Although often relegated to the margins of art history, ceramics have long stood as an aesthetic and cultural expression of depth and resonance. From Grayson Perry鈥檚 narrative sculptures and Beate Kuhn鈥檚 experimental forms to Julian Schnabel鈥檚 textured paintings on shattered ceramic fragments, the medium has outgrown its utilitarian roots to claim its place as a powerful expressive language. In Latin America, artists such as Amelia Pel谩ez, Gustavo V茅lez, and Geles Cabrera have shown how ceramics can serve as a vehicle for identity, modernity, and cultural resistance.
That transformative potential has found fertile ground in Miami's visual arts, where the has spent 75 years cultivating ceramics as a living, accessible, and deeply community-rooted art form.
Founded in 1950 by a group of women who gathered in homes and garages to work with clay, the League has evolved into a singular institution in South Florida. Its current 5,000-square-foot facility in the Falls Warehouse district for the past 50 years 鈥攃omplete with workshops and a spacious backyard鈥攊s equipped with gas, electric, soda, and RAKU kilns, along with dedicated areas for traditional techniques like pit firing.
鈥淲hat sets us apart is the wide range of technical possibilities we offer,鈥� says James Herring, the League鈥檚 president. 鈥淲e even have a glaze lab where members can mix their own formulas鈥攕omething you usually only find in university settings. It turns the space into a true creative laboratory.鈥�
But beyond the tools and infrastructure, Herring emphasizes that the League鈥檚 true engine has always been its people. 鈥淭he secret to our longevity is the community that keeps this place alive. Generations, cultures, and creative paths intersect here. That human richness becomes a network of friendship, collaboration, and learning鈥攑assed from one maker to another like a living tradition.鈥�
The intergenerational exchange is especially meaningful for Hanna Banciella, a 26-year-old artist and one of the League鈥檚 youngest members. 鈥淎fter college, it was hard to find a space with the resources and access I had in school,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he League gave me exactly that鈥攁nd more. It wasn鈥檛 intimidating; it was welcoming.鈥�
Banciella, who studied drawing and painting at the University of Florida with a focus on ceramics, sees her practice as interdisciplinary. 鈥淐eramics is a supplementary material in my work, but it adds another layer of depth. It connects me physically to the process,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have my own kiln or equipment yet, so being here is a gift. It鈥檚 affordable, fully equipped, and offers a sense of community you just can鈥檛 replicate on your own.鈥�
That diversity of voices and experiences is reflected in the League鈥檚 artistic direction. Adler Guerrier, a visual artist and current chair of the exhibitions committee, underscores how ceramics has outgrown the hierarchical lens that long placed it beneath painting or sculpture.
鈥淚n 2025, ceramics is one of the most expressive forms in contemporary art. There鈥檚 no longer a need to justify whether it鈥檚 art or craft. Just look at how many museums and galleries now include ceramics in their permanent collections,鈥� he says. For Guerrier, much like photography or printmaking once did, ceramics had to fight for its place, "but today, its value is undeniable.鈥�
The League鈥檚 75th anniversary is being celebrated with an exhibition at the in Little Haiti, featuring 32 local artists and showcasing the vitality of ceramic practice in South Florida. Participating artists include Banciella, Barbara Bernstein, Debra Burch, Celine De Paz, Lexi Dreybus, Nan Ernst, Noah Farid, Zanze Fowler, Stacey Frisch, James Herring, Carin Ingalsbe, Lili Kamely, Sepideh Kalani, Giselle Kovac, Chris Labbe, Edith Landowne, Julia Levay, Marcia Manconi, Pamela Manresa, Gus Pages, Polo Ramirez, Marianne Russell, Linda Sands, Tammy Shapiro, Ryan Shedd, Diane Slezak, Donna Sperow, Maite Oca, Katherine Palacios, Fredric Witkin, Catherine Yang, and Sabine Zerarka.
The exhibition was curated by Richard Notkin, who lives and works in the state of Washington. Notkin, a leading figure in American contemporary ceramics known for his intricately crafted works that explore political, social, and environmental themes, had come to Miami in February to lead a workshop and was invited to curate the exhibition.
Guerrier, who joined the League five years ago, has also integrated ceramics into his own practice. 鈥淚鈥檝e taken classes and made pieces that became part of my photography and drawings,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e that close to a process from start to finish, it鈥檚 hard not to participate. It鈥檚 fascinating.鈥�
For Banciella, learning directly from more experienced members has been equally rewarding. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e surrounded by people who鈥檝e been working with clay for decades鈥攕ome professionally, others as a passion鈥攁nd everyone is generous with their knowledge,鈥� she says. 鈥淭echniques, materials, ideas... it鈥檚 all shared. That kind of exchange has really shaped the way I work and how I see ceramics.鈥�
Although the League primarily functions as a working studio and educational space, it lacks a dedicated exhibition gallery. This allows them to cultivate partnerships with institutions across the region to present the work of its members. 鈥淲e collaborate with universities, museums, and commercial galleries,鈥� says Guerrier. 鈥淚n the past, we鈥檝e partnered with the Lowe Art Museum, the Museum of the Americas, and this year, the Fundaci贸n Pablo Atchugarry. These alliances allow us to show our work in professionally curated spaces that already draw a public.鈥�
That outreach will continue in the coming months. Guerrier says that in September, a group show at Bernice Steinbaum Gallery will feature League members and maybe a few invited artists. 鈥淏ernice herself will take part in the selection process,鈥� he says.
Such partnerships help amplify the League鈥檚 mission. 鈥淲e make beautiful objects, and exhibition spaces know how to present them. Together, we make sure ceramic art reaches farther.鈥�
Staying true to its educational roots, the League also maintains a robust artist residency program. 鈥淲e want the next generation to see ceramics as an expressive language they can grow with,鈥� adds Herring.
Banciella echoes that vision.
鈥淢y dream is to one day have my own studio and kiln. But until then, the League makes it possible to keep working and evolving. It鈥檚 a bridge between school and professional practice鈥攁 space that lets you grow.鈥�
WHAT: 鈥�75 Years of Shaping Community Through Clay: Ceramic League of Miami 75th Anniversary Members' Exhibition鈥�
WHERE: Fundaci贸n Pablo Atchugarry, 5520 NE 4th Ave., Miami
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Through Friday, Aug. 30
COST: Free
INFO: 305-639-8247 or
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