Genesee Center for the Arts & Education is proud to welcome twenty premier ceramic artists from across the country for a long weekend celebrating the best in contemporary clay. The event includes a special artist reception, pottery exhibitions, demonstrations, workshops and talks by the visiting artists.
This is a unique opportunity for collectors, clay enthusiasts and anyone who appreciates finely-crafted, handmade work to meet and talk with masters of the field and see a large body of their work. Whether you prefer contemporary design or rustic tableware, hundreds of hand-crafted pots will be exhibited, and their makers will be on site to talk about and demonstrate their work. For those of you who are new to contemporary ceramics, this is the perfect opportunity to see the range of work being made with this extremely versatile material.
2015 exhibiting artists are: Mark Shapiro, Dan Finnegan, Jane Shellenbarger, Kristen Kieffer, Jenny Mendes, Forrest Lesch-Middelton, Mary Barringer, Bob Briscoe, Julie Crosby, Peter Beasecker, Ryan Greenheck, John Gill, Doug Peltzman, Liz Quackenbush, Bryan Hopkins, Kenyon Hansen, Matt Metz, Tony Clennell, Carolyn Dilcher-Stutz and Richard Aerni.
Planning for the Flower City Pottery Invitational began in early 2014 when area potters Matt Metz and Richard Aerni discussed bringing fellow esteemed ceramic artists together for a weekend exhibit, following the example of similar shows like the Old Church Pottery Invitational in Demarest, NJ and the popular American Pottery Festival in Minneapolis. Rochester seemed like the perfect city to hold a similar event, being in the middle of a clay mecca, with RIT's School for American Craft and Alfred University close by, as well as strong clay programs in Syracuse and Buffalo. Metz and Aerni have partnered with Genesee Center for the Arts & Education and, together with artist Peter Pincus, have invited colleagues from around the country to participate in the inaugural event.
Richard Aerni, Mary Barringer, Peter Beasecker, Robert Briscoe, Tony Clennell, Julie Crosby, Dan Finnegan, John Gill, Ryan Greenheck, Kenyon Hansen, Bryan Hopkins, Kristen Kieffer, Forrest Lesch-Middelton, Jenny Mendes, Matthew Metz, Doug Peltzman, Liz Quackenbush, Mark Shapiro, Jane Shellenbarger, Carolyn Stutz.
1:30-4:30pm Doug Peltzman Workshop
Doug will demonstrate a variety of specialty techniques, including: thrown forms designed specifically for runny glazes, handles and spouts and their placement and attachment, inlay techniques, stencil, and texture applications, and latex/wax application and glaze/color placement.
Advance registration is required. $25 for Members; $30 non-members.
6-9pm Jenny Mendes Workshop
Jenny will show her techniques for using underglazes to create her whimsical pots and figures. Participants will be provided with a leather-hard tile and will have a variety of underglazes to experiment with as Jenny leads a project.
Advance registration is required. $25 (plus $10 materials fee) for Members; $30 (plus $10 materials fee) non-members.
REGISTER for BOTH and RECEIVE a DISCOUNT: $45 (plus $10/materials) for GCAE Members; $55 (plus $10/materials) non-members.
9:30am-12:30pm: Forrest Lesch-Middelton Workshop
Advance registration is required. $25 for Members; $30 non-members. Call 271-5183 to register (no online registration for this workshop).
Join us for a special evening to welcome the exhibiting artists and have the first look at their stunning work. Remarks by FCPI curators Richard Aerni, Matt Metz and Peter Pincus. Hors d'Oeuvres and a champagne toast, cash bar. Tickets: $25 each.
10-5pm
Exhibition open to the public all day (free admission)
11am
Artist Talk by Tony Clennell: Production vs. One-Offs in China
12pm
Demo by Mark Shapiro: Assembling a Teapot
1:30pm
Artist Talk by Forrest Lesch-Middelton: His Process
3pm
Artist Talk by Jenny Mendes
11-4pm
Exhibition open to the public all day (free admission)
11:15am
Artist Talk by Dan Finnegan: An English Country Pottery Travelogue
12:30pm
Artist Talk by Liz Quackebush: History of Majolica
1:30pm
Demo by Bryan Hopkins: Building with Porcelain slip-cast slabs
3pm
Demo by Ryan Greenheck: Glazing and Surface Decoration
4pm Exhibition Closes
Genesee Center for the Arts & Education is located just outside downtown Rochester, NY at 713 Monroe Avenue, less than 1/8 of a mile off the 490 Interstate. Monroe Avenue begins downtown at the Strong Museum and is an eclectic area of eateries and small shops. Local cultural and shopping attractions like The George Eastman House and the Park Avenue neighborhood are just blocks away.
The historic, brick firehouse building that houses Genesee Center for the Arts & Education dates to the early 1890s, with both stories dedicated to arts programming. On-street parking is available on Monroe and Wilcox Street, or visitors may park directly across Monroe at the Blessed Sacrament Church lot when it is available. Genesee Center for the Arts & Education is fully accessible for wheelchair users with two reserved parking spaces at the front of the building, a front entrance ramp, elevator and restroom.
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Whether you're super-organized and would like to help with set-up, or you're an empty nester with extra room to house a visiting artist for the weekend, we need your help!
Please contact Audrey Shaughnessy at (585) 271-5183 or grants@rochesterarts to sign up.
Sponsorship for the 2015 Flower City Pottery Invitational is available at various levels. Take a look at our Sponsorship Kit and contact Kate Whorton at (585) 271-5183 or ceramics@rochesterarts.org to confirm the level of support that fits best with your needs.
The New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York Legislature
