Opening on 5/8/2025 and closing on 12/14/2025, reception is from 5-7pm on 5/8/2025 at the Alfred Ceramic Art Museum exhibition space.
One hundred and twenty-five years ago Charles Fergus Binns was invited to become the first director of a new initiative at Alfred University, the New York School of Clay-Working and Ceramics. Binns was a skillful potter with an established practice at the Royal Worcester Porcelain Works, and had a talent for drawing gifted people to him. It is no exaggeration to say that he, along with his initial core of instructors, launched American studio ceramics, and at the same time transformed Alfred into a hub of creative ceramic activity that has persisted to this day. The students of this school went on to become celebrated instructors of their own right, launching ceramics programs across the country. Eventually the art and engineering of ceramics were recognized as distinct disciplines, though Alfred remained a celebrated destination of study for both. Over the years, the school of art grew to include new disciplines to reflect the changing landscape of American art, but ceramic practices remained at its core. The next generations of instructors solidified the Alfred reputation through their unique contributions, such that no book on the history of American ceramics can be written without mention of the Alfred legacy.Today the Alfred Ceramic Art Museum is delighted to present the history of this ceramic tradition by showcasing the work of over 23 artists who taught and continue to teach in this unique community. In so doing, the exhibition highlights a key chapter in the history of American ceramics, a story of art but also of industry, craft, aesthetics, politics and increasing diversity. Works on display include functional and aesthetically rich vessels by early pioneers, innovative forms by some of the country’s most well-known figures, and contemporary work that push the boundaries of possibility and continue Alfred’s legacy of excellence.
Exhibiting artists include: Charles F. BINNS, Marion FOSDICK, Charles HARDER, Ted RANDALL, Val CUSHING, Robert TURNER, Tony HEPBURN, William PARRY, Daniel RHODES, Wallace HIGGINS, Doug JECK, Tom SPLETH, Wayne HIGBY, Anne CURRIER, John GILL, Andrea GILL, Walter MCCONNELL, Linda SIKORA, Jason GREEN, Stephanie HANES, Paul BRIGGS, Matt KELLEHER, and Nicki GREEN.
