Mud Hut students Aiden Keller, Kyle Logan, Luci Rutkowski, Dolan Shaw, Alex Fitanides and Henry Alkire were selected to exhibit their ceramic work at the 41st annual conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts. The prestigious national event took place March 14-16 at the Louisville Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Keller, Logan and Rutkowski are students of Mud Hut instructor Denise Wey. Shaw, Fitanides and Alkire are students of Chic Lotz. The Mud Hud eight clay pieces accepted from about 800 entries nationwide. Keller, 5, is a kindergartner at Nevada City Home Study Charter School. His piece titled “My Volcano,” earned an artistic merit award.

Logan, 10, is a 4th grader at Yuba River Charter School. He created a piece titled “Pirate Ship.” Rutkowski, 16, is a 10th grader at Nevada Union High School. She had two works chosen to be exhibited titled “Eating At Home” and “Lead A Horse To Water.” Dolan Shaw, a 2nd grader, created “Turtle Catching A Wave,” which won an honorable mention prize by the judge. “Squirreling Away Acorns” was his other piece. Fitanides, a 5th grader, made “Speed Dog,” won artistic merit prize. Alkire, a 5th grader, made a piece titled “Enchanted House.”

In 2006, Mud Hut students had five pieces selected by the juror for exhibition. In both 2006 and 2007, the Mud Hut had more pieces accepted than any other youth organization or school. The National K-12 Ceramics Exhibition is an annual national showcase of student ceramic art. It also promotes and encourages ceramics in the K-12 education system, aiming to create awareness, offer incentives and increase motivation to K-12 students and teachers in their study of the ceramic arts. The exhibition takes place annually in conjunction with the NCECA Conference. The NCECA is a professional association of individuals and organizations whose interests, talents and careers are focused on the ceramic arts.

Mud Hut Students Honored at 2006 National Clay Convention

Mud Hut students exhibited at 2006 national clay conference Mud Hut students Jeffrey Bowen, Joseph Voors, Alex Ramsey, Sally Shilling and Rachel Adams — all students of instructor Chic Lotz — were selected to exhibit their ceramics at the 2006 annual conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts. The art work was selected by an exhibition juror from applicants enrolled in 68 schools nationwide. Additionally, Nevada County youths Dana Bowen, Shemiah Sams and Arkady Unterleidner were recognized for outstanding clay art submissions, but were unable to have their work included in the NCECA's National K-12 Ceramics Exhibition, which was limited to 112 accepted pieces. See the above story for more info on the NCECA's National K-12 Ceramics Exhibition.