Special thanks to LexArts for inviting me to jury their State of Clay 2023 exhibition. Jurying an open call exhibition is full of welcome surprises! Representing quality, diversity, and invention within the confines of LexArts’ gallery space was inevitable given all the wonderful work submitted. I was asked to select 75-80 works for the show. Considering each of the 450 entries made by 176 artists was a formidable task. Ceramic artworks reveal a person’s unique approach to clay and life, as well as their skill level, understanding of the current cultural relevance of ceramic processes and techniques, and knowledge of the field, both current and historical. The pieces chosen for the exhibition run the gamut to be sure! Some works create a symphony of content and technique, others step forward with fearless, fringing on out-of-control invention, and many are defined by tradition. Untangling the shear mass of entries was a truly humbling task! Thank you for the privilege intrinsic to this selection process. It took my thinking down avenues I never knew existed and am very grateful to have encountered. Liz Quackenbush
