This weekend, the Clay Studio will be commemorating its landmark 50th anniversary with a special event, and all Philadelphians are invited to celebrate.
Taking place on Saturday, Jan. 20, visitors will be able to check out three new exhibitions featuring the works of past, present, and future artists, plus, a new sculpture by figurative ceramic artist George Rodriguez. This weekend’s festivities will also mark the start of a year-long celebration highlighting the organization’s history and impact on the Philadelphia and national arts community.
“We’re excited to highlight recent and past artworks by the people who had the vision to form a creative community around clay in 1974,” said Jennifer Zwilling, Curator and Director of Artistic Programs at The Clay Studio in a statement. “In addition to celebrating 50 years of The Clay Studio, we want to highlight the incredible careers of these amazing artists. We are thrilled that they remain important members of our artistic community.”
The first new exhibition, titled ‘Founders & Foundations’ will feature 12 artists, including works by Jill Bonovitz, Syd Carpenter, Jimmy Clark, Katie Regan Dalzell, Martha Jackson Jarvis, Kirk Mangus, Janice Merendino, Kathryn Narrow, Claire Rodgers, Ken Vavrek, and Amy Sarner Williams, and Sybille Zeldin.
As the release notes, while many ‘Founders & Foundations’ artists are closely tied to The Clay Studio, the rest have participated in residencies, been featured in exhibitions, and shaped the Philadelphia ceramics community. 2024 also marks 30 years since The Clay Studio established its mobile community outreach program, the Claymobile. The “pop-up” ceramics studio allows teaching artists to lead classes at local schools, senior facilities, community centers, and other organizations – serving 5,800 students annually and more than 50,000 since its inception.
And Philadelphians can see some of the work for themselves this Saturday as well with the opening of ‘Claymobile Creations: Philly Foods,’ which features over 200 ceramic works by Claymobile students inspired by various iconic local foods.
The third exhibit that visitors can check out this weekend from The Clay Studio, ‘Flow’, highlights the latest work by current Resident Artists and will be housed in the venue’s Jill Bonovitz Gallery with a highlight on artists Ruth Easterbrook, Jinsik Yoo and more.
‘Founders & Foundations’, ‘Claymobile Creations: Philly Foods’, and ‘Flow’ are on display through March 31. Entry to The Clay Studio’s galleries is free. Guests can view exhibitions and shop items in person or online. For more information on The Clay Studio (1425 N American St.) visit theclaystudio.org
