Pottery of Protest (POP7)

“Yearning to Breathe Free”

Clay and Activism Combined

Opening 2/24/24, 5-9pm

Lincoln Square Pottery Studio - Learning Center presents its 7th annual Pottery of Protest exhibition. This show combines clay and activism in unique and thought-provoking ways.

Artists often use their form of creativity to break down and then build up the complex issues that surround them. The world at large can be overwhelming; hate, violence, famine and natural disasters just to name a few. Artists have always been the canary in the coal mine, sensing when freedom and justice are being eroded. Pottery of Protest 7 has inspired students to create artwork that reflects the discourse across the globe.

The Pottery of Protest concept began back in 2016, when political upheaval in the US took a turn towards the perilous. Heated discussions and frustrations circulated through the studio, building to a crescendo when the presidential elections concluded. Collectively, the studio decided to gather and display all of their personal work created with passion and conviction. The first exhibition, in February of 2017, was attended by the studio’s students and their families. By the time the show hit its half-decade mark, the public showed up in droves to see the introspective work.

POP7’s theme for 2024 is based around the words inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty. “Yearning to Breathe Free,” was meant to be a symbol of open immigration and opportunity. Amid the stark migrant crisis currently facing the country, politicians have twisted these honored words to exclude the desperate people trying to escape poverty and death in Central and South America.

This year’s theme is a jump -off point to spark the students’ inner passions. Our artists have been working on both literal interpretations as well as very nuanced impressions of the topic. Pieces are being created depicting the struggle of those arriving in Chicago in the dead of winter from the Texas border crossing. This national emergency is on everyone’s mind, and between the lack of housing, work permits and essentials for living, the city and its residents are in a quandary. For those migrants looking to start life in the “Promised Land”, the transition to their new city has been a harsh one. Other artworks for the show delve into the the shocking statistics surrounding the 500+ murders occurring annually in Chicago. The works also acknowledge the lives that were lost, as well as the lasting impact on communities. Global warming is a repeated artwork topic- significantly ramping up in number since the show’s inception.

The Pottery of Protest show has always incorporated a fundraiser to help out local non-profits with meaningful causes. Beautiful hand-made mugs donated by the studio’s students go for sale as part of the event (and get filled with delicious hot beverages). Past recipients have been the Red Door Animal Shelter, Common Pantry, LYTE Collective and Inner-City Muslim Action Network’s Beloved Studio. One hundred percent of the money raised during the Buy-A-Cup Benefit will again go to a chosen organization in 2024. This year’s choice is The Chicago Furniture Bank. This thoughtful organization, established in 2018, collects and distributes home furnishings to those struggling with poverty in the city, as well as keeping tons of furniture waste out of landfills. They have placed more than 5,000 items into Chicagoan’s homes- as well as providing dignity, stability and comfort. LSPS-LC chose the CFB because it gives much needed services to both long time city residents, as well as the newly arrived migrants that are being settled into more permanent housing.

Please join us Saturday, February 24th (5-9pm) at 4150 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, to celebrate freedom of creative expression, as well as honoring local organizations that serve those in need.

EVENT DETAILS

Pottery of Protest 6 Overview

The Pottery of Protest 6 Exhibition at LSPS-LC attracted a multitude of people. Art enthusiasts, fans and students of the studio, as well as activists and animal rights supporters. The four-hour long opening on February 25th saw a steady flow of admirers. Many were engrossed in the dense artist statements paired with ceramic work, others chatted with each other and the representative from the Red Door Animal Shelter.

For many, LSPS-LC is a place to come and unwind after a long week of work and life. Evening classes host students of all levels and aspirations; most are there to connect with creative friends, others to seriously sharpen their techniques. Independent study students meander in throughout the week to work on their unique series of pottery and sculpture, while some prolifically turn out commissions. These students were content to come back each session until the studio’s first Pottery of Protest in 2018. The opportunity to create work based on their own observations of the world and how it affected their lives really hit a cord with many. The first POP show reflected the state of politics in this country, from figural depictions to emotional abstractions. Each sucessive year, the work increased in scope and subject matter. Now our students start their POP pieces months before the opening, wanting to express their perspective and authentic take on life.

POP6 was heavy in the environmental category this year. Artists like Ann Cibulskis addressed the scourge of plastic use and waste, and Rebecca Hamlin Green’s fishing line entangled Right Whale also drove her point home. Oozing black wax caked Jessica McCartney’s sculpture of the animals in the Australian Outback in a visceral reminder of life lost in the recent wild fires. The show’s judge, Emilie Bouvet-Boisclair, had a hard time narrowing down the winners due to the overwhelming amount of high quality and impassioned pieces. She took several hours to write down thoughts on each artwork she resonated with, and came up with these winners (and a few honorable mentions):

Environmental Awareness:

Ann Cibulskis “The New Ocean”

Honorable Mentions: Jessica McCartney “Consumed” and Sheila Schaefer “Earth Mother”

Politics and Governance:

Kris Magnuson “Christianity in Politics” 

Justice and Politics:

Meg Biddle “Who does the drawing?”

Conflict and Violence:

Joseph Ahn “Ready for a Riot”

Peace and Prosperity:

Lena Krantzler “Load of Motherhood”

Human Rights:

Mieke Zuiderweg “Whitewashed: Jolly Racism/Farmers for Global Warming”

Judge’s Choice:

Rebecca Hamlin Green “Entangled”

LSPS-LC owner and instructor Meg Biddle took many hours to hand build and carve out the medallions that were given out as prizes for each category.

Each year POP is paired with a  Buy-A-Cup Benefit. In 2023, the studio’s sights were set on promoting and raising money for the Red Door Animal Shelter in the West Roger’s Park neighborhood of Chicago. The non-profit mainly rescues, houses, gives medical help and adopts out rabbits (some cats and dogs). More than 40 cups were sold at the event, raising over $900 dollars for Red Door to use for supplies surrounding their animals’ needs. Studio artists, along with Judge Bouvet-Boisclair and volunteer Paul Schultz donated their artwork for this event and made it possible to raise the funds.

Along with the POP submissions placed on pedestals and the studio’s monumental work tables, the event converted its back storage space into a small black box theater, where short clips of artists explaining their work accompanied images and video of the pieces coming together. Check out the work HERE.

The studio would like to thank all the artists who contributed their insightful work to this year’s POP show, to the benefit and also for helping set up the event. A big thank you to Red Door for sharing our opening with their people and sending a representative to talk about their important mission. The artwork that received medallions will be on display at the studio through the month of March. Stop by Monday-Sunday from 1pm-6pm to see it! 4150 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, Il.

POP6

Another New Year has arrived, bringing introspection and resolutions. The artists at LSPS-LC take their reflections seriously; they channel the wrongs of the world into their work. Join us in giving their unique, creative perspective the attention it deserves during the POP6 exhibition opening on Saturday, February 25th from 4-8PM.

LSPS-LC students have been passionately making ceramic artwork with a cause since the first Pottery of Protest in 2018. Each year the studio adds new categories for their artists to expand their ideas into; Human Rights, Environmental Awareness, Politics and Governance, Justice and Politics, Conflict and Violence and Peace and Prosperity.

Studio artist & volunteer Ann Cibulskis plans her ideas out months before each exhibition. Her past works have repeatedly touched on gun violence in Chicago. She visually shows the immense human and community loss associated with the statistics. This year, her piece “The New Ocean” showcases how overwhelming it can be to reduce the use of benzine-based products from our lives. A life-sized human arm made of clay flails desperately against a tsunami of plastic bags, containers and food packaging. The mixed-media piece conveys the feeling of unsuccessfully fighting the plastics scourge.

Artist and compassionate animal rights supporter Emilie Bouvet-Boisclair will be this year’s judge. Bouvet-Boisclair is an exceptional wheel thrower with an eye towards animal-inspired designs. Bouvet-Boisclair has an unusual process to her work. Based on her years of oil and watercolor painting, the artist layers her pieces with slip, stains, glazes and painterly brushwork. The results are a balance of messy and refined, making the work fascinating to explore. Bouvet-Boisclair anthropomorphizes her animal subjects to make the viewer connect with them as individual beings. Her personal history of spending time on her grandparent’s small dairy farm in the Quebec Province helped cement her commitment to vegetarianism and promoting animal rights. The artist will be selecting work for honorary medallions during the event.

LSPS-LC has always paired a Buy-A-Cup Benefit with each POP exhibition. Students donate their hand-made cups and mugs for the event, which raises money for a local cause. Past recipients have been the LYTE Lounge youth building in the Greater Grand Crossings neighborhood as well as the Inner-City Muslim Action Network’s Beloved Ceramic Studio. This year, The Red Door Animal Shelter in West Rogers Park will be the recipient. The non-profit promotes respect for animals through education, rescue and adoption. The no-kill organization mainly shelters rabbits, cats and dogs. In celebration of the Year of the Rabbit, the shelter and studio will be working together on social media to promote and find forever homes for their bunnies, as well as raise money to help the shelter with staffing, food and bills.

Join us, Saturday, February 25th, from 4-8pm, for libations and an overall sense of purpose. Open to the public. For the safety of our students and staff, this will be a masked event. Lincoln Square Pottery Studio – Learning Center is located at 4150 N. Lincoln Ave. Chicago, IL. 60618. Please send questions or comments to mieke@comeplaywithclay.com or call 773-248-4430.

Pottery of Protest 5 (2022)

Lincoln Square Pottery Studio - Learning Center is a non-profit that opened its doors in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago in 2003. Owner and Instructor Meg Biddle teaches classes from beginner to advanced levels in pottery wheel throwing and hand building. Originally, Biddle wanted a space filled with light that people could connect in and explore their creativity. The sense of community that formed over the past two decades has catapulted friendships, collaborations as well as shows. Biddle’s focus now is for her students to feel supported enough to gain the confidence to exhibit and sell their work. Twice a year the studio hosts big events; the Holiday Sale & Show and the Anniversary Sale & Show. These happenings (as well as renting tent spots at the Glenwood Ave Arts Fest and Ravenswood Artwork in the city) have started a flurry of creative careers. To add to her students’ experience, a Pottery of Protest Exhibition was thought up after the rough political and environmental year of 2018. Each successive year after that, students were given the opportunity to make pieces inspired by what they perceived as injustices in the world. From this artist call-out, pieces with unique and powerful messages were created.

This year the Pottery of Protest Exhibition was moved to the month of August in anticipation of lower COVID infection rates, along with the ability to keep the front doors open for additional air movement. Pedestals that were created to showcase both artwork and hold studio supplies (thought up by volunteer Paul Schultz) were peppered about the studio. The space’s massive concrete-topped work tables were also used to lay out more expansive works (Alice Huang Hollowed’s “Prize Flag Quiz” as well as Brittany Radom’s “Aposematic; Warning Colors”).

A constant crowd wove between the pieces, most taking the time to read (the sometimes long) artist statements. Viewer’s reaction was enthusiastic but quiet - most of the pieces were moving but carried an undertone of worry or anger over the state of the world. The exhibition yielded some incredible artwork. At just over 20 pieces, the show wasn’t as packed as past years, but it was clear that the artists each spent a lot of time, thought and creative energy to get their messages across. Some artists presented freshly formed and unfired work, others finished a series of pieces that took months to come to fruition. Each piece served as a punch - both visually and emotionally. This was in part due to the artists’ well-thought out concepts, but also their ability to manipulate the medium.

Participants in POP5 created work on a wide range of subjects, from unsolicited sexual attention article to the ever-growing number of shootings occurring in schools article . Two topics that triggered multiple artworks were the overturning of Roe v Wade article , as well as the continued injustices faced by Native American communities.

Artists Marcie Claus, Eilis Fagan, Matthew Roeder and Kathleen Kane each had a different take on the loss of abortion rights throughout the nation. Kane created two vessels containing fetuses under the words “Supply” and “Demand” (based off the 2008 CDC statement that there is a “decrease in our domestic supply of infants”). The pieces were greenware (dried clay), and viewers were encouraged to break them and watch the shards dissolve in water (to make the material malleable again, just as the people of this country can remake the Supreme Court decision).

Artists Meg Biddle and her partner Zeke Garza, as well as Richard Zeid and Esmeralda Rodriguez Eguia were moved to make work that encompassed part of the Native American experience.

Artist Rodriguez Eguia created a clay coil-built family tree candle holder inspired by the traditional folk art of Izucar de Matamoros, Puebla in Mexico. The piece was actuated because of the Bracken v Haarland court case, article which initially started as Brakeen v Zinke in 2018. Debra Anne Haarland is the first Native American (from the Laguna Pueblo tribe) to be the Secretary of the Interior. The suit is meant to disable the Indian Child Welfare Act (1973), which protects the well-being and best interests of Native American children. Rodriguez Eguia decorated her meaningful piece with feathers that represented the children forcefully removed from their community, as well as Cherokee roses to signify the loss of life and home during the Trail of Tears. article

Other potent pieces included stamped images of joyful children, with blood overflowing their idyllic play scenes. The shocking and horror-filled slab-built pieces were conceived by artist Melanie Liss, who has worked as an art teacher in schools for many years. The lack of gun laws, and violence in schools have shaken her, and that is starkly evident in her piece.

Artist Paul Schultz and Victoria Grove both tucked into their passions; animal and environmental rights. Schultz used a meticulously constructed beaver damn to emphasize that these keystone species have recovered from near extinction (caused by humans). Schultz hopes that people can draw inspiration from the animal; transforming their backyards, neighborhoods and cities into new and healthy ecosystems to support plant and animal life.

Victoria Grove created multiple sculptures around the fact that humans still do trophy hunting. The young artist has been shocked to discover that many of the world’s most incredible land animals are at the end of their lineage due to hunting and garnishing of horns for illegal trade. She decided not to mince her message; the gore and blood depicted on the decapitated heads of her black rhinoceros and elephant make it hard to ignore the truth. article

Since the concept of Pottery of Protest is for artists to air injustices, the studio has worked to offset some of the damage caused by humanity. The popular Buy-A-Cup Benefit has been a way for supporters to donate money to a good cause, and walk away with a handmade piece by one of the many talented artists. This year, people not only bought a cup and filled it with one of the refreshing drinks provided by Sweet Virginia's Kitchen, but made their way back to the benefit table to give even more money!

The cause that had everyone so excited was The LYTE Collective’s ongoing LYTE Lounge project in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood of Chicago. The Collective’s mission serves young adults impacted by poverty and homelessness. The non-profit, which was founded in 2014, has helped build a more equitable world by providing help to every young person that contacts them. Their Lighthouse Apartments have given people a place to stay for up to two years, rent free along with holistic health support services. The Collective’s Mobile Support Unit goes directly to those in need, and has helped them get basic needs; housing as well as physical and mental health support.

This year, The Collective is working to finish the LYTE Lounge info , a hub of support that will function in a multitude of ways. The safe haven will be a recreation center of sorts; classes in creative arts, music and sports. It will also serve as a way of connecting young people with employment and training, as well as protecting their rights in the workplace. LYTE staff are working with employers all over the city to create opportunities for the youth in their care. LSPS-LC is excited about their mission, and long-term vision to help change the often difficult landscape for young adults in the city. If you are moved to help LYTE complete their vision, please visit their website and follow their donate link: donate

This year’s POP judge was Jayne Lilienfeld-Jones, an Evanston artist who recently retired to become a full-time clay creator. Lilienfeld-Jones’ work has been on view at the studio for students to look at article. A burning house, bust of a woman as well as a puppet-like ceramic skeleton were looked over and admired for the better part of a month. Lilienfeld-Jones grew up admiring Chicago’s Hairy Who (a group of artists in the 1960’s that reveled in grotesque and surreal subject matter), and that can be seen in the expressions and color choices she picks for her own work. Her pieces often illicit childlike whimsy, but also have a campy appeal.

Lilienfeld-Jones took judging the POP show very seriously. She was almost reluctant to make the final decisions because she felt that so many of the pieces were extraordinary in both intention and form. The artist spent nearly two hours inspecting the work, re-reading statements and taking notes. Lilienfeld-Jones also asked the studio to obscure the names of the artists on each info sheet. This kept her from recognizing anyone she might have met during her time as a student at LSPS-LS in the past. The studio gave Lilienfeld-Jones seven categories to place her favorite pieces in. Each category had a hand-made medallion created by artist Meg Biddle.

Jayne was introduced to the crowd, and announced her well thought out winners:

Human Rights: Mieke Zuiderweg, “Whitewashed: Twisted Tribute”

Environmental Awareness: Victoria Grove, “Poached Eggs Are Out, Poached Rhinos Are In“

Politics and Governance: Julie Oh, “Save our Daughters”

Justice and Politics: Carolyn Latshaw, “Anger”

Conflict and Violence: Melanie Liss, “It’s the Law”

Peace and Prosperity: Esmeralda Rodriguez Eguia and Andrea Macias, “Otomi Embroidery Inspired Plates”

Judge’s Choice: Paul Schultz, “Air B ’n’ Beavers”

Also on display during the exhibition was the prototype for the studio’s first foray into self-publishing. Artists Paul Schultz and Mieke Zuiderweg were employed to create an overview of all the Pottery of Protest exhibitions. The book, titled “POP12345” explores the work, judges, charities and opening nights for each of the shows starting in 2018. Beautiful images of the work, as well as short descriptions, make this coffee table book something to cherish (especially if you’ve been a participating artist or friend of the studio). POP5 is currently being added, and as soon as that’s completed, a bulk order will go out (by September 18th). If you’re interested in attaining a book of your own, please call the studio during operating hours (M-F, 1-9pm) and have owner Meg Biddle help you make the purchase. $25 gets you a soft cover, full-color book. Call 773-248-4430.

Lincoln Square Pottery Studio - Learning Center wants to thank each artist for taking time out of their normal art-making schedule to create one-of-a-kind pieces for POP5. We know that a good number of our students are making income from their pottery passion, and taking a few days off from their production was very generous. Researching, mentally dismanteling and creating a work of art out of imagination and pain is often a lot to ask. We feel honored many of our students took the risk to be vulnerable and make something so close to your hearts and beliefs. We hope this experience will propel them to make more thoughtful work for our POP6 exhibition in 2023!

For more information and videos on individual works of art, check out our YouTube channel: explore

Writing, photographs and videos by Mieke Zuiderweg

Pottery of Protest; a History

The fifth Pottery of Protest, POP5, was Saturday, August 13th from 7-10pm at the studio.

Lincoln Square Pottery Studio - Learning Center’s annual Pottery of Protest exhibition was started in response to disturbing political divides reshaping the country in 2018, as well as the wider exposure of systemic police brutality. Artists are often the conduits of their environment, channeling what they feel is unfair and wrong into their own work. Our students leapt at the chance to express their rage, disappointment as well as optimism through their work for the first POP show. The public attended in droves, and it cemented our commitment to putting together the exhibition each year.

Artists have always risked their own safety to freely express their true feelings. From Francisco Goya LINK and his “Disaster” etchings depicting the brutality of war in the early 1800’s to Ai Weiwei LINK dropping a 2,000 year old Chinese urn directly challenging his country’s history.

Our own studio artists have tackled difficult subjects that their cities and government wish to conceal. Kelli Blanchard’s “Stolen & Broken” (POP2) depicts a teddy bear trapped in a cage painted in American flag colors. The emotional piece directly spoke of the children separated from their families at the Mexico-Texas border in an attempt to seek asylum. This practice was copiously enforced during the 2017-2021 administration. It has, however, a long and sordid back history including the kidnapping of Native American Children and forcing them into boarding schools, as well as the cruel breaking of families of American enslaved people. LINK

Ann Cibulskis took on a harrowing topic closer to home, creating both a ceramic 3D graph showing just one month of gun-related deaths in Chicago (POP4), as well as “16 Shots and a Cover-Up” (POP2). The latter piece bringing attention to the death of Chicago teenager Laquan McDonald by a problem-riddled police officer. With an unusual conviction and (lenient) sentencing of the officer, the city seemed ready to make their officers accountable for the continued violence against people of color. Then officer Jason Van Dyke was released after only 3 years (February 2022), serving less than half his original sentence. LINK

Artist Andrea Macias created a hand-built hive with Meliponine bees perched on its surface. The bees, which were cultivated thousands of years ago by the Maya, have been dying in alarming numbers. Decreasing habitat, pesticides and lack of protection are the main causes. Macias created the work to hang on a wall (bees up and active), as well as on a flat surface (bees sideways and dying). LINK Many other artists have delved into deep animal and environmental issues, exploring the killing of pangolins for medicinal purposes as well as deforestation around the world.

Each POP exhibition features a judge that takes into account technique, message and presentation of each piece of protest art. Winners for categories such as “Conflict Resolution”, “Voice of the Voiceless” and “Human Rights” receive a ceramic medallion created by studio volunteers. Past judges have included artist Snow Yu, LINK a visiting artist resident from Jingdezhen, China, Chicago artist Alan Lerner LINK, as well as studio artists Julia Buck (scholar and activist) and Rebecca Hamlin Green (artist, educator) LINK.

Judge Yu tackles women’s universal experiences, including the difficult choice between career and family. One of her last pieces hand-built in the US was a nude ceramic female form. The artist painfully sculpted hundreds of red flowers that flowed from between the figure’s legs. The river of flowers representing the many stages in a woman’s long life, with details of baby hands deftly hidden between the petals.

Pottery of Protest 5 has been rescheduled for Saturday, August 13th from 6-10pm at the studio. The exhibition is usually presented mid-winter, but has now been moved to a time of year in which COVID infection rates are lower. POP4 was a virtual event in 2021 which can be seen here, and while the response was great, we really missed the public interacting with the art as well as our students. By moving the event to the summertime, we’ll be able to open the doors and give the work the attention it deserves. Along with pieces created by our students and staff, we will have a revolving video projection, featuring images from past POPs, as well as short videos exploring particularly timely artwork.

This year’s POP will include the favorite “Buy-A-Cup” benefit, where visitors can purchase a hand-made cup by an LSPS-LC student, then filled with a refreshing beverage. All money raised through this unique fundraiser will go to the LYTE Collective. The Collective's mission is to support every young person that contacts them. They provide services for young people between the ages of 16-30, mostly on the South and West Side of Chicago. Their mobile support program meets young people where they're at and their LYTE house Apartments help with transitional housing. The Collective's up-coming LYTE Lounge will be an incredible support center; a holistic hub of support for youth in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood. Join us in toasting these amazing programs, and help us raise funds for their endeavors! Past POPs have raised money for the Inner-City Muslim Action Network’s Beloved Community Ceramics Studio LINK, World Wildlife Fund LINK as well as Patchwork Farms LINK (to name a few).

In addition to our usual benefit, the studio will be launching its first Pottery of Protest art book. The 100 page book titled “Pottery of Protest 12345” will showcase each piece of political artwork our students have created over the past five years. LSPS-LC artist Paul Schultz (who has designed all our past POP postcards) has created the book’s cover and back designs, as well as the extensive interior layout, with pictures taken by Mieke Zuiderweg. Along with images and descriptions of each political piece, the 7” x 7” softcover book will feature each POP judge and their background as well as images of the public interacting with the exhibition. The book will be available for pre-order the month of our POP exhibition, with proceeds going to our featured charity, the LYTE Collective. Books can be ordered after POP, and a link for that will be provided on this web page.

We hope you join us for POP5 in August, as well as helping us raise money for other non-profits with a vision to help make a change in the world, no matter how small.

Writing and photographs by Mieke Zuiderweg