibition Supporting Staff
Maria Hennen, Galleries Coordinator
Sean Lofton, Artist Services
Tippy Maurant, Deputy Director/ Director of Galleries & Exhibitions
Kyle Rudy-Kohlhepp, Executive Director
Board of Directors
Mary K. Baumann, Chair
Evelyn Weil Browne, Vice Chair
Lisa Agrimonte
James Ebner
Frank Fitzgerald
Michael Karels
Patrick Kennedy
Kate Maury
Philip Mische
Helen Otterson
Debbie Schumer
Ramon Serrano
Paul Vahle
Honorary Director
Kay Erickson
Legacy Directors
Andy Boss
Warren MacKenzie
Joan Mondale
© 2024 Northern Clay Center. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, write to: Northern Clay Center 2424 Franklin Avenue East Minneapolis, MN 55406
www.northernclaycenter.org
Manufactured in the United States
First edition, 2024 International Standard Book Number 978-1-932706-69-0
Unless otherwise noted, all dimensions in inches: height precedes width precedes depth.
Photographs of ceramic works: Peter Lee
Catalog design: Joseph D.R. OLeary (vetodesign.com)
Essays: Rachael Marne Jones Editor: Jesse Roth