'Rising Stars' Clay Art Center Celebrates Its Emerging Artists

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The Clay Art Center in Port Chester regularly hosts the best known and most respected pottery artists from around the world, but its highly anticipated upcoming exhibit will focus on the center's mission of teaching.

Although the gallery's newest installation focuses on less famous artists, the "Rising Stars" from around the Hudson Valley have created a curated exhibit that captures the heart of the clay arts in ways both provoking and transformative.

More than 400 adult and youth students have taken classes at the Clay Art Center throughout 2022 and their work will be on display for four weeks in the Clay Art Center gallery's "Rising Stars: Annual Student Exhibition with Concurrent Youth & Community Arts Exhibitions."

The exhibition will be open to the public in the gallery from Jan. 16 through Feb. 15. An opening reception is scheduled for Jan. 21, at 1:30 p.m.

The show will celebrate the achievements of the center's adult students with concurrent
exhibitions from youth students the Clay Art Center Community Arts Program. The exhibition brings together a diverse range of artists who are at many different stages in their journey with clay. It will feature functional and sculptural works, creating a visual presentation of
Clay Art Center’s strength and breadth in educational programming.

"The show is a great opportunity to acknowledge the technical skills, creativity and progress of our adult learners, as well as recognizing the achievements and importance of our Community Arts and Youth Programs, which are integral to our mission," Clay Arts Center said of the annual tradition. "In this exhibition, our student body comes together as one, celebrating their hard work and learning through clay."

Clay Art Center leaders said the long-term benefit of the annual "Rising Stars" exhibit is to encourage and excite people to become students at the center and to celebrate and encourage the talents of current students. All the emerging artists displaying their work have honed their skills and have learned to love clay.

To truly appreciate the clay arts, the works are best viewed up close and in person. A visit might just inspire a lifelong appreciation of clay.

The opening reception will afford a perfect opportunity to also tour the studios and classrooms and learn more about the works created by the remarkably talented students. The visit will also give art lovers a chance to learn more about the Clay Art Center's adult and youth weekly and one-time classes. From novices to experienced potters, the center has handbuilding, wheel throwing and special topic classes designed for all skill levels.

The Clay Art Center is a nationally recognized non-profit center for the advancement and practice of ceramic arts offering clay classes for adults and children, studio spaces for clay artists, outreach programs in the community, exhibitions and a shop. It is located in the heart of Port Chester at 40 Beech Street. Visit www.clayartcenter.org to learn more.