Filled Up 5, A Ceramic Cup Show to exhibit at USI New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art

The University of Southern Indiana New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art (NHGCA) is proud to present Filled Up 5, A Ceramic Cup Show, in partnership with New Harmony Clay Project. Filled Up 5  features ceramic cups by contributing artists around the United States, juried by noted ceramic gallerist Duane Reed. 

A public reception for Filled Up 5 will be held December 7 in conjunction with Christmas in New Harmony from 4 to 6 p.m. where visitors can remove purchased works from the Gallery.  

Partnering with New Harmony Clay Project, over 100 submissions were received, 56 of which were accepted by the juror. The cups accepted come from 37 artists across 16 states, including 13 artists from Indiana alone. Two awards will be given. Best in show will be given the “Overflowing” award of $150. Five honorable mentions will receive the “To the Brim” award of $50 each. The cup, one of ceramics' more iconic images, has been used as a metaphor, a sculptural element, a sculptural foundation and a functional daily piece of dinnerware. Whether you choose to fill your cups with beverages, food, pencils or ideology, this exhibition will feature a multitude of handmade creations from artists across the country. 

Reed founded Duane Reed gallery, St. Louis, Missouri, in 1994. The gallery has exhibited and represented successful contemporary artists such as Michael Eastman, Jun Kaneko, Joseph Piccillo, Albert Paley, Wendell Castle, Dale Chihuly and Rudy Autio. He has over 20 years of professional experience in the art world and is nationally regarded in multi-media art. 

Reed possesses a passionate commitment to the representation of national and international artists with special attention to introducing innovative artists working in ceramics, glass and fiber. Exemplary of his expertise, Reed has curated over 300 exhibitions both at his gallery, as well as others and has lectured on a variety of art topics and includes memberships with the Renwick Gallery Caucus, The Mint Museum’s Founders’ Circle, Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis, Missouri, and AIDA (Association of Israeli Decorative Arts). He is a former trustee of the American Craft Council and currently serves on the national boards of The Watershed Ceramic Center and the Creative Glass Center of America. 

New Harmony Clay Project (NHCP) is an artist residency and educational center located in historic New Harmony, Indiana. NHCP fosters an environment that supports the investigation of new ideas and work in the ceramic arts. It was established in 2015 by Lenny Dowhie, an internationally known ceramic sculptor and Professor Emeritus at USI.  

NHCP is supported by the Robert Lee Blaffer Foundation, Efroymson Family Fund, Greater Houston Community Foundation and Lenny and Anne Dowhie Trusts. The goal is to encourage emerging and professional visual artists/ educators in ceramics by giving them quiet space and time to develop a new body of work. The Clay Project is located within the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Ceramic Studio in New Harmony, next to the Roofless Church. 

The NHGCA promotes discourse about and access to contemporary art in the southern Indiana region and is an outreach partner of the University of Southern Indiana. The gallery is located at 506 Main Street in New Harmony, Indiana. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, visit the NHGCA website, or call 812-682-3156.  

This exhibition is made possible in part by the Lenny and Anne Dowhie Trust, Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana, and the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts.