2026 Exhibition Theme:
HEIRLOOMS

Juried by Dara Hartman

Exhibition on display
July 3rd - August 28th

First Friday Reception July 3rd, 6-8PM @ Main St. Gallery & The Framer, 399 Main St., Carbondale

Carbondale Clay National is an exhibition of ceramic art held annually. This year the opening reception will be held at the Main St. Gallery & The Framer, at 399 Main St. in Carbondale, CO. Each year CCC’s selected juror(s) develop a theme for the exhibition, invite a handful of contemporary ceramic artists who emulate the theme, and choose about 25-30 works from the jury pool.

Like a tenuous thread that weaves together the past and present “Porcelain Threads”, my current body of work, references the memories of objects my grandmothers made. These ceramic sculptures draw inspiration from the quilts, toys, and clothes that my grandmothers lovingly stitched. I can remember sleeping under these beautiful quilts and playing with handmade dolls. These pieces were once part of my everyday experience, used without thought of the care that went into creating them. Now, they are prized possessions in my home; heirlooms passed from one generation to the next.

These memories live within me, my sister, and our cousins. A thread of our family story that I want to continue. By making these quilts I hope to share a bit of the the work and stories of these incredible craftswomen. Women who did not consider themselves artists but women passing their craft down through generations.

- Dara Hartman