THE CERAMIC NATIONALS 1932-1972

When Anna Wetherill Olmsted became the director of the Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts— now the Everson Museum of Art—in 1930, her vision for the Museum included providing recognition, exposure, and opportunities for ceramists. Two years later, Olmsted launched the Robineau Memorial Ceramic Exhibition in memory of the recently deceased Syracuse ceramist, Adelaide Alsop Robineau. Olmstead limited the first exhibition to the talented pool of ceramic artists working in New York State. But after a significant outcry from those outside of the state, Olmsted widened the annual exhibition’s scope to artists from across the country. In 1936, the exhibition formally became the National Ceramic Exhibition.

The Ceramic Nationals live on through the nearly three hundred pieces that the Everson acquired for its collection through purchase prizes and donations. This collection embodies the story of the rise of ceramics and the Everson’s role in making this art form a vital part of Central New York’s cultural landscape and heritage.