Whether used to safely store and efficiently serve food, transform experience through ceremony and ritual, or in the context of contemporary, socially engaged practices, ceramics and craft objects have been touchstones for human purpose and connection. This lecture will demonstrate the potential of objects in the 21st century to be effective catalysts for community cohesion and social change.  Michael Strand provides the next installment in the joint NCECA/ 92Y Virtual Clay lecture series with this dynamic online talk at 7pm Eastern, on Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Learn more about the entire series here

NCECA Members receive a 20% discount on registration fees when they use the discount code NCECA92Y.

Michael J. Strand is Associate Professor and Head of Visual Arts at North Dakota State University. His artistic practice investigates the potential of craft as a catalyst for social change. A 2014 Bush Foundation Fellowship recipient, exhibited and published nationally and internationally, Strand’s work animates a sense of community through the intersection of human system dynamics with objects.

This event is part of 92Ys Virtual Clay™ series: offering first of a kind, real-time online classes that gather a vibrant community of artists, designers and art historians to speak with you about important topics in ceramics. The conversations are meant to challenge preconceptions and explore new territory, inspiring you to think about the world in fresh and different ways… all in the comfort of your home, studio or classroom.

NCECA and 92Y encourage you to gather groups in your own communities to become part of these dynamic presentations and discussions.

The course interface we will be using, Fuze, is offered as a free download and will permit questions and discussion to filter in via video and text connections. In order to participate, please make sure you are able to meet the following minimum system requirements:

  1. High speed Internet connection
  2. Internal or external computer speaker
  3. Internal or external computer mic
  4. PC users: Windows 7 or higher (Windows XP will not work)
  5. MAC users: OS x 10.8.5 or higher.

This presentation is one of several initiatives NCECA is taking to help us extend meaningful conversations and thinking about ceramics beyond the annual conference.

Thanks to our friends at the 92nd Street Y for making this event possible and to all of you who become a part of this discourse.