South Texas College, together with The University of Texas Pan-American, is proud to present “A South Texas Ceramic Showdown: Beyond the Vessel,” which is the third annual Rio Grande Valley ceramics conference and exhibition. The event includes art lectures and ceramics demonstrations, as well as a full display of ceramics works by artists and professors from across Texas. The conference starts Friday, June 12 at The University of Texas-Pan American Ceramics Lab, concluding on Saturday, June 13 at STC’s Pecan Campus Art Bldg. B Ceramics Lab. Art Lectures will also take place Saturday at STC’s Pecan Campus Bldg. B Auditorium. All activities are free and open to the public.
“This is the third conference STC and UTPA have put together and we look forward to being enlightened by an ever younger generation of ceramic artists, discovering their creative, inspired approaches of pushing the boundaries of innovation,” said David Freeman, curator and programs coordinator of STC’s Library Art Gallery Program. “The show explores the influences of our Southern continental United States and its individual, extensive point of view regarding contemporary issues in the devolvement, expression, concept, personal exploration and experimentation of different processes and unique aesthetics in contemporary ceramics today.”
“We are excited to roll out the South Texas Ceramic Showdown once again and witness its evolution over the last three years,” said Chris Leonard, UTPA ceramics lecturer and conference organizer. “The concept is the same with both student and faculty work exhibited together with a promise for great diversity. The event is also a fantastic opportunity for ceramic students, as it offers an opportunity for creative interaction, and communication with our three presenting artists. All three presenting artists are tremendously versatile, but I am anticipating an acceptance of the ceramic tradition: vessels that transcend and push beyond mere function into all sorts of narration and possibility.”
The conference includes lectures and ceramic demonstrations by Aaron Calvert of Henderson State University, Charles Wissinger of Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and Fulden Sara-Wissinger of Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Coastal Bend College.
Half of the ceramic works will be exhibited at STC’s Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery with the balance being exhibited at UTPA’s Visitors Center. Exhibit opening receptions are on Friday, June 12th from 6 to 8 p.m. at UTPA’s Visitors Center and Saturday, June 13th from 6 to 8 p.m. at STC’s Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery. Admission is free and open to the public. The exhibits will be on view from June 1 to July 3, 2009 at their respective locations.
The exhibit features works by faculty and students from 11 universities and community colleges including The University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College, South Texas College, The University of Texas Pan-American, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Texas Tech University, The University of North Texas, Henderson State University, Tyler Junior College, and Tarrant County College.
For more information call 872-3488, E-mail libraryart@southtexascollege.edu or visit http://lag.southtexascollege.edu.
South Texas Ceramic Showdown: Beyond the Vessel (Schedule)
UTPA
Friday, June 12, 2009
9:00am – 12:00pm
Clay Demonstrations at UTPA – free and open to the public
12:00pm – 1:30pm
Lunch Break
1:30pm – 4:30pm
Clay Demonstrations at UTPA
6:00pm – 8:00pm
South Texas Ceramic Showdown Opening, UTPA’s Visitors Center
9:00pm – 11:00pm
Potluck Social and Student/Community Slide Forum
STC
Saturday, June 13, 2009
9:00am – 12:00pm
Clay Demonstrations at STC – free and open to the public
12:00 pm – 1:30pm
Lunch Break
1:30pm – 4:30pm
Lectures/Slides and Power Points at STC
6:00pm– 8:00pm
South Texas Ceramic Showdown Opening Reception, STC Library Art Gallery, (Pecan Campus)
