News
Artist Spotlight: Peter Jadoonath
Peter Jadoonath will tell us about his 20-year love affair with a Max Beckmann painting in a moment. Perhaps, if we are already familiar with Beckmann, we could have guessed it. There is something reminiscent in Jadoonath’s wares. He gives us dynamic fields of patterned surface against uninterrupted curves of form. Sometimes he activates the...
Artist Spotlight: Brett Freund, McKnight Artist Fellow
Brett Freund’s work incorporates color, sketching, and repetition. He intuitively constructs from slip cast parts. The result is a single product that communicates preciousness, but is manipulated with a chaotic energy. Although he essentially uses prototypes and reproducible parts, he creates decorative objects with personal, interior spaces...
Artist Spotlight: Bryan Czibesz, McKnight Artist Resident
“I am at heart a tinkerer, and regularly working with my hands is at the core of how I engage with the world.”
Bryan Czibesz came to NCC’s McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists from the Hudson Valley, where he teaches at the State University of New York at New Paltz. Grounded in the tradition of object...
In the Studio: 2018 Jerome Ceramic Artist Project Grant Progress Reports
We are more than half-way through the Jerome Ceramic Artist Project Grant award year with just over a month to their exhibition, Three Jerome Artists. We’ve checked in on our 2018 recipients to hear about their progress.
Heather Barr didn’t waste any time getting her ball mill up and running to do multiple...
Teaching Artist Spotlight: Priya Thoreson
Priya Thoresen will be joining the roster of teaching artists at Northern Clay Center in the new year. You may already be familiar with Priya’s work and not know it as she was featured on the cover of Ceramics Monthly when she was named one of their 2018 Emerging Artists. Get to know her a little better in the conversation to...
Artist Spotlight: Melissa Mencini
It really is the rare bird who can traipse back and forth between the world of sculpture and functional pottery with ease. Perhaps therein lies the misconception, “ease” plays no part in it. Rather a dedication to content and artisanship are the constant companion to a maker who keeps every tool sharpened and at the ready to explore and express...
It’s hot! It’s fast! It’s FLASHY!
It’s Raku, an ancient Japanese tradition modified over centuries and across borders to become something of a standard experience for entry level ceramic students. Raku has borne the critical rebuke familiar to other flashy finishes across various industries, think about ruffles, velvet, red lipstick, sequins, or glitter. However, in the right...
Student Spotlight: Billie Jean Van Knight
Billie Jean Van Knight started taking classes at NCC this summer, but she really caught our attention as a stellar volunteer during the 2018 American Pottery Festival. She seemed to be everywhere and was...
2018 American Pottery Festival Review
This year’s epic American Pottery Festival left all of us here pinching ourselves as we reflected on the accomplishments of everyone who helped us pull off the most enthusiastic and entertaining fundraiser to date.
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Artist Spotlight: Janel Jacobson
For over 40 years Janel Jacobson has diligently honed her craft in Sunrise, MN. Carved clay forms led her to exploring miniature wooden carvings, creating works that received national and international recognition. Now she is turning her focus fully back on clay, and specifically on porcelain. She tackles each material challenge with tenacity,...