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THE CERAMIC NATIONALS 1932-1972

The field of studio ceramics is currently experiencing a massive surge in popularity. With one click, artists can share their work with tens of thousands of viewers. Most major art galleries have at least one ceramic artist in their stable. Hobbyists and experienced studio artists alike have a world of materials and expertise at their command. We may not realize that this was not always the case. A century ago, ceramics were a decidedly regional affair. While the American Arts & Crafts Movement increased the aesthetic and material quality of ceramics immensely, ceramics still fell into the category of decorative rather than fine art.

Anna Wetherill Olmsted

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.

Olmsted was a relentless booster for both the Museum and the field of ceramics. In 1936, she found resources to send the exhibition abroad to museums in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. A series of domestic exhibitions followed that included the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the San Francisco Museum of Art. Under Olmsted’s ambitious leadership, the Ceramic Nationals grew in stature over the next forty years and helped to build the careers of artists like Jun Kaneko, Karen Karnes, and Peter Voulkos. Ultimately, the annual exhibition became a victim of its own success. By the time of the last regularly scheduled Ceramic National in 1972, virtually no constraints in scale, material, and subject matter remained, which made the logistics of a touring exhibition and the jurying process next to impossible.

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.

The Ceramic Nationals (1932-1972) is supported with federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to the New York State Library by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Credits:

Photos by Jamie Young