Dear << Test First Name >>,
This month, we have exciting updates to share and some heartfelt gratitude to express. Let’s dive in!
On behalf of the Board, I would like to extend our deepest thanks to our outgoing chairs, Vera Hashem and Heather Gritz. Your efforts and dedication have made a lasting impact, and we are so grateful for your passion and commitment to ClayHouston’s mission. Though your terms have ended, we know you will continue to be an integral part of the organization!
ClayHouston Members will soon receive a message regarding the 2025 Board Slate. Voting will open for members only to approve the new slate of leaders who will guide ClayHouston into the coming year. Your vote is crucial to shaping our future - please keep an eye on your inboxes!
We can’t wait to introduce the full slate during the General Members' Meeting from 10:00 to 11:00 am on January 11, 2025. Mark your calendar for this special gathering where we’ll share updates, celebrate our achievements, and preview what’s ahead in 2025. The meeting will be held at the Glassell School of Art Auditorium (1st floor, 5101 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, TX 77006). It is open to all ClayHouston Members and anyone interested in learning more about the organization.
Our 8th Annual Bayou City Clay Crawl is finally right around the corner! Click here for a list of participating artists and the demo schedule. Grab your loved ones and come out to shop locally, meet ceramic artists, and kick off the holiday season. The Clay Crawl will take place alongside Houston Center for Contemporary Craft’s Hands-On Houston program and the opening reception of The Glassell School of Art show Ceramics in the Environment in the Craft Garden. We are also excited to have Empty Bowls join us this year!
Speaking of Empty Bowls, the 19th Annual Empty Bowls Houston event will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. Please note that this earlier date may affect your normal bowl making timelines! Each year, more than 1,000 unique bowls are created and donated to help raise funds for the Houston Food Bank’s mission to provide food for better lives in Houston and the surrounding counties. If you would like to participate, bowl donations may be dropped off at the locations below. Please contact Samantha Oldham with any questions.
On Saturday December 14 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm, artist Rose B. Simpson will be speaking at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s Brown Auditorium. Rose, a curator of the special exhibition Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery, will be discussing her multidisciplinary practice, which is rooted in her Santa Clara Pueblo heritage. This event is free with Museum admission. Please click here for more information and I hope to see you there!
To close out the year, ClayHouston members will experience an exclusive tour of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s new exhibition, Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery on Sunday, December 15. This exhibit showcases historical, modern, and contemporary pottery pieces that honor cultural heritage and artistic legacy. The event is currently full but you can keep an eye on our registration page, in case a spot becomes available.
As I reflect on the upcoming end of my term as president of the Board, I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the experience and what it has taught me. More importantly, I feel so lucky to have worked with an incredible group of human beings, whose dedication and kindness made a huge impact on me. I am incredibly grateful for the participation and support of all of ClayHouston’s members, without whom the organization would not exist. To each of our members, volunteers, and supporters: thank you for being a vital part of the ClayHouston community. Your passion fuels our mission to cultivate and advance the ceramic arts. We wish you a joyful holiday season and look forward to seeing you in 2025!
Warmly,
Marie-Hélène Nguyen
ClayHouston President
