Educator and curator Namita Gupta Wiggers discusses an important pivot in arts education in the 1930s and 40s exemplified by the ceramics of artist and WSU alumnus Betty Feves. This talk accompanies the exhibition Betty Feves: The Earth Itself at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at WSU. After the talk, Namita has a conversation with Squeak Meisel, Chair of WSU’s Department of Fine Arts. Questions have been moderated via Zoom Q&A.
March 13 – April 24, 2021
Deadline for Entry: December 4, 2020
CALL FOR ENTRY
Saratoga Clay Arts Center seeks submissions of functional and decorative works by clay artists who play with fire. These works are plucked from altered atmospheres – those changed by wood, smoke, salt or the like. Juror and Massachusetts potter Mark Shapiro writes, “The extent to which firing demands and engages the potter varies broadly, depending on type of kiln, its design, how it is loaded, fired, and even cooled. The continuum from computer-programmed electric top-loaders to gas kilns (in their heating and cooling and reduction cycles), and the many configurations of wood kilns from small “fast-fire” to subway-car length anagamas that fire for a week or more, demand increasing preparation and commitment. Before pots even go into the kiln, there is wood to split, stack, and season, as well as teams of stokers to recruit and organize.
“In physically building the fire and manipulating it as it unfolds—adjusting burners and dampers, varying stoking rhythms and wood types, and playing with the atmosphere—we come closer to the impossible: we stand at the mouth of the forbidden chamber of the glowing kiln and actively alter the surface of our hardening wares. Physically engaging the firing at its source (the burner and stoke ports that make the heat), at the primary and secondary air vents that mix the combustion, and at its exit (manipulating passive and active dampers that control the flow), not to mention introducing sodium or building charcoal, we become palpably connected to the un-survivable interior of the kiln. Our fiddling, stoking, adjusting, and throwing stuff into the fire touches something transgressive, elemental, and essential. These firings perhaps enact the universal myth—Promethean and global—of stealing fire from the gods. We potters are really trying to get away with something.”
Those of you are trying to get away with something, playing with fire, or embracing the unknown gifts of the kiln gods, this exhibition is for you.
FULL DETAILS HERE
This exhibition is about celebrating the first meal of the day, breakfast. The intention of this juried exhibition is to showcase the best in contemporary dinnerware as it relates to the theme Breakfast, either functional cereal bowls, toast racks, batter bowls, syrups, toasters, egg cups, shirred egg servers, juicers, butter dishes, coffee pots, tea pots, or related breakfast paraphernalia, or a sculptural work relating to breakfast, no larger than 18” in all dimensions, as created by artists and designers in all media from the United States and Canada. Accepted design drawings should be no larger than 18” x 24” drymounted ready for installation. The International Museum of Dinnerware Design is the only museum in the world devoted to the subject of dinnerware, international in scope, no material limitations, including functional ware, ancient to futuristic, and fine art referencing dinnerware.
No media restrictions. Open to all artists and designers in the U.S. and Canada. Each entry must demonstrate the artist’s/designer’s personal interpretation of the theme “breakfast” whether that be in the form of a functional piece or sculpture or design concept model or drawing. Work should be no larger than 18” in all directions (except in the case of design drawings). Entries will be juried on creativity/innovation and artistic merit/aesthetics. If an entry is a functional piece, then one of the images must include actual breakfast food in or on the work. No wall pieces will be accepted except in the case of accepted design drawings, which must arrive drymounted and ready for installation and should not exceed 18” x 24.” All work must have been completed in the last two years. Work submitted may not include perishable materials. Please include the dimensions of the work, as well as materials, along with a brief biography and artist’s/designer’s statement about this particular work. The work does not need to be for sale; however, the the International Museum of Dinnerware Design will retain a 30% commission on any work sold during exhibition.
About the Juror: Ursula Hargens is a ceramic artist and educator based in Minneapolis. She received an MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University; an MA in Art & Art Education from Columbia University, Teachers College; and studied ceramics at Nova Scotia College of Art & Design. She is a three-time McKnight Artist Fellow, has received additional awards from the Jerome Foundation and the Minnesota State Arts Board. Most recently, she was named 2020 Ceramic Artist of the Year. Ursula has been teaching art for many years and is co-founder and Program Head of Minnesota New Institute for Ceramic Education (MN NICE), an advanced certificate program in ceramics, developed in 2014 in partnership with Northern Clay Center.
Application forms (which include information such as artist/designer name, contact information, description of the work, materials, dimensions, and whether it’s for sale) can be submitted via mail or scanned into an email. Get Entry Form. Submit with (a) high resolution digital image(s) (via email) and include information about each image. Also include an artist’s/designer’s statement and brief biography. Artists/designers will be notified of acceptance of work by February 15, 2021. Accepted work must be received no later than March 1, 2021. Design drawings accepted into the exhibition must be received drymounted on foam core ready for installation.
Juried from digital image(s) (email [email protected]) Images must be high resolution.
Entry fee: $35 per entry
FULL DETAILS HERE
Officine Saffi awards those artists who have chosen ceramics as their main expressive language for a research between contemporary art, collectible design and craft. Now in its fourth edition, the competition is open to all contemporary artists and designers of any age, whether emerging or established, individuals or members of collectives, and with no restrictions on theme, gender or nationality. Up for grabs € 10,000 and 8 Residency prizes.
WHO: Ceramic artists worldwide
LOCATION: Residency prize locations include: The Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, and Finland
DEADLINE: November 30, 2020
FINE PRINT: During registration, each artist must indicate which residency prizes they intend to compete for (all prizes are open to them). Nevertheless, if an artist wins a residency award that they cannot take up for proven reasons, the partner will assign it to another finalist. The work which wins the cash first prize will become part of the Officine Saffi collection. Entry Fee: €50 for artists over 35, €30 for artists under 35. Learn more here.
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