Alfred Teaches Ceramics, 1900-1996

Alfred Teaches Ceramics, 1900-1996, features the seventeen Alfred faculty members who have taught ceramics at the New York State College of Ceramics during its nearly one hundred year history. Beginning with Charles Fergus Binns, the founding director of the New York State College of Ceramics in 1900, there has been a continual progression of excellent teachers up through the present year. Teachers include Binns, Charles Harder, Marion Fosdick, Theodore Randall, Daniel Rhodes, Robert Turner, William Parry, Don Schreckengost, Wally Higgins, Tom Spleth, Tony Hepburn, Val Cushing, Wayne Higby, John Gill, Andrea Gill, Anne Currier, and Doug Jeck. All left a permanent legacy with each and every student with whom they came in contact.

Of course all of those individuals who have taught at Alfred have been accomplished artists/designers in their own right. While the exhibit will highlight sixty ceramic works created by these teacher/artist/designers during their teaching days at Alfred, the accompanying catalogue (out of print) will focus on the teaching philosophy of each of these individuals. Accompanying historic photographs in the catalogue capture the teachers interacting with their students.

Some of Alfred's most prominent professors at work: Val M. Cushing instructing a class on glaze calculations while Charles Harder performs a class demonstration on throwing. The exhibit features many photos of Alfred Professors past and present, ranging from the early years of C. Fergus Binns and Marion Fosdick to the newest additions to the program, such as Doug Jeck. Also featured in the Alfred Teaches Ceramics is the work of the ceramic art faculty.