Exhibitions 2012: Watershed's Legends: 25 Years of Residencies

October 13 – November 23, 2012

Reception: November 8, 2012 from 6 to 9pm, with the lecture by the curator Judith Schwartz at 7pm.

Featured artists: Ruth Borgenicht (NJ), Lucy Breslin (ME), Scott Chamberlin (CO), Sam Chung (AZ), Cynthia Consentino (MA), Eddie Dominguez (NE), Paul Dresang (IL), John Glick (MI), Peter Gourfain (NY), Rain Harris (MO), Steven Heinemann (CAN), Yoshi Ikeda (KS), Kathy King (MA), Marc Leuthold (NY), Jeffrey Mongrain (NY), Denise Pelletier (CT), Nathan Prouty (OH), Annabeth Rosen (CA), Tim Rowan (NY), Virginia Scotchie (SC), James Shrosbree (IA), Shalene Valenzuela (MT), Monica Van den Dool (CA), Jamie Walker (WA), and Arnie Zimmerman (NY) 

The University Art Gallery in New Bedford presents a show of 25 artists connected to the artist residency program located in Newcastle, Maine, called Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts. In its 25 year history, this program has brought over 1100 artists from around the globe to its campus to offer “a time and space to work in clay.” Visitors to this exhibition can enjoy a variety of artworks created from this wonderfully versatile material; from traditional forms such as vases or platters to experimental objects that stretch the possibilities of ceramics in playful and exciting ways. There are figurative sculptures, ornamental elements, technical marvels, a variety of glaze color combinations both raw and polished, as well as vibrant pink surfaces that accentuate the breadth of vocabulary in this art form. 

The connection between the UMass Dartmouth Ceramics Program and the Watershed Center goes back to when Emeritus Professor Chris Gustin, one of Watershed’s founders, brought the first group of students (then of the Swain School of Design) to Watershed for a Fall residency in 1986, the year of the Center’s inception. The close association with UMass Dartmouth has continued with over 60 alumni and faculty participating as Watershed residents. The Ceramics Club sponsors the UMass Dartmouth/Watershed Scholarship each year. Many university alumni have been on staff of this non-profit organization, including Sharon Pollock Deluzio (MFA’88) and Tyler Gulden (MFA’00) who have both served as Executive Director. He, along with UMass Dartmouth Professor and Watershed Board member Jim Lawton, helped to bring this exhibition to the University Art Gallery. 

To celebrate the special environment Watershed has nurtured among emerging, mid-, and late career artists, guest curator Judith Schwartz has selected a representative artist from each year of the program’s existence. Her selections exemplify the diversity and exuberance of a unique generation of contemporary ceramic artists. Dr. Schwartz will be presenting a lecture at UMass Dartmouth’s satellite campus at 715 Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 on AHA night, November 8th at 7pm