2018 Shapes of Influence Biennial Ceramics Exhibition

The Springfield Art Association's M. G. Nelson Family Gallery presents the 2018 Shapes of Influence Biennial Ceramics Exhibition, a juried exhibition showcasing the best in contemporary ceramics. This nationally juried exhibition will be held in the gallery's nearly 1400 square feet of high quality exhibition space in Springfield, Illinois.

The juror is Simon Levin, a full-time studio potter working exclusively with wood firing. His award-winning work is exhibited internationally and appears in several contemporary ceramic books. As a kiln builder, he has constructed wood-fired kilns for US colleges and universities as well as schools in Taiwan and China. His apprenticeship program has trained and influenced 17 potters between 2004 and 2018. Levin's juror statement: "Tradition is not holding the ashes, but passing the flame" Thomas Morus. "I am looking for sculpture or pottery that springs from or references the rich past yet adds to the continuum. In ceramics today there are so many ways to make, manufacture, and create available to us, in what ways do these technologies tend the fire? This nationally juried exhibition will be a contemporary conversation of ageless topics."

All entries must include ceramic components. Submissions are accepted online through Call for Entry (CaFE). The entry fee is $25 (non-refundable); SAA members pay $15. Applicants must submit 1-6 images. Notification of acceptance will be sent June 15. Accepted work must be received between July 14-28, 2018. The exhibition runs August 3 - September 1, 2018, with an opening reception August 3 from 5:30-7:30pm and awards announced at 6:30pm. Cash prizes of $500, $300, and $200 will be awarded. The SAA retains a 35% commission on any work sold during the exhibition. All artwork is insured while in the possession of the SAA; artists are responsible for insurance on inbound and outbound shipping.