"Making Through Living—Living Through Making: Studio Pottery in 2010"

Making Through Living—Living Through Making:

Studio Pottery in 2010"

Preconference for NCECA 2010, Philadelphia

March 29 and 30, Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA

Co-hosted by Michael Connelly and Alleghany Meadows

Conference qualifies towards ACT 48 Hours.

This inaugural conference at Montgomery County Community College will focus on contemporary issues in utilitarian pottery, including sustainability, creativity, content, form, marketing, idea generating and social outreach. Demonstrators will also give slide lectures about their work. There will be a keynote address by the editor of Studio Potter Magazine, a panel discussion about Living Through Making, and a panel discussion on Sustainability in Ceramics. Presenters, Speakers and Panelists include Mary Barringer, Christa Assad, Andy Brayman, Ron Meyers, Ellen Shankin, Ayumi Horie, Julia Galloway, Alleghany Meadows, Steven Lee and Michael Connelly. The conference will also feature Artstream Nomadic Gallery.

A part of the conferences focus will follow Montgomery County Community College’s commitment to integrating sustainability into the curriculum to better serve students, professionals and the greater community. Integration of "green" components across the curriculum for students in a wide variety of programs, from physical sciences to allied health, social sciences, and the humanities will have the greatest impact in the long-term reduction of the carbon footprint of our community. In addition, this conference will have a focus on "Green Kilns" and technologies for ceramic artists, which Dr. Stephen Grieco and Michael Connelly are currently seeking funding for a future kiln project at MCCC. It is, to the best of our knowledge, that the Montgomery County Community College’s "Green Kiln" will be the first at any college or university in the country.

The demonstrators and presenters will be among the artists represented by the Artstream during its 2010 Spring Tour. Venues for the tour will include the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO; Wabounsee Community College, Sugar Grove, IL; Illinois State University, Bloomington/Normal, IL; NCECA Preconference, Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA; NCECA 2010, Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA; New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred, NY, and other venues TBA.