Pearl by Northern Clay Center

NORTHERN C L AY CENTER

3OTH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION

NORTHERN C L AY CENTER

3OTH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION

MAIN GALLERY A P R I L 3 O – J U N E 2 O , 2 O 2 1

© 2021 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 northernclaycenter.org Manufactured in the United States First edition, 2021 International Standard Book Number: 978-1-932706-58-5 Unless otherwise noted, all dimensions in inches: height precedes width precedes depth.

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. Additional funding for Pearl comes from Prospect Creek Foundation, Windgate Foundation, and Continental Clay Company.

FOREWORD

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SA RA H C . M I L L F E LT

To be invited to contribute a statement in Northern Clay Center’s 30th Anniversary catalogue is an honor, truly. For 20 years, any of my written contributions to NCC were part of my service to the field and the organization, obligatory to be sure, heartfelt always, typically measured and humble. When working for the Center, so much had to go unsaid or had to be said a certain way. We were, of course, Midwesterners, so it was necessary to let the work speak for itself, to deflect public praise, to build something and trust they would come. As a now “retired” staff member and an invited contributor to the catalogue, I will certainly attempt a measured and humble approach, but lest we forget this is a milestone anniversary, and considering the new world in which we live — courtesy of the global pandemic and realities we’ve experienced as a community — I believe a little celebration would do us some good! My service to the field began about a year and a half before the Center’s 10th Anniversary, and I was engaged with the planning and production of that particular and the subsequent 5-year incremental anniversaries. Perhaps, because I’ve been out of the game for well over a year, or perhaps because I attended hundreds of gatherings on NCC soil and they started to blur together after the 50th one, I no longer can remember every gala, gathering, BBQ, formal sit-down dinner, dance, soirée, pizza oven party, or other element of what was

sometimes a year-long anniversary celebration. Nor do I recall every fancy (and sometimes splendidly complicated) invitation distributed, theme/flower/décor employed, or party dress and fascinator worn by yours truly. (Well, that’s simply untrue; I remember them all!) But, I do remember the magic of being part of something so big, so impactful, and so filled with the warmth that comes from belonging to a community. While my life has now moved on in a completely new direction, I think about this intangible part of NCC every…

single…day, and I suspect I’m not alone. It’s inescapable. How can a single place have such an impact on so many? Simple: It’s MAGIC. To serve such an enchanting organization wasn’t always easy. To lead, and to be part of, such an organization so fully, meant you were sort of on call to the clay world like a doctor, plumber, or parent. Round-the-clock hours (early mornings unloading the clay truck with all hands on deck; late nights post-reception all but begging the reluctant guests to

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A MY SAN TO F E R R A R O Pearls are Best Clutched Terra Cotta, plastic, polyester, found materials 2021 9 x 12 x 10.25

The McKnight exhibition and reception was magic! All of the exhibiting artists were present, and it felt like a time when things were a big deal—like the opening of the first department store or zoo in a small town. We got to spend so much time together throughout the weekend. We shared and made meals, visited museums, attended

pottery sales, and exchanged stories about our experiences at Northern Clay Center as McKnight Residents. The most amazing, and somewhat unexpected, part was how well the work existed together. I give a great amount of credit to the staff at NCC for curating the work, but I can’t help but think that all of the artists made some large

strides that were a bit scary at the time (but now feel right) and came together beautifully in the end! I feel like I gained a new family or graduating class, and I am honored to be in the ranks with artists that I love and respect so very much! — Amy Santoferraro

FOREWORD

leave so that we could clean up the kitchen); crisis management for any number of ailments or challenges (another staff member resigned, a funder changed their priorities, the stock market is suffering, this student cannot find their pots); care for and connection with the community (we aimed to be everything to everyone all the time, and had more successes than we probably should have had in all our attempts); we watched our students and artists experience the transformative power of clay; we watched them grow from clay camper to intern to teaching artist; we watched them age, and pass away, and leave a void in our community; and, of course, the mountains of paperwork. (Do you have any idea how much recordkeeping, writing, and administration it takes to keep a non-profit organization afloat?) But, despite all these realities, we continued to be part of the Clay Center because, being “on call” meant we got to be part of the magic and so much more! There was magic in the mission: advancing the ceramic arts. There was freedom in our approach to the way the work got done and in our endless attempts to be leaders in the field. There was creativity in every facet of our work for the endless number of passionate people who chose to devote a portion of their life to clay or NCC. There was connection and love that developed. There was satisfaction in seeing the immediate and lasting effects of the good work we were doing. Despite the immense challenges brought on by this global pandemic, the magic of Northern Clay Center continues. (How do I know? I stay in

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touch!) Yes, it was blurred or muted in the background for a while, as so much of NCC’s public service had to pause last year when the facility closures swept through the state, the threat of sickness filled our brains, the fear reverberated through our community, and the uncertainty of NCC’s own future and role in the field. But the magic is still very much here. It didn’t stop for so much as a day when the world stopped turning in the fashion in which we were so accustomed. It can be found in the compassion of the students, many of whom donated their class tuition last year when the facility closed and rendered them without a space for classes. It can be found in the efforts of the loyal staff who didn’t know how long they’d retain their jobs under the new reality, yet they worked with more passion, flexibility, and determination than ever before. The magic can be found in the silent acts of the studio artists, resourcefully setting up temporary home studios, or changing art media, or taking to Zoom meetups with their fellow artists when they found themselves without a place to work and fire last year. It is found in the donors and supporters who exercised great flexibility and increased generosity through extensions on the spending of their grant dollars or issuing surprise COVID-relief funds. The magic is found in the clay camp parents who trusted NCC’s efforts to provide safe, clean, and thoughtful inperson programs in an effort to still provide normalcy and creativity for their children. It is found in the visiting grant artists who delayed, shortened, and sometimes relocated their residencies to enable themselves to still benefit

from NCC’s commitment to serving them. It is found in the countless appreciators of clay art who continued to visit NCC to feed their curiosities for clay. It is found in the collectors of clay art who took their dollars to NCC’s shop page on the website time and time and time again, helping the Center’s efforts to make a financial impact on the lives of artists when they needed it most. It can be found in the Center’s genuine—and often unseen, but nevertheless aggressive and relentless—efforts to provide empowering and paid curatorial and juror opportunities to artists from diverse backgrounds, and efforts to provide meaningful and equitable experiences to people of all ages, incomes, backgrounds, perspectives, education, ZIP codes, abilities, and interests. Having spent the majority of my adult life surrounded by it, I do so greatly look forward to experiencing NCC’s next 30 years of magic. I know I’m not alone in my sentiments.

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GU I LLER MO GUA R DI A Cachito Warrior Clay, underglaze, glaze 2021 17 x 11 x 7

Northern Clay Center is a wellknown art organization and one of the reasons I moved to the Twin Cities. I wanted to connect to NCC by showing my artwork, attending its events, and connecting with the clay community. — Guillermo Guardia

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TOM BA R T E L Fertility Figure (White Maske) Ceramic, wood 2018 40 x 18 x 18

Being granted the important gift of time and space to explore and develop my work in one of the nation’s best ceramics-based art centers provided new momentum for my career that continues to pay professional dividends to this day. The work I made during this time was exhibited widely and helped to reinforce my place in contemporary ceramics. As one of the themes I explore in my work is fertility, it seems appropriate that it was in Minneapolis on the back patio of the always interesting Seward Café where Rachel and I decided upon our daughter’s name, Hazel. At Northern Clay Center, I felt supported and welcomed by everyone: the staff, gallery preparators, studio members, and the fat, cuddly cat. Galleries and art centers are businesses that have to evolve and change along with the public in order to continue existing in these challenging times. NCC provided me with a professional, yet warm, environment that holds a special place in my heart. I tell peers/ students how I value NCC and encourage them to visit—it’s a place that creates opportunities for everyone. — Tom Bartel

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FOR R EST LESCH-MI DDELTON Porcelain Soundwave Wafers Hi-Tech porcelain substrate, magnets 2017 17 x 11 x .5

Though I had been striving to become a potter since childhood, prior to setting foot in Northern Clay Center, I had only ever visited Minneapolis a few times. I grew to love Minnesotans during those trips, and I figured it might somehow be connected to the same things that made me love pots growing up. I learned of the lineage of potters in the area, but I had no idea it was an entire culture—that the people, the pots, and the potters of the region had a way of conveying a sense of welcome, calm, and community. In 2009, I was asked to be a part of American Pottery Festival, and I found out how deep this sense of community ran. I walked into NCC on opening night and saw about 20 of my friends in the clay world from all over the country. They all seemed at home even though most were not from the area. They all knew something I didn't: The romanticized notion of the potter was a real thing in Minnesota. I was treated like a friend immediately. I was welcomed back the next year and many years following. I developed some of my closest friendships with folks from NCC. I laughed endlessly. I dragged Tippy and Sarah, along with a whole host of staff and artists, to a party in the middle of nowhere where I played the blues for a horde of barn-dancing partygoers. I experimented with sound, rode my bike along the Mississippi at 4 am, watched fireworks from a boat on Lake Minnetonka, spent time in the ER, and drank great coffee and ate tacos. The stories are endless! Bottom line, I really love Minneapolis, and I miss it like crazy! Mostly though, I am always hoping to get back to NCC to experience what community truly is. — Forrest Lesch-Middelton

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ANNE TÜRN Light Porcelain, optical fiber 2017 40 x 15 x 15

Thinking back to my visit to Northern Clay Center, it was an amazing time. It was a short trip—just three days—but it was three days full of great memories. Every day, I felt I was very, very welcome. And, I was really happy to be a guest at Bonita Hill’s home. People working at NCC, and the big support team, together is a positive power that can move mountains and help ceramics become more and more popular. — Anne Türn

K E V IN C AU F I E L D Large Vase Stoneware 2020 20 x 8.5 x 8.5

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Northern Clay Center has been a huge part of my life and the success of my career as a ceramic artist. The Clay Center introduced me to a national audience and gave me the opportunity to teach almost every level of class that they offered. The sales gallery allowed me to showcase and sell my work professionally to a wider audience. When Minneapolis hosted the NCECA conference in 2019, everyone kept asking me

“Why is clay so good here?” They were surprised by how powerful the clay scene in the Twin Cities was. I’d look at them, smirk, and reply that it was because NCC is the best clay center there is in the country. I think Northern Clay Center knocked it out of the park at NCECA that year and set the bar so high that I doubt any other city will ever be able to compare. — Kevin Caufield

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MA RK P H A R I S Vase Earthenware 2021 8.5 x 8 x 7

Congratulations, Northern Clay Center! I’ve had the pleasure of seeing and participating in your growth and the many contributions you’ve made to the clay field during these past thirty years. From my perspective as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota, you’ve provided many of our former students with studio space, exhibition opportunities, and experiences. As a practicing artist in the region, I’ve participated in many exhibitions and had the pleasure

of curating a couple as a member of the Exhibitions Committee. It has also been my honor to serve for several years as a board member. In that capacity, I know that your leadership has been blessed with intellect, enthusiasm, and a vision that has made you the envied leader among your peers. And, you’ve accomplished all of this before middle age. Again, Congratulations! — Mark Pharis

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LU N G-CHI EH LI N Serialized Organism 2016-5 White stoneware, glaze 2016 22 x 12.5 x 10.25

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K E L LY CO N N O L E No. 30 Clay, cotton twine, copper, brass, steel, wood 2021 44 x 13 x 9

In 1995, NCECA introduced me to Minnesota and the old location of Northern Clay Center. When I moved to Minnesota from California in 1997, shortly after finishing graduate school, I began teaching an evening class at NCC at the current location on Franklin Ave. I received a Jerome Ceramic Artist Project Grant in 1998, requiring me to live in Minnesota for a year, and I’ve stayed for nearly two and a half decades. I’m currently raising, along with my wife, two Minnesota-loving children and have lived here longer than any other place. I credit my early decisions to stay to my friendships and professional connections, many of which started at NCC. I can’t help but think about the state of our world as I write this reflection about the many ways NCC has helped to shape the past 24 years of my life. As a social being, the COVID-19 pandemic has shaken me to my core. I miss the ease I enjoyed in coming to NCC on a regular basis. Over the years, I’ve shared NCC with my family, my students, and my friends. I’ve spent many hours installing and making artwork, teaching classes and curating exhibitions, eating delicious food, laughing, and, so often, being absolutely delighted by the magic of ceramics as I’ve navigated the studios and galleries of NCC. These experiences have centered me. They have nourished me. They have pushed me to be a better artist, a better teacher, and a better person. — Kelly Connole

MONIC A R U D Q U I ST Perspective Porcelain 2021 7.5' x 14' x 3"

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As a founding member, Northern Clay Center has been a constant presence in my professional life for most of my career. Reflecting on the last 30 years, I can see the influence this relationship has had on me and my career. I’ve had my work displayed and sold in the sales gallery for 30 years, been included in a handful of group exhibitions, and had my own solo

exhibition, INCONTEXT, in 2013. NCC has always been a place to meet other clay artists and see functional and sculptural work that both inspires and challenges what clay can do. I led the first NCC Outreach project at Seward Montessori, a three-year project (1998-2001) working with over 600 preK-8 students to create and install a large tile mural of the

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Timeline of Life. More recently, APF events allow me to introduce my St. Kate’s students to the world of ceramics firsthand. In 1995, I received a Jerome Ceramic Artist Project Grant for experimentation with additives to my clay body. In 2013, for my solo exhibition INCONTEXT, I showed a large wall installation, Intersection, that I had created during a MN State Arts

Board grant. Years later, the piece morphed into a 40 foot-long wall for the headquarters of Life Source of Minnesota. These opportunities have been pivotal markers in my career and have had a great influence on my development as both an artist and educator. An anniversary is a time to reflect and gain perspective for the future. I thank NCC and all the individuals

I have encountered during these 30 years and look forward to what opportunities come next. — Monica Rudquist

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A L HOL E N Teardrops White stoneware, reticulating glaze, monofiliment, bobby pins 2011 30 x 67 x 6

I have honestly never known a life without clay. My parents were friends with Peter Leach, so I got to visit his home studio in Sogn Valley as a child. We used dishes by Leach, MacKenzie, and Halling at every meal. I realized early on how cherished these items were in our home. While attending college at Augsburg, I visited Northern

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Clay Center for inspiration and to be able to actually touch the work of the potters that I admired! It seemed like a faraway dream to ever imagine my work in the gallery! In 2017, my father (sculptor Norman Holen) and I were honored with an exhibition, Nature/Nurture, which was my first experience showing at NCC. The staff was SO

KIND, helpful, and generous! During a chat with Tippy, I mentioned that my “career goals” were to achieve tenure (check), the American Pottery Festival, and the cover of Ceramics Monthly. Not a month later I got the invitation from NCC, and have now participated in two APFs. I’m so humbled to have an ongoing relationship with the Clay

Center! This is the BEST studio/ gallery staff in the world. I’m continually impressed with all of the support, encouragement, and generosity that is offered by these beautiful people. Thank you, NCC, for your 30 years of building the ceramics community!! — Al Holen

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STE V E (S .C . ) R O L F Casserole Dark stoneware, cone 10, reduction firing 2020 6.5 x 12 x 10.5

My relationship with Northern Clay Center has, and continues to be, invaluable to me. When I first moved into this region, they quickly connected me to the web of artists in the area. This connection-building is characteristic of NCC and manifests itself in the exchange of resources and information with the broader ceramic community. I have described NCC as the hub of a wheel that has radiating

spokes, where the rim of the wheel is the larger ceramic community and working professionals. We are all tied together, not in a club, but in a desire for everyone to grow in their pursuits relating to clay. I am thankful to NCC for this relationship as I continue my career and exploration in the world of clay. — Steve (S.C.) Rolf

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RA N DY JO H N STO N Reliquaire in Black and White Stoneware, Nuka glaze, iron 2020 8x6x6

NCC: The Beginnings Peter Leach came for a visit many years ago with the idea of organizing area potters (once again) and establishing a place for some start-up studio space, exhibitions, and teaching outside of an academic context. This time, however, with the help of many business people, collectors and longtime supporters of the arts, great directors, and board members. It worked and has grown into what exists as Northern Clay Center today. I was personally on

the early board for 10 years as an exhibitions advisor and co-chair with Stuart Nielson. These were formative years, with a strong legacy of exhibits. Harlan Boss, Andy and Linda Boss, along with Em Swartout, Joan and Walter Mondale, Warren Mackenzie, and numerous others and hundreds of hours by board members, artists, and volunteers, all helped create this successful model for our area and nation. — Randy Johnston

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L INDA C H R I ST I A N SO N Kitchen Bucket (from the collection of Laurie MacGregor) Black stoneware, glaze, wire 2021 9.5 x 7.5 x 5.75

Some 30 years ago, a call was put out to us local potters: The idea of forming a clay center was in the air. Attending that first meeting, I was skeptical that there would be such a need. We potters were solitary folks back then, dependent on the McCarthy and Swartout families at Minnesota Clay for materials, Donna Turbes at Firebrick Supply for bricks, a typewriter for writing letters, and Photos Inc. for

processing our 35mm camera film. Any kind of organizing seemed superfluous. Many of those folks at that meeting have since passed away, but that spark of an idea grew into a bonfire! What came to pass was first and foremost a sense of community. I am ever grateful to Northern Clay Center for extending an invitation to all of us: Invent a way to support

and grow our ceramic community. While I have been fortunate to have been on the receiving end of grants, exhibitions, and teaching opportunities, it’s the relationships made through NCC that remains the most surprising and tender. How can I be so darn lucky to be in this family? — Linda Christianson

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JA N MCKEACHI E J OHN STON Oval Basket with Bumps Stoneware, Nuka glaze, iron slip 2021 10 x 8 x 4.25

The connections provided by Northern Clay Center to people in the clay community, locally, nationally, and internationally is astonishing. The numbers of talented and highly motivated employees, gifted artists, committed community members, philanthropic organizations, and individuals who have given their time and energy to keep this venerable institution

viable for decades is nearly incomprehensible! Last, but not least, thank you to the patrons and collectors who support all of us who have decided to follow this path (mud). When I think of NCC, my foremost thought is how many people it has brought together for the love of ceramics. Thanks to all who share in this commitment. — Jan McKeachie Johnston

A MY SAB R I N A Large Fishbowl with Grid Porcelain c. 2000 6.5 x 10 x 10

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A N I KAST E N Oval Boat Form Black stoneware, glaze, wire 2021 10 x 14 x 7

I moved to Minnesota as a transplant after building my studio practice on the east coast for nearly a decade. Northern Clay Center has been a vital support to my ceramic practice since I became a part of the Midwest clay community. Since 2016, NCC has continuously featured my work in the sales gallery, the Minneapolis airport, and at NCECA, making sure that I felt included and honored as a member of

the creative community. I love that NCC’s mission is centered on fostering community and opportunity through elevating the wide range of voices in clay, from pottery to sculpture to conceptual work. It has been an honor to be included in their stable of ceramicists, and they have helped me to grow roots here as a Minnesota artist. — Ani Kasten

SA M C HU N G Flared Cloud Vase Porcelain, clear glaze, overglaze paint 2021 13.5 x 11.5 x 11.5

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I was first introduced to Northern Clay Center as a young college student who was just beginning to get my hands in clay. My professor at St. Olaf, Ron Gallas, invited me to participate in a student clay show at NCC called Student Bodies. It was maybe 1991 or ’92, and the Clay Center had just opened. It was the very first exhibition of my career, and I was so excited to have the opportunity

to share my work with the public. I’ve often thought about how meaningful that space was, and continues to be, for our community to celebrate the ceramic arts. I will forever associate it with my beginnings in clay, my home venue, and the great people who have built that amazing space over the years. — Sam Chung

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MAYA V I VAS Flor de la Tierra Porcelain, luster 2016 13 x 8 x 8

OL I V IA TA N I Three Point Bowl Stoneware, underglaze 2021 4 x 11 x 11

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I came to Northern Clay Center in 2017 as a Fogelberg Studio Fellow and have since transitioned into a studio artist, teaching artist, and gallery artist. NCC has continued to be a crucial support to me so early in my ceramics career. The community, resources, opportunities, and bustling environment that it provides have allowed me to be vulnerable and grow in ways I could not imagine

in these past four years. Through residencies, exhibitions, classes, and thirty strong years of being a pillar in the clay community, NCC brings together some of the greatest artists and patrons, many of whom I have formed strong friendships with. I feel so proud and honored to be a part of Pearl. — Olivia Tani

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MIKA N E G I S H I L A I D L AW Legacy Porcelain 2019 23 x 19 x 19

Northern Clay Center rescued me out of a creative slump. After earning my MFA from Kansas State University in 2000, I was fortunate to find a full-time teaching job at a community college in Kansas. I taught five classes a semester, teaching day and night, and the quality of my work suffered. NCC awarded me a summer residency program in 2001, providing me space and time to focus on my work. I then spent an intensive

few months as a McKnight Artist Resident, and that experience let me come out of the biggest creative slump of my life. Since then, I moved from Kansas to Minnesota, and NCC continues to provide many opportunities for me to grow as an artist. I forever owe NCC for how far I was able to come in the field of ceramic art. — Mika Negishi Laidlaw

KATHY K I N G Keep Fighting Ceramic, metal 2020 20 x 43 x 3

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As the director of another large, national community ceramics studio, I have the utmost respect for how Northern Clay Center is run and has evolved over the years. I have been part of the American Pottery Festival, and one exhibition of queer ceramics, and I’ve been grateful that NCC

is a place that supports the LGBTQAI+ community. I look to NCC as a national partner of exemplary service to the community when it comes to education in the ceramic arts. — Kathy King

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HE L E N OT T E R S O N Puparia Mixed media 2015 13 x 9 x 5

I first learned about Northern Clay Center when I was an undergraduate student. In 2017, I was awarded a residency at NCC, where I was able to push the scale of my work and try new ideas. The Clay Center was supportive in offering me time to work as well as providing further opportunities within the surrounding arts community. In 2019, I visited

the Clay Center while attending my first NCECA conference in Minneapolis. It became an important artistic resource when I lived in North Dakota because it was my connection to the clay world. Not only was I able to enjoy visiting the gallery during visits to Minneapolis, but I was also able to bring students to the art center. NCC is a vast educational resource

for students, introducing them to the greater world of ceramics and the possibilities available for their future. Because of my experiences with NCC and the Minnesota art community, I am glad to now call Minneapolis my home. — Helen Otterson

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V IR G IL O R T I Z Thunder High-fire ceramic, velvet underglaze, acrylic surface paint 2018 27 x 14 x 9

It was an incredible experience to enter the world of Northern Clay Center during my first visit to Minneapolis for the 2019 NCECA conference. What a memorable experience—I met the gracious NCC team, studio artists, and made new friends. One conversation led to another, which resulted in an invitation to participate as an exhibiting artist and presenter for Horror Vacui—a collaboration of vibrant work from many great artists. I am thrilled to celebrate, and be included in, Northern Clay Center’s 30th Anniversary exhibition—congratulations, NCC! Thank you for this moment in time and space to gift artists the opportunity to showcase and share their art with the world. — Virgil Ortiz

MIK E NOR M A N Healers Earthenware 2007 5 x 33 x 33

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Pears before Pearls My clay work began in 1966 at the University of Minnesota under the tutelage of Warren Mackenzie. My best works then were these beautiful pear-shaped pots— small, skinny tops with heavy, chunky bottoms. This became my signature style when I started selling my own pottery. During those early art fair days, customers were hungry for anything handmade. This generosity gave me enough sales to cover expenses for many years. Then in 1990, Peter Leach threw out a little seed idea to Warren Mackenzie, Gary Crawford, Dick Rholedder

and several others. They caught it, and gently planted it within a Mississippi clam. That nugget has grown into the iridescent pearl we now celebrate today for its 30th anniversary: Northern Clay Center. From a local non-profit to an international jewel. NCC has helped me both through in-house and outreach programs. They have used my drawings for t-shirts and vans, provided me with gallery space to sell both my functional and sculptural work, and offered opportunities for grants and shows that have expanded my venues for exhibiting and selling work. All of this help has

been invaluable. It has pushed me to envision more, which led to my lifetime retrospective Hidariuma: Riding the Horse Backwards, Embracing the Unknown. Although I hope for more life and another retrospective, this has been the biggest gift. I now truthfully can say that NCC’s biggest influence has been that my work style has flipflopped: If you give a piece a gentle push you will find that they might be top heavy. Give me a few more years, and I’m sure balance will come. — Mike Norman

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DAWN HOLDER Inscription (Father Who Conquered) Inscription (Of Erected and Memory) Inscription (Gory Wreathed a Cause) Porcelain 2019-21 7.25 x 10.75

I appreciate that Northern Clay Center supports diverse ways of working in clay, from pottery to sculpture to social practice. Their exhibition programming makes space for artists to reach out of their comfort zone, expanding beyond the established “norms” of the ceramic field. In preparing for the exhibition Trading Post [at NCC], I was not only invited to develop new work, but also asked to participate in a reflective letter writing practice. Slowing down to create these missives as I worked in the studio gave me the opportunity to think deeply about my own creative practice and to forge meaningful connections to the other artists in the exhibition. — Dawn Holder

R ON GEI B EL Untitled (same no.1) Porcelain 2019 9.5 x 30 x .5

My relationship with Northern Clay Center began in 2015 when I participated in the exhibition Sexual Politics, curated by Kelly Connole. In conjunction with the show, I completed a six-week residency in January and February. Soon after I thawed out, it didn’t take long to recognize how special NCC is to the field of ceramics and their local community. I am grateful to NCC for supporting my work and connecting a vast network of fabulous artists. — Ron Geibel

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A DA M C H AU Swipe Jingdezhen porcelain, cobalt derived from iPhone battery, PVD silver 2019 10 x 6

Being in the Tipping Point exhibition at Northern Clay Center was a game changer for me and my practice. Tipping Point contextualized my work and theories on ceramic practice by framing them with other contemporaries working with digital technology, and provided

published critical theory for the exhibit. Through this programming, NCC gave me a platform to expand my efforts to make a bigger visual impact and work in a series. This has continued throughout my practice and I’m not sure I would have arrived here as fast without the opportunities I’ve been given

by NCC. The conversations that I have continued with NCC since then have been fruitful, and I feel very supported in my personal artistic growth. — Adam Chau

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BI RDI E B O O N E Squarenomi Ceramic 2019 4 x 3.5 x 3.5

There are a lot of things I could write about Northern Clay Center, but this is what I want you to read: NCC is family. A pearl in its own right, and carefully cultivated by its passionate employees and creative community, NCC is a strong, vibrant, and supportive gem of an institution that does it all and does it well.

I have relished building the relationship I have with NCC for the past 10 years. Here’s to many, many more. Happy 30th anniversary, Northern Clay Center! — Birdie Boone

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A N DY S H AW Trays 1 - 3 Black stoneware 2018 10.5 x 7.25 x .5

In July of 2015, I started a McKnight Artist Residency at Northern Clay Center. What I needed most in my life and studio was a recharge, overhaul, and restart. When I drove away from Minneapolis in early October, I was leaving a city that I had come to love, had the truest of friendships (that six years later are just as meaningful), and

was on my way to new creative directions that continue to unfold. I love NCC. I love its people—the most dedicated, generous, teamoriented folks I’ve ever worked among. Lessons that I learned for myself at NCC still ring true and are essential today. Those lessons set the foundation for my current creative projects, which highlight extensions of creative opportunity

to others. Places have touched my heart and mind. My relationship to NCC, the Seward neighborhood, and the Twin Cities sit closely with me, holding sentiments that I relate to being home. And I was only there for three months. — Andy Shaw

40 A BO UT N O R T H E R N C L AY C ENTE R

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 and traditions in order to create a more inclusive clay community; and excel as a nonprofit arts organization.

Staff Tippy Maurant, Deputy Director/ Director of Galleries & Exhibitions Kyle Rudy-Kohlhepp, Executive Director Jordan Bongaarts, Exhibition Associate Board of Directors Amanda Kay Anderson Bryan Anderson Mary K. Baumann Craig Bishop Heather Nameth Bren Evelyn Weil Browne Nettie Colón Sydney Crowder Haweya Farah Patrick Kennedy Mark Lellman Kate Maury Brad Meier Philip Mische Debbie Schumer Rick Scott Cristin McKnight Sethi Paul Vahle Honorary Director Kay Erickson Legacy Directors Andy Boss Warren MacKenzie Joan Mondale

Photographs of ceramic works by Peter Lee Design by Joseph D.R. OLeary (vetodesign.com) This anniversary publication was made possible, in part, by a generous donation from Veto Design.

2424 Franklin Avenue East Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406 612.339.8007 northernclaycenter.org