Contemporary Clay 2026
🏺 The 11th International Biennial Juried Exhibit
🌿 Exhibition Sponsors
Mary Beth and Bernie Buescher
🖌️ About the Exhibition
This year’s exhibit showcases the work of 25 artists selected from submissions received from around the country.
The Art Center hosts this international juried exhibition every other year, enriching ceramic art in the Grand Valley. Since 2006, Contemporary Clay has sought to showcase the latest developments in ceramic art nationwide, spanning the categories of functional vessels, sculptural ceramics, and installation art.
🏛️ About the Juror
This year’s juror is Eric Serritella, an internationally recognized ceramic artist celebrated for his trompe l’oeil sculptures that transform clay into hyperrealistic birch, charred, and weathered logs. His meticulously hand-carved works explore the beauty of nature and the passage of time, earning acclaim for their lifelike textures and organic design.
Serritella’s art has been exhibited on five continents and is included in more than two dozen museum collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Mint Museum.
Honored as the 2016 Distinguished Artist in Ceramics by the James Renwick Alliance, his work has also been praised by The New York Times, Architectural Digest, and art historian Daniella Ohad. Learn more at ericserritella.com.