Abstract
50 Women: A Celebration of Women's Contribution to Ceramics will be a landmark exhibition at the 50th anniversary of the NCECA conference. It will be the first large-scale exhibition of women’s contribution to ceramics. This exhibition showcases the fact that there are more highly skilled women ceramic artists producing work and being recognized than there ever were before. Public recognition of ceramic arts is increasing. Ceramic arts are BLOOMING. This show is to document the past, to celebrate the present, and to look forward to an exciting expanding future.
The contributions women have made to ceramics have been beyond calculation. This exhibition recognizes a cross section of women working in clay today. The intention of the show is to present the art of fifty contemporary female artists who make works inside and outside the paths of tradition and of contemporary practice. Sculpture, pottery, tile, and installation will be present. The diverse group of artists selected has a varied range of experience, training, and recognition within the field of ceramics. In order to showcase the widest range of possibility, we have intentionally chosen artists working in a broad spectrum of the ceramic material with varying formal and content driven concerns.
PREPARATION FOR THE SHOW
We took several steps to help distinguish our proposal from the many others the NCECA committee received for 2016.
1. We recruited an accomplished executive committee—with documented curatorial, arts management, media management and not-for-profit experience.
2. We established social media platforms to document demand for the exhibition. The Facebook page currently has over 4700 “likes” from countries around the world, and is averaging more than 2,000 post clicks a day.
3. We continue to utilize crowd-funding campaigns for donations to offset artists shipping and exhibition costs.
4. We received a commitment from the University of Missouri—Kansas City, UMKC Women’s Center to be the local liaison and provide logistical support.
5. We secured the Changing Gallery space at the American Jazz Museum to host the exhibition.
6. We complied a roster of 50 outstanding ceramic artists including several internationally acclaimed artists.
7. We established long-term relationships with several international ceramic journals. This ensures the proper promotion of the exhibition.
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Metadata
- Subject
Visual Arts
- Date submitted
18 July 2022
- Keywords
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Author Biography:
Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Alex Kraft received her BFA in ceramics and her BS in art education from Northern Arizona University in 2002. She completed her MFA from the University of Montana in 2006. She has exhibited nationally and internationally and participated in artist in residence programs including the following. She was a short-term artist in residence at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana, spent a year in residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, was a short-term artist in residence at the Clay Studio of Missoula, a yearlong artist in residence at the Roswell Artist in Residence Program, a Kiln God resident at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, a short term resident and later an inaugural writing forum participant at Red Lodge Clay Center, and a resident at Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center. She is a practicing studio artist with experience in writing, and curating. Previously a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico – Gallup; she is currently an Assistant Professor and oversees the ceramics facility at the University of North Georgia - Dahlonega. More information and images of her work are available at alexkraftart.com. Tony Merino, renowned independent art critic, has published over 100 reviews. He has lectured internationally on contemporary ceramics. Equally irreverent and insightful, Mr. Merino applies philosophical wisdom from the works of thinkers like Fried and Foucault, to explain contemporary art and vice versa.