Please Elaborate: An Exploration of the Ceramic Surface

This exhibition invites ceramic artists whose work begins with function or references it, while extending beyond utility as a fixed outcome. We seek objects where form and implied use establish an entry point, and surface treatment carries substantial conceptual weight. Guest curator Eva Champagne has included three Montana based artists in this exhibition, and is inviting submissions that will both complement and contrast the works of these invited artists: George Metropoulos McCauley, Kelly Stevenson and Sue Tirrell. Submissions from prospective artists should demonstrate intentional, thoughtful surface handling that adds narrative, depth, and meaning through material, technique, and composition—well beyond decoration or embellishment. Artists are encouraged to submit work that honors ceramic tradition while advancing it through innovation and experimentation. In this exhibition, form and surface are equal partners: function grounds the work, but surface carries at least half the story. We are interested in ceramics that transform familiar forms into layered, resonant objects through the seamless integration of form, surface, and process.