Maria Dondero of Athens, Georgia is one of 14 artists selected to exhibit in the 2014 Alabama and Neighbors Ceramics Exhibition and Sale, on view through Nov. 2.  

In addition to the exhibition of a single work from each artist, all will participate in a weekend-long sale, Oct. 31 through Nov. 2, in the newly renovated Susan Phillips Gardens. The Friday evening sale is a ticketed event, where guests may browse and shop the sale before the general public.

This program has been made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Artist Statement

Picking up a handmade cup reveals its weight, its surface, its edge, and the fit of the handle. Bringing this object to one’s lips is even more intimate, such that sipping from a unique cup becomes a connection to the maker. I choose terracotta for the rich color and the likeness to Georgia clay. I use a kaolin slip to add texture and a surface to draw back into. I respond to the form itself with imagery from my life and surroundings. I seek to balance the immediacy of quickly sketched drawings with the permanence of a piece of pottery that could be around long after I am gone.

Maria Dondero
(Athens, Georgia, b. 1981)
Blue Flower Bowl, 2014
Earthenware, slip, glaze

Guests of the preview sale on Oct. 31 will have an opportunity to browse and shop the event exclusively and enter to win a $100 credit towards purchase. Light hors d’oeuvres and cocktail service by Ursula’s Catering and the Museum Cafe will also be a part of the evening’s activities. The public sale is from 10 am to 4 pm Saturday, Nov. 1 and Sunday, Nov. 2. Regular museum admission is free courtesy of JCSM Business Partners.