The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts hosts a juried ceramic competition every two years. The competition is open to all artists who are residents of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. All work completed within the last two years, both functional and sculptural, is eligible.

24th San Angelo National Ceramic Competition
April 8 – June 26, 2022

Click here to view the online gallery.

Juror: James Watkins

James C. Watkins is a ceramic artist who has worked with clay for over 40 years. His work is held in 23 permanent collections, including the White House Collection of American Crafts at the Clinton Library in Little Rock, Arkansas, the Shigaraki Institute of Ceramic Studies in Shigaraki, Japan, the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, the Everson Museum in Syracuse, New York, the Tweed Museum in Duluth, Minnesota, the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, Indiana and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in Houston, Texas. Watkins’ work has been widely exhibited in 44 solo exhibitions and 169 group exhibitions.

Watkins is a Texas Tech University, Horn Distinguished Professor Emeritus. The Horn Professorship is the highest honor Texas Tech University may bestow on members of its faculty. Horn Professorships are granted to professors in recognition of national and international distinction for outstanding research or other creative scholarly achievements.

His awards include the Texas Tech University President’s Excellence in Teaching Award and the third recipient of the Art on the Llano Estacada Legacy Award, presented by Texas Tech University Museum Association. He was a 2005 Senior Fulbright Scholar, teaching in Vietnam at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture. Watkins is the 2019 recipient of the HCCC Texas Master Award present by the Houston Center of Contemporary Craft in Houston, Texas.

Watkins is the author of the self-published book, Reflections Made of Memories. He is also the co-author of, Alternative Kilns & Firing Techniques published by Sterling Publishing. Alternative Kilns & Firing Techniques wasco-authored with Paul Andrew Wandless and has been translated into Chinese and German. Watkins is also the co-author of Architectural Delineation: Presentation Techniques and Projects published by Kendall Hunt Publishing, co-authored with James T. Davis. His work is the subject of a book entitled A Meditation of Fire: The Art of James C. Watkins by Kippra D. Hopper published by Texas Tech University Press. Watkins has written numerous articles for national and international magazines, including Ceramics Monthly, Studio Potter, New Ceramics: The European Ceramics Magazine, and China Ceramic Artist. He received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and MFA from Indiana University.

Website: www.jcwclayworks.com

Invited Artist: Andrea Gill

Andrea Gill began her ceramic art career in 1971 as an apprentice to a local potter in Cape Cod MA. She had just graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Painting, and continued her ceramics education at Kansas City Art Institute. There she met her husband, John Gill, and later joined him in Alfred, NY entering the ceramics MFA program in 1974.  They went on to share a residency at the Archie Bray Foundation.  For the next five years, Andrea Gill exhibited her work around the world.  In 1984, they returned to Alfred, NY to share a teaching position.  She continued to exhibit her work in galleries and museum exhibitions, including solo shows in New York, Philadelphia and most recently in Aspen, CO. She retired from teaching in 2016 and has continued making and exhibiting her work. Gill’s work is in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institute and other public and private collections.  She has received numerous grants including from NEA Individual Artist Grants, and NYFA Grants. She was awarded fellowships from the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Fellowship, and the Archie Bray foundation, and the American Craft Council. In 2019 she received the Distinguished Educator Award from the Renwick Alliance.  She is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics. 

Click here to see a list of all accepted artists in the 24th National Ceramic Competition  
 

Schedule of Events • April 2022

To attend any of the workshop or dinners, please pay at the door.

Thursday, April 7

Ceramic Workshop with Randy Brodnax ($25 per person)
1 – 6 pm
Old Chicken Farm Art Center, 2505 Martin Luther King Blvd.

Clay Play Day! Open to all families and kids
3 – 6 pm
Education Studio at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts

SAMFA Education Staff and ceramic artist Horacio Casillas will be on-hand to help with clay activities for families and kids. Everyone welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Friday, April 8        

Ceramic Workshop with Horacio Casillas
9 – 11:30 am
The Concho Clay Studio at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, 1 Love St.
 

Transcendent: An Exhibit of Ceramic Art by Horacio Casillas
9 am – 5 pm
Gallery 193, Carr Education-Fine Arts Building, Angelo State University
(On display March 30 – April 20)
Sponsored by the ASU Department of Visual and Performing Arts

Reflections Made of Memories: An Exhibit of Ceramic Art by James Watkins
10 am – 5 pm
Mayer Museum, Angelo State University

37th Annual Ceramic Symposium   
1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Room 101, Carr Education-Fine Arts Building, Angelo State University

Panelists: James Watkins, Ceramic Competition Juror; Andrea Gill, Invited Artist; and Horacio Casillas, Exhibiting Artist in Gallery 193
Moderator: Howard Taylor
 

24th San Angelo National Ceramic Competition
Opening and Awards Reception                 
5 – 8 p.m. 
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, 1 Love St.  
Juror: James Watkins, Lubbock, Texas
Invited Artist: Andrea Gill, Alfred, New York

Opening Receptions at the Galleries on Oakes Street
5 – 8 p.m.    

The Coop Gallery, Ceramic Student Show, 427 S. Oakes St.

• On display you will find ceramic works from SAMFA's own Concho Clay Studio students. This will be the first time they are displaying their pieces. Student work from Central High School and Ambleside will also be on display.

Studio Rio, Chicken Farm Art Center Ceramic Artists, 423 S. Oakes St.

• Join artists from the Chicken Farm Art Center. They will have a variety of ceramic works for sale and on display.

Gallery Verde, Selections from the Glassell Studio School Ceramics, 417 S. Oakes St. (4 - 8 pm)

• Enjoy works from Jeff Forster, who is the Department Head of Ceramics at The Glassell School of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Also on display will be a small group of the schools leading ceramic students.

Downtown Stroll
5 – 8 p.m. 
Visit local shops, restaurants and organizations. Enjoy light refreshments, music, fine art displays and event discounts from various participants! 

The Oakes Street galleries are within easy walking distance of the museum. Also, free trolley transportation will be available from 5 – 8 p.m. between SAMFA and the Oakes Street galleries, as well as other venues participating in the Downtown Stroll.

Saturday, April 9

Invited Artist Workshop with Andrea Gill 
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Pay at the Door)
($45 regular admission; $25 for students) (Sign Up by April 1st)
Old Chicken Farm Art Center, 2505 Martin Luther King Blvd.
 

Reflections Made of Memories: An Exhibit of Ceramic Art by James Watkins
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Mayer Museum, Angelo State University
 

San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts Open
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
 

Exhibitions at Oakes Street Galleries
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Coop Gallery, Ceramic Student Show, 427 S. Oakes St.

• On display you will find ceramic works from SAMFA's own Concho Clay Studio students. This will be the first time they are displaying their pieces. Student work from Central High School and Ambleside will also be on display.

Gallery Verde, Selections from the Glassell Studio School Ceramics, 417 S. Oakes St.

• Enjoy works from Jeff Forster, who is the Department Head of Ceramics at The Glassell School of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Also on display will be a small group of the schools leading ceramic students.
   

Openings at the Art Center
2 – 7 p.m.
Chicken Farm studios will be open with new work.
Chicken Farm Art Center, 2505 Martin Luther King Blvd.
 

Texas Barbeque Dinner and Dance
7 p.m. (Pay at the Door)
($17 per person)   
Old Chicken Farm Art Center, 2505 Martin Luther King Blvd.

Sunday, April 10

San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts Open
1 – 4 p.m.

Exhibitions at Oakes Street Galleries

The Coop Gallery, Ceramic Student Show, 427 S. Oakes St.
10 am - 12 pm

• On display you will find ceramic works from SAMFA's own Concho Clay Studio students. This will be the first time they are displaying their pieces. Student work from Central High School and Ambleside will also be on display.

Gallery Verde, Selections from the Glassell Studio School Ceramics, 417 S. Oakes St. 
10 am - 12 pm

• Enjoy works from Jeff Forster, who is the Department Head of Ceramics at The Glassell School of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Also on display will be a small group of the schools leading ceramic students.

Most events are free and open to the public. If there is a fee for admission, it is listed under the event.

The Ceramic Competition will be on display at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts from April 8 – June 26, 2022.

Workshops

Randy Brodnax

Thursday, April 7
1 – 6 p.m.

Randy Brodnax will lead participants in a workshop of raku and alternative firing techniques and throwing thin on the wheel. Participants will build and fire the kilns. Work will continue on Friday, and Saturday will be a kiln opening. Participants are encouraged to bring bisque work to glaze and fire.
 

Horacio Casillas

Friday, April 8
9 – 11:30 am

Horacio Casillas will conduct a workshop at the Concho Clay Studio located adjacent to the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. Casillas will be demonstrating how to make a slab-built cylindrical vase, along with his process for transferring designs and carving techniques. There is no charge and the public is invited to attend. For more information contact Ariel Bowman at ceramics@samfa.org; 325-653-3333.

Andrea Gill

Saturday, April 9 (Sign Up by April 1st)

Andrea Gill, this year’s Invited Artist, will conduct a day-long demonstration workshop, discussing and demonstrating her techniques, materials and process.

The Randy Brodnax and Invited Artist workshops are hosted by the Old Chicken Farm Art Center.

Please use the links above to register for the Randy Brodnax and Invited Artist workshops. Lunch is up to you, so plan to bring a sack lunch or patronize one of many local restaurants.

The learn more about Past Ceramic Competitions click HERE.