The Art Studio, Inc. (TASI) will host its third annual Gumbo ClayFest, a celebration of ceramic arts, July 11-13 at its facility, located at 720 Franklin St in downtown Beaumont. The ClayFest is a public event involving demonstrations and workshops for those interested in making ceramics, admiring completed works, or just interested in watching the fascinating process.
Gumbo ClayFest will feature several nationally-recognized ceramists who will demonstrate the different techniques for which they are known.
“Clay is one of the oldest arts there is,” said Greg Busceme, TASI’s Executive Director. “It’s an art that is 20,000 years old. From cooking pots to drinking vessels to sculptures, it’s one of the first things human beings did once they harnessed fire and figured out how clay reacted with it. It was one of the things that made us human.”
Attendees will have a chance to meet and talk to the visiting artists between receptions, exhibitions, presentations, and all throughout the weekend. The public is invited to sit in the Studio as the artists continue working on their projects, offering a unique opportunity for anyone interested to learn first-hand and ask questions about ceramics from the masters.
There is no registration needed. Admission is by donation only, in any amount.
“We’ll stop letting people in when we reach the fire code limit!” said Busceme.
This project was funded in part by:
The Edaren Foundation
The B.A. & E.W. Steinhagen Benevolent Trust through the Southeast Texas Arts Council
Texas Commission on the Arts
Beaumont CVB – beaumontcvb.com
Edward Jones, Tina Lombardo
“This festival is all about the clay and the people who love it. Highly knowledgeable ceramists from across the nation will descend on Southeast Texas and will share their ideas and special techniques to participants along with clay activities, panel discussions, presentations, and parties! Great for anyone who has an interest in clay and for artists from other disciplines. For any young or beginning aspirant it is a must do! De rigueur! You will advance your knowledge years ahead of where you are! Some of these artists I have known for many years and others are more recent friends; all are eager to come to our community and I hope hope hope you want to meet them too. It will mean a lot to me to have everyone come meet and learn from these generous ceramists and friends.”
— Greg Busceme, Sr.
Executive Director of The Art Studio, Inc.
- Constant Albertson (University of Maine)
- Tom Belden (from Arizona)
- John Eden (from Maine)
- Steven Erickson (from Upstate New York)
- Gary “Greeny” Greenberg (Clarion University, Pennsylvania)
- Chris Leonard (South Texas College, McAllen)
- Stephen Wolochowicz (Weber State University, Utah)
Why Gumbo Clay?
as explained by TASI executive Director, Greg Busceme:
A little history of TASI may be in order to explain the significance of the name “Gumbo ClayFest”. To begin with, most of “the locals” are familiar with gumbo but for those who are not, it is a creole roux-based soup with onions, celery, and green peppers also known as the Trinity which is the basis for many soups. Roux is flour and oil browned in a skillet or pot that is the heart and soul of the gumbo. There are vast variations on roux depending on the cook. In that mix goes some form of meat such as sausage, chicken, seafood, or any wild game you might enjoy killing.
Now, why is gumbo tied to clay? The clay just below the soil layer is a black, thick clay that has been dubbed by geologists Beaumont Gumbo Clay for the resemblance to the creole concoction.
I like plays on words so combining clay with fest indicates a festival of ceramic artists presenting their skills and ideas with the community and gumbo, to me, is a term that is indigenous to our local culture which implies large gatherings of people indicative of how gumbo is served.
Yes, gumbo will be served to demonstrate the unity we have as artists in the spirit of gathering to share a meal.
When it all started in 1999, we hosted a group of ceramic artists to do clay workshops. The artists were Tom Belden, Gary “Greeny” Greenberg, Connie Albertson, who I knew from grad school, John Eden, Joyce Jablonski, and Chuck Wisinger. Joyce and I met during the clay conference (NCECA) and she led me to meet Eden, Belden, and Greeny. All have worked in clay for a major part of their lives and travelled the country doing workshops. TASI added students as participants which was a new wrinkle in the program that later was adopted in their future activities that included me as a presenter. I traveled to Greeny at Clarion University in Pennsylvania, Jablonski in Kansas City, KS and a trip to UCLA, Northridge with Patsy Cox.
After this program we hosted Victor Spinski and Verne Funk, two very noted ceramic artists who created work that we have still have today. Spinski has since passed on but his legacy as a mold maker is legend.
In 2002 our last of these workshops was with Jim Leedy from Kansas City Art Institute where a large wall of clay 6ft. tall and 20ft. long was created with Leedy and the students of Westbrook High School. That wall is now completed after another workshop to rebuild the salt kiln some 19 years later with Belden and Greeny that allowed us to complete the wall last year. Leedy and Peter Voulkos were two of the fathers of the abstract expressionist movement in clay form in the 1960s and forever changed the way we looked at ceramics.
After that we were not able to produce a workshop because of economic restraints. It was a tough several years for TASI and myself. I lost track of the group until 2021 when I re-engaged for the kiln build project and attended NCECA again after a 20 year absence.
I’ve learned some things through this: friends are always friends no matter what and patience, determination and perseverance will always prevail over failure.
Press coverage from last year’s ClayFest:
I want everyone to enjoy this unique experience and show these amazing artists our enthusiasm and interest. There is so much to learn in this workshop and a rare opportunity to have face time with all these skilled artists! Anyone who has taken a clay class will absolutely benefit from these knowledgeable experts. Not only that, but They also love what they do!
This gathering of like-minded people is much more than fun times and a learning experience, although there is nothing wrong with that! There is a serious side to what artists are doing worldwide. Artists advance the culture of our society; they mark history, challenge social mores, and draw attention to inequities in our society. Artists also bring delight and awe at the phenomenal work being produced. in our community. Artists need to feel empowered and protected in what they do. Artists stand just outside the mercurial, temporal, contemporary, trends expressed by social media – observing but not indulging! These gatherings are a way to keep artists connected with their fellow artists and pull the reclusive visual artist out of their comfort zone (studio) and into facetime with other artists. This connection is imperative to build a strong and cohesive arts community and that is why we have such great participation in all the shows around town! Art is to be enjoyed. By the viewer and the artist.
Gumbo ClayFest is a start of something wonderful and I hope everyone comes to visit and meet these phenomenal artists and take advantage of their willingness to share their time with us.
— Greg Busceme, Sr.