Born from our 20th anniversary celebration, our Clay Conversations Speaker Series continues as an ongoing celebration of ceramic arts excellence. We bring innovative ceramic artists and tradition-bearers directly to our community for intimate conversations that reveal the stories, techniques, and insights behind a lifetime of working with clay.
These are rare opportunities to learn from artists whose work has shaped the ceramic world. From multigenerational pottery families to contemporary innovators, our speakers share not just their techniques, but the wisdom that comes from decades of dedication to their craft.
Each carefully curated evening offers something you can't find in books or videos: direct access to master-level knowledge in an intimate, community-focused setting where real learning happens.
Join us for experiences that change how you see, understand, and work with clay.
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Ben Owen III
Master potter Ben Owen III will share 40 years of clay mastery and family tradition.
Friday, September 12, 2025
6:30-8pm - Clayworks Classroom #2
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Pete Pinnell
Join ceramics professor Pete Pinnell as he explores how drinking vessels transform our most mundane moments into opportunities for art, meaning, and beauty.
Friday, October 24, 6:30-8pm - Clayworks Classroom #2
$10 per person
Clayworks is thrilled to announce the next speaker in our Clay Conversations Series: Professor Pete Pinnell will join us on Friday, October 24, 6:30-8:00pm for a fascinating exploration titled "Drinking and Thinking."
Pete brings a unique perspective to our series - a master potter who spent 12 years making his living at the wheel before becoming Professor of Art at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His work has been exhibited internationally across the U.S., Netherlands, South Africa, Japan, China, New Zealand, and Australia, with more than 120 exhibitions since 1995 alone.
Pete's talk promises to reveal the surprising artistic potential hidden within one of life's most ordinary acts - drinking. From religious ceremonies to social rituals, from ancient vessels to modern aesthetics, he'll illuminate how pottery has long been concerned with finding art in the mundane.