Amplify Black Voices Through Ceramics

Clay Art Center celebrates Black History Month in our Gallery and Shop

You Will Not Take This One by Gloria Nixon-Crouch

Clay Art Center invites you to celebrate Black History Month in February 2024 by engaging with ceramics through our exhibitions, programming, and Shop. Our gallery is currently hosting the exhibition "Perspectives: Earlene Cox and Gloria Nixon-Crouch," showcasing the sculptural, and figurative works of these two talented Clay Art Center Artists. Through their art, each artist delves into themes of identity and human experiences, offering both deeply personal and universally relatable perspectives. The exhibition will be on view until February 28th. Learn more

Join us to explore and appreciate the remarkable creations of Earlene and Gloria with a special in-person Artist Talk and Studio Tour on February 16th, 2024, from 12pm - 2pm. The artists will speak about their artists careers to date, and share details of their practices and inspirations. The artists will also lead a tour of Clay Art Center and share some details on the evolution of our historic organization. Earlene has served on the Board of Clay Art Center for many years, helping to guide and support our growth. Gloria has been a part of our thriving artist community at Clay Art Center artist for several decades.

Watch past Virtual Artist Talks and Panel discussions featuring black artists at Clay Art Center:

“America’s Enduring Burden” an emerging Artist Talk by Earlene Cox.
“The Role of Art in The Fight For Social Justice” was moderated by Earlene Cox, with guest panelists Paul Briggs, Vinnie Bagwell, and Wesley Brown.

Browse our online catalog of past Virtual Artist Talks and Demos by some of the top Black ceramic artists in the US such as Bobby Scroggins, Syd Carpenter, Vinnie Bagwell, Rich Brown, Sana Musasama, Wesley Brown, Kyle and Kelly Phelps, Paul Andrew Wandless, Lydia C. Thompson, Adero Willard, Donte Hayes and Paul Briggs. Our Virtual Library is free to access anytime to learn from these ceramic artists in their insightful videos.

View past exhibitions featuring Black artists at Clay Art Center including the award-winning Concepts In Clay: Artists of Color, Co-curated by Paul Briggs, and The Sustaining Presence: Stalwarts of African American Contemporary Clay, Curated by Syd Carpenter.

Camille Beckles in the studio. Find work by Camille in our online shop

At Clay Art Center gallery and shop, we strive to create opportunities for artists through exhibitions and sales of their work. By purchasing works through our gallery and shop, you help to provide support for artists. During Black History Month, works by Earlene Cox and Gloria Nixon-Crouch can be purchased from the exhibition, in addition to works from our shop from Kyle Scott Lee, Kenya Moffet-Garner, Camille Beckles, Bobby Scroggins, and Wesley Brown. Visit our online shop

Clay Art Center is also excited to announce during Black History Month that we will host a solo exhibition Lydia C. Thompson: Transitions in our gallery from April 27th - June 7th, 2024. This exhibit of ceramic sculptures blends the narratives of urban and rural human migration. Lydia C. Thompson is a Professor of Ceramics in the Department of Art & Art History at UNC Charlotte. Learn more

Lydia C. Thompson in the studio