Black History Month Programming Celebrating Black Ceramic Artists

Clay Art Center is Celebrating Black History Month
with Programming Highlighting Black Ceramic Artists

This February marks the 47th annual Black History Month, a celebration of the achievements and advancements Black Americans have added to the history of America. Clay Art Center will be taking part in Black History Month by providing programming celebrating Black ceramic artists throughout February. This programming includes our online exhibition, guest curated by Syd Carpenter, “The Sustaining Presence: Stalwarts of African American Contemporary Clay” featuring the work of Black ceramic artists from across the US. Along with a virtual artist talk “In Conversation: The Sustaining Presence” with participating artists from the online exhibition.

Sana Musasama, Bird Bowl

The Sustaining Presence: Stalwarts of African American Contemporary Clay
Online Exhibition: February 1 - March 1, 2023
Guest Curated by Syd Carpenter

View the Exhibition Online

We are excited to honor Black History Month by providing an online invitational exhibition “The Sustaining Presence: Stalwarts of African American Contemporary Clay” guest curated by Syd Carpenter, that celebrates Black ceramic artists from across the US, throughout February.

Guest Curator Syd Carpenter States: "The African diaspora has influenced globally diverse expressions in music, dance, theatre, literature and the visual arts for more than a century. From the majestic and poetic works of Dave Drake in the 19th century to celebrated works of Simone Leigh in the 21st, Black clay artists have been a consistent community of innovative clay productivity. From pure abstraction to explicit representations of the experience of being Black in America, the presence of Black artists is here represented by notable stalwarts who have continued to creatively enhance the field. Many beginning their careers in the late 60’s and early 70’s, their work reflects the ongoing vibrancy, technical brilliance and creative insight of this group of artists."

Participating Artists include: Earline Green, Winnie Owens Hart, Malcolm Mobutu Smith, Sana Musasama, Bobby Scroggins, Kevin Snipes and Lydia Thompson

Virtual Artist Talk
In Conversation: The Sustaining Presence
with participating artists from the exhibition
February 8 @7pm Register Here

Additional Black Ceramic Artist Content on our Website

Black Ceramic Artists Talks in our Online Virtual Library

Browse our online catalogue of past Virtual Artist Talks and Demos by some of the top Black ceramic artists in the US such as Syd Carpenter, Vinnie Bagwell, Rich Brown, Sana Musasama, Wesley Brown, Kyle and Kelly Phelps, Paul Andrew Wandless, Lydia C. Thompson, Adero Willard, Donte Hayes and Paul Briggs. Our Virtual Library is free to access anytime to learn from these ceramic artists in their insightful videos. Watch Now.

2021 Online Exhibition: Concepts in Clay: Artists of Color
Co-Curated by Paul Briggs
Best of Westchester Winner 2021 Best Art Exhibition

View the Exhibition Online

Concepts in Clay features works of celebrated Black ceramic artists from across the US, and brings together a collective voice that speaks about a variety of themes and processes as part of the continuum of artists of color working in clay in the US today. Clay is the vehicle that amplifies these voices, and within this collection, these artists not only share their work with us, but their thoughts on what present-day America means to each of them. As we move forward in turbulent and uncertain times in our society at large, this exhibition marks a place in time in the contemporary clay artist field.

Featured artists include: Adero Willard, Kyle and Kelly Phelps, Morel Doucet, Paul Andrew Wandless, Syd Carpenter, Donte Hayes, Lydia C. Thompson, Nathan Murray, Paul Briggs, and Rich Brown