Bonus Presentation: Clay and Georgia

Did you know that the country of Georgia, nestled just south of Russia and north of Turkey in the South Caucasus, has a long and rich history of ceramics that stretches over thousands of years?  Clay is central to the making of world-famous Georgian wines (fermented in giant clay amphorae) and to Georgia’s foodways (dishes baked and served in specialized clay vessels), as well as to their renowned hospitality to visitors. 

 Learn about contemporary Georgian clay artists, along with background materials on the country and its ceramic history.   Each artist’s work honors the country’s historic ceramic traditions and embodies personal creative muses ranging from Georgian folklore to 21st century design and conceptual art.  Their clay aesthetic melds the ancient with the contemporary. Having been isolated for almost a century during the Soviet period, their materials and methods often diverge from those in the West.  It makes for a fascinating and beautiful body of work, which is largely unknown in North America.

 The presentation will conclude with details on the launch of a new international arts project, “Echoes in Clay,” which will offer an exchange of virtual master classes by Georgian and US ceramic artists from late February through June of 2022.  

 About the presenter:  Dee Harris, a Montgomery Potters member and clay artist at Glen Echo, has lived and worked extensively in Georgia, Russia, Ukraine and other parts of Eastern Europe, and was awarded a 2020 Fulbright Fellowship to research and document Georgian contemporary ceramics and their relationship to prehistoric clay culture in the Caucasus region. 

NOTE: This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, however the number of people who can log into the Zoom site for the program will max out at 100.