Ceramic Arts @ Elliott Bay

This blog has a very specific focus – what we see and hear on Elliott Bay. Most of the time, we write about things that float. But every once in a while, we observe something on the periphery of Elliott Bay that we think merits attention. Today is one of those days.

There’s a unique exhibit currently taking shape at Pier 62/63 (which, after all, sits atop Elliott Bay, if not in Elliott Bay). The exhibit is being mounted in conjunction with the 46th annual conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA), which will be held March 28 through 31 here in Seattle. NCECA is a non-profit educational organization founded in 1966 to promote interest in the ceramic arts. The conference theme is “On the Edge,” a reference to Seattle’s location on the edge of both the country and the Pacific Rim. More than 190 exhibits, including the exhibit at Pier 62/63, are being presented to coincide with the conference.

The exhibit at Pier 62/63 is titled “Weather or Not” and consists of collaborative temporary installations and works using clay in a way that interacts with the weather. In the words of the exhibit curator, “Daily climate and weather in Seattle, on two large piers in downtown Seattle, on the EDGE of the Puget Sound is dynamic and we have invited individuals and groups to create something EDGY and with a potential to withstand the weather . . . or not, and celebrate our collective adventures and fascination with clay.” NCECA 2012 Exhibition Guide, p.18.

We toured the exhibit yesterday and again today. The artists plan to watch how their works interact with the weather – rain, wind, frost, and sunlight.

Here are some examples from the exhibit.