Immersing themselves in mud: NCECA 2025

By Cathie McCormick

April 13, 2025

With a main session in the ballroom, the main atrium of the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City seems quiet.

For four days in March, thousands of clay folks from around the country and the world descended on Salt Lake City for the National Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Conference. For those of us who like to get our hands dirty, it is heaven. Everyone there loves clay: making it, buying it, selling it, learning how others work in it. Every conversation included how this art form captures our hearts.

Formations—the name of this year’s conference—was the 59th time this group of people gathered. The pandemic cancelled 2020’s—the t-shirts were on sale for $5 at this year’s conference; I bought two—and 2021’s was virtual, but the tradition to meet in person began again in 2022 in Sacramento, 2023 in Cincinnati and 2024 in Richmond. Richmond’s was close enough that many local potters made the trip. If you were there, leave a comment below. Tell us what inspired you.

NCECA as an  organization was founded in 1966 as a separate education division of the American Ceramic Society, a group that included ceramic engineers. Since then, the organization has grown to more than 6,000 members. According to unofficial word of mouth, 5,000 of those descended on Salt Lake City a few weeks ago. The size of both the place and the crowd was impressive.

Demonstrating artists Kyumgmin Park and Diego Valles spent two days showing their process and answering questions as they worked on stage.

Fortunately, the Salt Palace Convention Center in downtown Salt Lake City contains acres of space for the group to converge. Sessions on glaze formulation, avoiding overuse injuries, and community engagement happened at various times and in various locations. As usual, art galleries and museums around town hosted exhibits of ceramic art, and bus excursions transported us to see all there was to offer.

"A Boy and his Mom at the Shelter," by Suzanne Storer hung on the wall of the Visual Art Institute as part of an exhibit titled I'm Roofless Not Homeless.

An enormous resource hall featured vendors who sell tools, kilns, clay, and everything in between. A separate section hosted colleges and other organizations offering classes, workshops, and fellowships for clay artists. Educators who work in K-12 sponsored an exhibit and awards for young clay folks. Emerging artists displayed their work and provided presentations on their path during the closing session.

Presenters took turns at the wheel to demonstrate their style in the resource hall.

Inspiration is the primary goal. There are as many ways to work in clay as there are stars in the sky, and just when you think you’ve seen it all . . . there’s something new. The inspiration trickles down and you may see new things in the Potters Guild of Frederick gallery after an artist has been so inspired. If that isn’t enough of an incentive, NCECA announced that the 2027 Conference will be held in Baltimore. So, get ready Maryland . . . if you’re a clay artist keep a look out for information on dates and location. If you love clay art, there are day passes. If you teach art, get your students involved.