Curator's Statement: Sigrid Zahner

At the core of this exhibition is a common thread. In 2015 I curated a show at the Fountain Gallery in Lafayette, Indiana, called 360 Degrees of Separation, the premise of which was to include artists who had spent time at the Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center in Skaelsor, Denmark, a residency founded by Nina Hole. This exhibition was intended to broadcast the breadth and transmutability of ceramic materials and its applications as demonstrated by the wide range of techniques employed by its participants which included Paul Scott from the UK and Nina Hole herself.

This show brought local attention to the work of Nina Hole, and with the support of Purdue University and the Lonsford Fund, culminated in the installation in 2016 of the Nina’s  final sculpture, ‘Repose’ on site at Purdue University. Many of the people who had participated in the Guldagergaard residencies attended the firing and unveiling of this sculpture from as far away as the East Coast. One of those in attendance was Dale Huffington, Professor of Ceramics at Carlow University. Dale brought several of his students, which led those of us present who were faculty at various universities to discuss the importance of exposing our students to this type of work and event, and conversely to exposing the work of such dedicated students to a broader audience than just their classmates and friends. The idea of a show that included such work was born.

After Nina’s passing in 2016 I curated a small show at NCECA 2017 in Portland called 360 Degrees of Inclusion, again with some Guldagergaard fellows, to commemorate Nina Hole and her contribution to the field of ceramics. Dale attended this show also and as a result he persuaded Dr. Sylvia Rhor of the Carlow University Gallery that a show of ceramics at NCECA 2018 might be of interest to both the NCECA community and the community at large.

Because NCECA is based on the education of the ceramic arts, we felt that the core ten artists presented should be people who are actively involved in teaching at the college level. But more importantly we asked that everyone propose another artist to participate with them that they felt had a significant voice and that should be acknowledged and recognized for their inspirational work. This artist could be a student, a teacher, a colleague or a friend. Most of us can point to a professor or well-known artist who has inspired our own work, but this exhibition of work is dedicated to those artists who work out of the spotlight, or who have yet to achieve their rightful place in the canon of work. You will recognize some of the artists whose work in this show but more importantly you will recognize the extraordinary talent of the people that they have asked to show with them. Our goal is to present a show that displays excellence in the field at all levels of an artist’s career, from the undergraduate to the professor who allowed a student to stand on her/his shoulders and soar.

Sigrid Zahner, Curator, Ten out of Ten 

Associate Professor of Visual and Performing Arts

Head of Ceramics Department

Purdue University