Dear Ceramic Artist,

Who says “functional ceramics isn’t true art”? Not us.

The Olive Free Library, known for ground breaking, high quality art exhibitions, wants to honor the skills and artistry of functional ceramic artists. The show’s curators Nathalie Andrews and Elaine Ralston absolutely love ceramics, enjoying the beauty of bowls, platters, vases, mugs and more, everyday in their homes. We believe that all of our collective day-to-day lives are enriched when we utilize these beautiful items not just in our kitchens, but throughout our homes and work. This ceramics exhibition, focusing on functional items, is titled Bowled Over, and will be on display from March 15 - May 3, 2025.

We will be selecting the most beautiful and unique pieces, and making them available for purchase by our patrons and other local and regional arts enthusiasts. Maybe you create ceramics for eating, or displaying flowers, or for any other practical use. Maybe your art is functional, but you think it is too beautiful to use. We are eager to see what you have created and display it in our Community Gallery exhibition space.

Want to exhibit? Below are the details.

Exhibition Details:

  • Venue: Olive Library, 4033 Route 28A, West Shokan, New York

  • Exhibition Dates: March 15 - May 3, 2025

  • Theme: Functional Ceramics (submissions must be functional and not sculptural)

  • Artwork Intake: Monday March 10

  • Opening Reception: Saturday March 15, 3 - 5 pm

Submission Guidelines:

  1. Eligibility: Open to all ceramic artists creating functional ceramics

  2. Artwork: Submit 5-10 high-quality images (jpg or png) of your recent work (created within the last five years)

  3. Artist Statement: Provide a brief bio or statement (250 words max) about your work and its relevance to functional ceramics

  4. Artwork details: Provide details for each submitted image (title, dimensions (height x width x depth), materials, year created)

Submission Deadline: January 15, 2025

Selection Process: the curators, Elaine and Nathalie, will review all submissions. Selected artists will be notified by January 31, 2025.

To submit your work, please email the required materials to thefessor@hotmail.com with the subject line "Bowled Over Submission - [Your Name]".

We look forward to receiving your submissions and hopefully featuring your work in this exciting exhibition,

Nathalie Andrews and Elaine Ralston