102 - A language of ornament

Hello! Welcome to the 102nd edition of Ceramics Now Weekly. This is Vasi Hirdo, the founding editor of Ceramics Now.

I hope you are doing well today 👋

Let’s see what’s new.

By Sarah Rothwell

Frances Priest: Motif | Line | Colour brings together over 60 works of ceramics, drawings and artworks from across her making career, into the intimate and historic setting of Blackwell, allowing for a range of exchanges between the viewer and Priest’s work that is beyond a typical gallery exhibition experience. We do not encounter her work in isolation set within a minimalist white cube, but through encounters integrated into the rich interior spaces of this Arts and Crafts home. It is as if her artworks are part of the fabric of the building, or artifacts of past custodians, allowing for direct correlations between her practice and the legacy of ornamentation she celebrates. Through their placement in this Arts and Crafts tableau, we see the artist’s eye directing these encounters.

By Tana West

Walking into the County Hall Pottery gallery space, you are immersed in the purple haze, which sets an otherworldly chromatic tone to the exhibition. In the middle of the gallery is a lilac-coloured grid, with the floor and walls of the same colour. This contrasts with the ceramic work, which is placed on platforms within, on and under this grid. The exhibition design forces you to bend, peer, stretch and move amongst the structure to encounter the works, drawing you physically into the undergrowth. Curated by Elizabeth Jackson and Emily Stapleton Jefferis, this exhibition grows out of a mutual interest in undergrowth as both a conceptual framework and a living ecosystem, informed by speculative fiction, vegetal philosophy and embodied material knowledge.

👌 The New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum (Taiwan) invites ceramic artists from around the world to apply for the 2027 Taiwan Ceramics Residency Program, offering the opportunity to work in Yingge, one of Taiwan’s most significant ceramic centers. Residents will spend 60 to 90 days developing their practice within a fully equipped studio environment, while engaging with local craftspeople and ceramic traditions. The program provides material support, accommodation, and travel reimbursement. Applications are due June 30, 2026.

👉 Applications are open for the Resident Artist Program at The Clay Studio (Philadelphia), offering early-career ceramic artists the opportunity to develop their practice within a dynamic community setting. The program provides free studio space for up to three years, a $250 monthly stipend, exhibition opportunities, and professional support. Open to US and international artists, the residency emphasizes community engagement, teaching, and collaboration. The next cohort begins September 1, 2026, and applications are due April 13, 2026.

🎓 A-B Projects will host State of Ceramics: The Power of Decoration – Rethinking Hierarchies, a two-part online conversation led by ceramic artist Anthony Sonnenberg on April 4 and April 11, 2026. The program explores how decoration—often historically marginalized in ceramics—can be reconsidered as a powerful cultural and political tool within contemporary practice. The first session features a lecture and Q&A, followed by a participatory discussion the following week. The events are free and open to the public, with registration required.

🎉 Ceramics Now is happy to share a new partnership with the Alfred Ceramic Art Museum. Through their Supporting Member tier, you can now receive a free one-year subscription to Ceramics Now, alongside a range of museum benefits, including access to the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) network. For around $10/month, your membership supports exhibitions, education, and the care of an important ceramic collection, while keeping you connected to the global contemporary ceramics scene. It’s a meaningful way to support both organizations.

📌 Applications are open for the 62nd International Ceramic Sculptural Symposium in Bolesławiec (Poland), taking place July 27 – August 21, 2026. Organized by the Bolesławiec Cultural Centre, the symposium will bring together artists from Poland and abroad to develop projects using local materials and factory facilities. This year’s theme, Sublime, invites reflections on transformation, materiality, and the unpredictability of working with clay and fire. Applications are open until April 17, 2026. The translation button is in the top right corner.

🎨 The Wayne Art Center invites submissions for CraftForms 2026, the 31st International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Craft, presented by the Wayne Art Center (US). Open to artists working across disciplines, including ceramics, fiber, glass, metal, and mixed media, the exhibition will take place from December 5, 2026, to January 23, 2027. Juried by Robert K. Liu and Patrick Benesh-Liu, the exhibition will award over $12,000 in prizes. Submissions are due September 9, 2026, with an entry fee of $50.

🌿 Mid-career ceramic artists are invited to apply for the McKnight Residency for Ceramic Artists at Northern Clay Center (US), a three-month residency supporting the development of new work and professional exchange. Up to three artists will be selected for residencies taking place in 2027, each receiving a $6,000 award, free studio space, and firing support. The program culminates in a group exhibition and catalogue, with a touring component. Applications close May 15, 2026.

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Discover these ceramic exhibitions that were recently featured in Ceramics Now.

A selection of ceramic exhibitions currently on view around the world.

1. Chenlu Hou and Chiara No: What the Hands Remember to Hear at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT

2. Break the Mould at IKON Gallery, Birmingham

3. Jennifer King: Persistence of Vision at The Pit, Los Angeles

4. Yakimono: A Culture of Exchange – The Impact of Japanese Ceramics at Messums West, Tisbury

5. Bachelot & Caron: Porcelaine et faits divers at Musée d’art à Charleroi, Charleroi

6. Ted Secombe: Language of Glaze at Sabbia Gallery, Sydney

7. AIR 2026: Compulsion at AMOCA - American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, CA

8. Kevin Umaña: Sanguine and Spiraling at Yancey Richardson Gallery, New York

9. Jennifer McCandless: You’re An Animal at Soapbox Arts, Burlington

10. Antonio Marras: Caos Calmo at Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London

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