Yellow Springs Ceramics National
When
November 6– December 13 2026
6th-13th 10AM-4PM Free Entry
Preview Party November 6th 5PM-8PM
Free Lecture November 6th 6PM
Extended Hours Wednesday, December 9th | 10 AM – 8 PM Free entry all day
Where
The Lincoln Building
1685 Art School Road
Historic Yellow Springs
Since the founding of Chester Springs Studio in 1978, The Village of Yellow Springs has dedicated itself to supporting artists, fostering critical engagement in ceramics, and introducing new audiences to this diverse medium.
The Yellow Springs Ceramics National takes a unique approach to format: instead of isolating individual works, it presents bodies of work by each artist, thoughtfully interwoven throughout the gallery space to foster dialogue and visual interplay.
The goal is to offer a more layered and nuanced view of contemporary ceramics. One that reflects the complexity, versatility, and depth of artists working today. Through a careful juror process, the exhibition highlights makers whose practices explore material, form, and surface in distinctive ways.
With a focus on material innovation, exceptional craftsmanship, and the interplay between functional and sculptural approaches, The Yellow Springs Ceramics National celebrates the vibrant voices shaping contemporary ceramics across the country today.
2026 Juror: Sean O’Connell
Sean received his BFA, from the Kansas City Art Institute, and MFA in Ceramics at the School for American Crafts, Rochester Institute of Technology in New York State. He’s attended several Artist-In-Residencies, including: Salad Day’s at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, ME, the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, MT, and Penland School of Craft, in Penland, NC. In 2013 he was named one of Ceramics Monthly’s Emerging Artists and in 2016 as one of six Emerging Artists at the annual NCECA conference. Sean has taught at numerous universities, colleges, and Art Centers. Most notably at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Alberta University of the Arts in Calgary, AB, Canada, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts and Penland School of Craft. He offers lectures, exhibits his work, and teaches workshops nationally.
“I believe in the beauty of handmade objects.”
“Creating by hand is a deliberate attempt at slowing down, connecting to something deeper, and taking time to appreciate the unique beauty in natural materials. My studio practice involves several aspects of making, including: pottery, carved wooden utensils, calligraphy brushes, paintings and sculpture. I make functional pottery and wooden utensils to enrich domestic tasks and spaces with well-made, everyday objects. My paintings and sculptures are more focused on abstract, visual studies of patterns or repetitive mark-making.” – Sean O’Connell
