From Ground to Gallery, WILD CLAY Celebrates Ceramics Shaped by Place

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) is pleased to present WILD CLAY, a compelling new exhibition featuring ceramic works by artists who engage directly with “wild clay,” locally sourced, unprocessed earth that reveals the textures, colors, and character of place. The exhibition will be on view March 21 through April 18, offering audiences an opportunity to experience a range of functional and sculptural works that reflect both the individuality of wild clays and the creative visions of the participating artists.

WILD CLAY celebrates the deep connection between material, environment, history, and creative exploration. Unlike commercially prepared clay, wild clay is dug from the earth and used raw or refined, carrying the unique imprint of its landscape. This exhibition invites viewers to consider clay not merely as a medium, but as a bridge between art, geology, ecology, and cultural memory.

Curated by artists John Reinking and Marg Diaz, the exhibition features work by a diverse group of ceramicists whose practices emphasize experimentation, material awareness, and place-based inquiry. Reinking, a New Jersey-based potter, is known for his wood-fired vessels crafted from locally sourced clays, while Diaz brings a playful yet rigorous approach to studying clay’s behaviors and possibilities.

“WILD CLAY is about reconnecting artists and audiences to the land beneath their feet. By working with materials gathered directly from the earth, these artists embrace unpredictability and allow the landscape itself to become a collaborator in the creative process,” share curators John Reinking and Marg Diaz. “Each piece tells a story not only of artistic intention, but of geology, time, and place.”

The public is invited to a gallery opening from 3-5pm on Saturday, March 21.