2013 NCECA BIENNIAL
On View at HCCC January 25 – May 5, 2013
(HOUSTON, TX) November 15, 2012 — Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is pleased to host the 2013 NCECA Biennial, the premier exhibition of ceramic arts in the United States, January 25 – May 5, 2013. The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) organized the exhibition, which coincides with its 47th Annual Conference in Houston.
The exceptionally wide range of entries and the high degree of visibility of the exhibition within the field make the 2013 NCECA Biennial an unparalleled investigation of contemporary ceramic expression. Organized by NCECA Exhibitions Director, Linda Ganstrom, Professor of Art at Fort Hays State University – Kansas, the biennial includes 39 works by 35 artists selected by jurors Cristina Cordova, Richard Notkin and Namita Gupta Wiggers. Rather than a broad survey exhibition, the 2013 NCECA Biennial represents a unique viewpoint of three leading-edge experts in the field of contemporary ceramic art and craft practice. Cordova and Notkin are world-renowned ceramic artists living and working in North Carolina and Montana respectively. Namita Gupta Wiggers is Director and Chief Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Craft in partnership with Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon.
More than 740 artists submitted more than 1,360 entries for the exhibition, which represents one of the cornerstones of NCECA’s 47th Annual Conference in Houston. On-Site Conference Liaisons, Merrie Wright and Jeff Forster, members of the faculty of University of Texas -Tyler and the Glassell School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, respectively, worked with regional planners and NCECA’s board to develop the Houston conference theme, Earth/Energy. In association with the conference, NCECA has planned and sited more than 100 exhibitions of ceramic art that will take place throughout the region. HCCC Executive Director, Julie Farr, commented, “From Galveston to Beaumont and stretching to the Woodlands, no other event of this scope so unites the visual arts community in the greater Houston area. Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is pleased to be the anchor and host of the longest running exhibition during this spring’s concentration on ceramic arts.”
The 2013 NCECA Biennial is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. NCECA’s 47th Annual Conference takes place March 20 – 23, 2013, at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Nearly 5,000 artists, educators, collectors, businesses, non-profit organizations, schools and enthusiasts are expected to travel to Houston for the events. Details on the conference and surrounding exhibitions are available at www.nceca.net.
| 2013 NCECA Biennial Featured Artists | ||
| Nicole Aquillano – Boston, MA Christa Assad – Berkeley, CA Tom Bartel – Athens, OH Nicholas Bivins – Seattle, WA Renee Brown – Missoula, MT Josephine Burr – Boston, MA Gary Carlos – Stockton, CA Lisa Cecere – Wall Township, NJ Du Chau – Argyle, TX Emily Connell – Kansas City, MO Andrea Keys Connell – Richmond, VA Shenny Cruces – Vacaville, CA Elizabeth DeLyria – Katy, TX Sharan Elran – Brooklyn, NY Léopold L. Foulem – Montreal, Quebec Teri Frame – Ashland, WI Chad Gunderson – Bennington, VT Sarah House – New Orleans, LA |
Erica Iman – St Louis, MO |
Exhibition Dates
January 25 – May 5, 2013
In the Large Gallery at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, 4848 Main St.
Opening Reception
Friday, January 25, 5:30 – 8:00 PM
The opening will also feature two other exhibitions, Constructing Solitude and the ClayHouston Member Show, as well as open studios by HCCC’s current resident artists from 6:00 – 7:00 PM. Beer sponsored by Karbach Brewing Co.
Award Presentation & Reception
Thursday, March 21, 5:30 – 9:00 PM
A special award presentation and reception will take place during NCECA’s 47th Annual Conference at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft.
About Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is a nonprofit arts organization founded to advance education about the process, product and history of craft. Since opening in 2001, HCCC has emerged as an important cultural and educational resource for Houston and the Southwest—one of the few venues in the country dedicated exclusively to craft at the highest level. HCCC provides exhibition, retail and studio spaces to support the work of local and national artists. In addition, HCCC is a wonderful resource for art educators and provides mission-related educational programs in schools and underserved communities. Visitors enjoy viewing innovative exhibitions, visiting the resident artist studios, creating their own crafts in monthly “HANDS-ON HOUSTON” events, and shopping for one-of-a-kind gifts and home décor in the Asher Gallery.
Located in the Museum District at 4848 Main Street, HCCC is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM, and Sunday, 12 – 5 PM. Admission is free. Free parking is available directly behind the facility, off Rosedale and Travis Street. HCCC is three blocks south of Wheeler Ave. MetroRail station on Main Street. HCCC is funded in part by grants from The Brown Foundation, Inc.; Houston Endowment, Inc.; the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance; Texas Commission on the Arts; the Wortham Foundation, Inc.; and Windgate Charitable Foundation. United Airlines is the official airline of Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. For more information, call 713.529.4848 or visit www.crafthouston.org.
About NCECA
The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts is a dynamic organization that fosters global education and appreciation for the ceramic arts. NCECA’s programs, exhibitions, publications, opportunities and resources inspire advancement of the field.
NCECA promotes and improves the ceramic arts through education, community building, research and creative inspiration. NCECA programs, events, publications and resources support its members and the community of ceramic artists, educators, students, researchers, cultural workers, businesses and organizations worldwide that love, study and earn a living through the art form. A dynamic, member-driven organization, NCECA is international in its perspective, responsive to the changing needs of its constituency and committed to continual evolution of its programming to advance the relevancy and vibrancy of ceramics in the 21st century.
To learn more about NCECA and the 47th Annual Conference, visit www.nceca.net or contact the office by phone at 1-866-266-2322.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Mary Headrick, Communications Director
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
713.529.4848 x.107, mheadrick@crafthouston.org
Dori Nielsen, Conference Manager
National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts
866.266.2322, dori@nceca.net
Linda Ganstrom, NCECA Exhibitions Director
lganstro@fhsu.edu
