You are cordially invited to attend the opening of a new exhibition I curated in Philadelphia along with Jack Thompson called To Die For. The opening is April 2 from 6-9. Please see both the press release and card attached for further information. It would be great to see you there.

All best,
Judy


Curatorial Statement:
Whether in effigy pots, vase paintings, or offerings to the dead, ceramics has always been a significant material in the world of the rituals of death, spirituality, and transformation. Dealing with the nature of mortality, issues of loss, hosts, ghosts, surrounding fears, and the meaning of life or afterlife, thirty-two artists portray their relationship with death, its meaning and of life’s fragility.
Death to some involves philosophical interpretations of vulnerability, hardship, grief, mourning, reincarnation and disintegration of the physical self. While to others, death is more political - where issues of gang violence, genocide, and even the plight of coal miners are explored.
Collectively, the diversity of expression found for this universal theme provide an exploration of the reality each of us must ultimately face.
Judith Schwartz

Please see pdf. on the show here.

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This year's honoree Judith S. Schwartz PhD, Professor of Art and Art Education and Head of the Sculpture: Craft Media Area at NYU Steinhardt, is an internationally recognized author, critic and curator of contemporary craft issues. Judith was a resident artist at Clay Art center in the mid-1960's. She was one of the pioneers of CAC and continues to be an ardent supporter today. She is a resident of Armonk.

In her brief speech, she expounded on what Clay Art Center meant to her when she was a young woman just beginning her career in clay: "the Clay Art Center played a pivotal role in my early career - acting as a transition between a ceramic art major in college and a professional life. It was a place to test the waters, develop skills, find a community of friends and, most importantly, put me in the company of role models that showed me that hard work is always required for success in the ceramic world, well, in most worlds for that matter....Clay is knowing about form, gesture, expression, and an atmosphere that conveys a spirit and meaning. It hones students' powers, both of observation and of three-dimensional representation - which are the essential foundation of all art-making. So, I want to take this opportunity to wish the Clay Art Center continued success in this high pursuit. I am grateful for this institution for being around at a time in my life when it was most needed and I know I speak for others who feel exactly the same way as I do."

Click here to see the announcement for Judith's talk at the Clay Art Center.

I am delighted to share the news that I am being honored by the Clay Art Center
in Portchester, NY on Wednesday, Sept 23 at a gala dinner/dance at the Crawford
Mansion in Rye Brook, NY for "my achievements in the advancement of ceramic
education".


The Clay Art Center was founded in 1957 by Katherine Choy & Henry Okamoto and I
was one of the early residents, after OSU and Queens College (1964 -1967) and
worked closely with Okamoto before moving to my own studio in Manhattan in '67.


Proceeds from the benefit go toward the Center's programing and to expand
scholarships for local youth as well as to extend their artist-in-residence
programs. I will also be lecturing about my new book, "Confrontational Ceramics"
on October 22. Check press release attached and/or www.clayartcenter.org for
further information.


All Best,


Judy

Dear Artists in Confrontational Ceramics,

I thought you would be interested in knowing that the New York Times (Sunday, November 30) reviewed our show, and I think it is a review we can feel proud of. It is not often that ceramic shows even get reviewed in the Times, but it is something that you certainly can add to your resume.

There will be a closing party on December 11, from 5:00-8:00 and it would be great to see you all so we can celebrate. There have been a number of inquiries from various museum locations for the show to travel. However, since I had little time prior to the show to arrange for it, your works will be returned and I will start up again fresh for the next round. I am in the process of applying for grants.

If you can't make it to the closing, I wish you all a most wonderful holiday and the best in the coming year.

I am most appreciative of your participation and the quality and heartfelt issues you have raised in your work. The issues are poignant and never more needed than now.

Here is the link to the Times review:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/nyregion/westchester/30artswe.html?_r=2

All best,

Judith

Confrontational Ceramic Show in White Plains.

Judith with Eve Melas on first floor of exhibition

Looking down from the second floor exhibition area

Looking at the Gender section from the War and Politics section

Looking to War and Politics section


Article Title:
Clay gets to the point

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200810190230/ENTERTAINMENT/810190316

Front of the Show.

Confrontational Ceramics

Sunday's NY Times ran a feature story about "All Fired Up!"(www.allfiredup.info) - a countywide celebration of the ceramic arts in Westchester( a suburb about 30 minutes north of NYC) for which I have been consulting this past year in collaboration with the Westchester Arts Council and The Clay Art Center. Check out this link, which highlights the more than 60 ceramic exhibitions in various cultural institutions to open over the next few weeks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/14artswe.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

I also wanted you to know about a small show I was asked to curate to celebrate the new book.

Confrontational Ceramics opens October 3 and runs through December 11 and if you are in the NY area, I hope you will be able to attend. Please click on the invitation below. Confrontational Ceramics opens Friday October 3rd starting at 6PM at the Westchester Arts Council's Grand Banking Room - 31 Mamaroneck Ave in downtown White Plains (public transportation directions from NYC below). I wish I could have included all of you in this show, but the exhibition space is not heavily endowed and they just could not afford a large show. Hopefully, a museum will ask me to curate one in the future.

The second exhibition, Spatial Meditations is at the Mariani Gardens in Armonk, NY which opens Saturday September 20^th and runs through November. The opening, this coming Saturday at Mariani Gardens will be from 1-4 and I also hope you will be able to attend.

Lastly, I hope you have now seen Confrontational Ceramics (University of Penn Press, USA or A&C Black, London) that is now available through Amazon at this link:

http://www.amazon.com/Confrontational-Ceramics-Judith-S-Schwartz/dp/0812241398/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220645674&sr=1-1

or through A& C Black at this link:

http://www.acblack.com/Catalogue/details.asp?sku=1424529&dept%5Fid=5&mscssid=4V8NJ1K7CPW69H72L0APGTSB2PSP3UVE

In addition here are links to all the artist's bios together with seminal articles which were important to the writing of this book:
http://www.judyschwartz.com/artistsbio.html

http://www.judyschwartz.com/docs.html

I am hearing wonderful praise about the book and it is gaining lots of attention. Please ask your local library and university to order it!!!.

With all best wishes and my deepest gratitude,

Judith Schwartz