14th Annual Bascom Clay Symposium

Celebrating the 14th anniversary of the Bascom Annual Clay Symposium, postponed from September of 2024 due to hurricane Helene, we are pleased to present Christine Kosiba, Andrea Keys Connell, and Taylor Robenalt as our 2025 artists. The artists will highlight Animal and Figurative Ceramic Sculpture through sharing stories, inspirations, and techniques learned through the years.

About the Symposium 

The Bascom Clay Symposium, formerly known as the Three Potters Symposium, has become a popular event on The Bascom’s calendar. Throughout its history, the symposium has attracted clay artists from across North Carolina, the Southeast, and the entire country. Past events have featured celebrated artists such as Ben Owen III, Michael Sherrill, Cynthia Bringle, Christina Cordova, and Jim Connell. This year’s symposium promises to bring together a cross-section of the state’s most influential clay artists once again. In a format designed to encourage questions and organic conversation with the audience and each other, the featured artists will demonstrate side-by-side while sharing their stories, inspirations, and techniques.

North Carolina, especially Western North Carolina, has long been a home for clay artists, where both the traditions and innovations of American clay history thrive. Each year, the Bascom Clay Symposium celebrates this legacy by bringing together clay artists to share their works and practices among each other and an audience of fellow practitioners and enthusiasts. The symposium focuses on both their processes and finished work, providing visitors with a unique window into the world of the makers. Through this event, The Bascom aims to build visibility and recognition for the creators who make their livelihood in the region.

Thanks to the generosity of Bascom sponsors, the symposium is free to all and welcomes both drop-in visitors and those who wish to participate in the entire event.

About the artists:

Christine Kosiba
"My sculptures take form through various hand building techniques.  I incorporate coiling, building solid on an armature and modifiying pinch pots in my studio practice.  During the symposium I will demo working solid on an armature and with modified pinch pots.  I will be incorporating animal imagery focusing on basic anatomy, expression and gesture."

Andréa Keys Connell
"I will demonstrate the hollow building technique I use to create everything from small figurines to monumental sculptures. Utilizing this method, I will create a pastoral animal that speaks to the language of my sculptures, rooted in the history of figurines and fairy tales. I will talk about selecting a clay body, surface techniques that range from cold surface painting to glazing, and strategies for building large and complex forms."

Taylor Robenalt
Taylor will commence her demonstration by providing a clear and concise way to create a hollow formed porcelain sculpture out of coils, pinch and slab. She will focus on delicate and refined features in flora and fauna and create a sculpture that depicts a symbolic narrative.

Throughout the demonstration, Taylor will delve into the nuances of shape language, emphasizing the importance of detailed faces adorned with highly refined features. She will impart insights into her artistic process and the challenges and rewards of working with the delicate yet enchanting material of porcelain.