State of Ceramics is an ongoing series of discussions centered around evaluating the present and future of the ceramics field. Participants are encouraged to share their unique perspectives and voices during these open and inclusive dialogues. This is an opportunity for us to take responsibility for how our field is shaped.
Each State of Ceramics discussion is led by different ceramic artists and is prompted by specific, unanswered questions they have about the shifting dynamics of contemporary ceramics. These collective conversations are geared towards evaluating the current state of the field, expanding possibilities, and building community as we move through this process.
These online discussions are free and open to the public—the clay community and the clay curious—and are informal, open, and democratic spaces where participants are encouraged to share their unique perspectives and voices. State of Ceramics are not lectures or panel discussions; they are inclusive, video-on events where everyone present is an equal participant in collective criticality and research. This programming is currently globally accessible via Zoom.
All State of Ceramics contribute to an
that can be used in studios, in classrooms, at dinner tables, or anywhere folks enjoy engaging in critical dialogue about clay.
Upcoming Events
The Power of Decoration : Rethinking Hierarchies
With Anthony Sonnenberg
April 4, 2026 Part 1 April 11, 2026 Part 2
Decoration is personal. Decoration is political. Decoration is powerful.
And yet, decoration has been historically marginalized, considered extra instead of integral, and even interpreted as a snub. How do we shift this dynamic, reclaim, and redefine decoration? We must rethink the hierarchies of decoration’s role across cultures and use it as a conduit to cut through other existing hierarchies.
Decoration has changed the world in the past; it will change the world in the future. In this two-part State of Ceramics, we consider what decoration can do for us as individuals and as communities. How can we wield decoration within and beyond our practices?
Join us on Saturday, April 4 (11-12:30PST) for Anthony Sonnenberg’s lecture followed by a traditional Q&A. Then join us again the following Saturday, April 11 (11-12:30) for Anthony’s brief presentation of case studies in decoration followed by an open, democratic discussion centered around questions from Anthony’s research. Please note that to participate on April 11 you must attend the lecture on April 4.
State of Ceramics events have always been free to the public because we believe in making expanded ceramics education as widely accessible as possible. Although we do not charge for attendance, we rely upon donations to sustain the extensive time and labor that is put into planning and executing these programs. We value this two-day State of Ceramics event at $50 and appreciate donations of any amount from those who can afford to contribute.
Power Dynamics
Ceramics is an inherently communal field. From lifting hundreds of pounds of clay to loading kilns, firing through the night, and commiserating over shards: we need each other. And yet, much of the field continues to perpetuate embedded hierarchical structures.
Why has porcelain been historically assigned more value than terracotta? Who owns the land where our clay is sourced? What does it mean to hold mining rights? When will the history of misogyny in American studio ceramics become mainstream knowledge? How does that history persist today and what are we doing to counter it? Is contemporary ceramics education shifting towards horizontal learning formats or does it adhere to more traditional approaches? Who continues to insist upon gatekeeping? What role does the market play in entrenching such systems? Why are competitive attitudes prevalent between individual artists and what can we do to support each other as a community?
We must examine and take responsibility for how the ceramics field moves into the future amidst these structures.
