Sacramento will be the hub for all things clay during the 2022 NCECA conference! Northern California is where the rise of modern studio ceramics took hold with the arrival of Marguerite Wildenhain, Antonio Prieto, and Edith Heath. Their arrival built upon the efforts of early 20th century potteries; and continued the practice of creative adaptation as applied by multimedia artist, Sargent Johnson, who arrived in 1915. It is also here where Peter Voulkos retooled ceramics from pottery to fine art, attracting many artists to the area like James Melchert, Stephen De Staebler, and Richard Shaw. Robert Arneson, Viola Frey, Ron Nagle, and Ruth Rippon have always called Northern California home. Nearby Gladding McBean – with its extensive and still-active clay caches has been at the forefront of architectural ceramics. California’s multiculturalism and the dynamism of potters and innovative makers throughout the region forever changed the trajectory of contemporary ceramics.

Sacramento, as the epicenter of the national Farm to Fork Movement, also offers consistently excellent and affordable culinary experiences. And, here in California’s capital city, the exceptional Crocker Art Museum and its broad ceramic collection will serve as an anchor to the conference. Warm weather and blue skies await your arrival!

I look forward to welcoming you to this charming river city.

Nancy M. Servis
Sacramento On-site Liaison

We would like to extend our biggest welcome to Nancy Servis, our Sacramento On-site Liaison

Nancy M. Servis, Sacramento, California, is a recognized author, curator, educator, and ceramic historian specializing in Northern California ceramics. She has been an active member of the greater San Francisco Bay Area ceramics community for nearly thirty years where she curated insightful exhibitions for galleries and museums and devised college curriculum on the topic of California clay. As a frequent guest lecturer, Nancy has shared her seasoned perspective nationally speaking at the Harvard Ceramics Program, Greenwich House Pottery in New York and select NCECA conferences. Her writing is featured in periodicals like Ceramics: Art + Perception, Neue Keramik, Studio Potter, and the NCECA Journal. She also is the author of several artist biographies and exhibition catalogues. In 2014 Nancy was the Jentel Critic/Writer in Residence at the Archie Bray Foundation for Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana, and was recently inducted into the International Academy of Ceramics located in Geneva, Switzerland. Presently, Nancy is completing her book on the history of Northern California ceramics. In addition to her commitment to preserving, documenting, and exhibiting the work of Northern California ceramics artists, Nancy is a passionate dog lover and regularly fosters Weimaraners. For more information visit her website.