The New Utilitarian: Examining Our Place on the Motherboard of Ceramics

The New Utilitarian is the invitational exhibition sponsored by the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA), which holds its annual national conference in Portland from March 8 - 11. The artwork in this exhibition explores contemporary culture and the impact of new media and technology on the art of ceramics. Thirteen nationally-known artists are represented by this exhibition: Bennett Bean, Sally B. Brogden, Gary Carlos, Sin-ying Ho, Jeff Irwin, Garth Johnson, Nina Jun, Charles Krafft, Paul McMullan, Steven Montgomery, Richard Notkin, Margaret Realica, and Steven Thurston.

National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts

40th Annual Conference Exhibitions

Wednesday, March 8 – Saturday, March 11
Ronna and Eric Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art
Fields Center for the Visual Arts, Arnold Gallery, Albany Quadrangle, Smith Hall

On March 8 -11, the 40th annual conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) is coming to Portland and Lewis & Clark College. NCECA, a nonprofit, professional organization of individuals whose interests and careers are focused on ceramic arts education is being organized by Ted Vogel, Lewis & Clark Assistant Professor of Art, and Thomas Orr of Oregon College of Art & Craft. This conference will draw over 4500 attendees worldwide.

The centerpiece of each conference is the large number of citywide exhibitions of ceramic work, shown in commercial galleries, nonprofit and non-traditional settings. These exhibitions, which are comprised of works by regional, national and international artists will show ceramic work that ranges from sculptural clay, experimental clay-based installations, and conceptual work to traditional and historical pottery.

The Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art will host the NCECA Invitational Exhibition (see description above)

In addition to the NCECA Invitational Exhibition, Ted Vogel, Program Head in Ceramics is organizing a number of exciting ceramic exhibitions around the campus.

Lewis & Clark College will also host the work of the following artists in Fields Center for the Visual Arts, Albany Quadrange, Smith Hall, and Miller Hall:

Lewis & Clark College Ceramics Alumni Exhibition

Resident artists from the internationally recognized, Montana based,Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts

The Regional Ceramic Educators Invitational.

A one-person exhibition by John McCuistion, a professor of ceramics at the University of Puget Sound, will show his large wall mounted platters inspired by the work of Bernard Palissy.

A one-person exhibition by JoAnn Schnabel features modular wall installations, a new series of ceramic tile work, that explore Schnabel’s current research on organic growth systems