The use of clay as a tool to critique gender and its definitions within American society was the focus of a panel entitled Gender, Culture, Clay: A Discussion featuring artists Alyssa Wood, Lisa Marie Barber and Nikki Blair. The event took place on August 9, 2008, at the McColl Center for Visual Art in Charlotte, North Carolina and was moderated by Allison Luce, an Affiliate Artist. The panel opened a dialogue between women artists working in clay and addressed issues of feminism, postmodernism, and gender in their work.

The idea for the panel began in 2007 with the resurgence of interest in the feminist movement and the effects it has had within the art world. Articles in major publications such as Art in America and ARTnews and recent exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the Brooklyn Museum in New York City created a backdrop for the discussion. Searching to find a link between historical notions of feminism and their current studio practices, the participating artists examined their work in the context of art history.

As women using a material laden with stereotypical gender associations such as hobby and low art, the presenting artists explore sexuality, domesticity, spirituality and the human condition in their artwork. They are seeking to define and re-define what it means to be a woman and what it means to be feminine using a material that is often viewed as craft. A brief presentation was given by each artist followed by an open discussion among panelists and the audience about the meaning and processes each artist employs in their artwork.

Alyssa Wood draws and sculpts portraits of objects taken for granted like silverware, chairs, scissors, and baby buggies. Through portraiture, these objects have transcended their original forms, encouraging the viewer to reflect on the stories they can tell. In her most recent series of tiles, the "Nostalgia" series, she paints images of objects associated with rituals marking the passage of time. The birthday cakes, cupcakes, and rotary telephones Wood creates have a timeworn appearance and offer both a decadent and decrepit vision of the past.

Lisa Marie Barber composes narratives where passive figures occupy expressive and abstract representations of cities. As an artist, she strives to have her work consist of physical and conceptual layers which work together to describe life as something positive, elusive, playful, sentimental, and profound. Many of her compositions use imagery from city life, densely arranged as if material for shrines or decoration. Enveloped by these collections of objects, life-size figures allude to the human condition.

Allison Luce's abstract sculptures express the notion of the human body being a shelter for the soul while exploring the ephemeral nature of existence and the mystery of eternity. Luce draws inspiration from nature as well as art historical sources and attempts to connect her current presence with a visual history from the past. In her most recent body of work, "The Serpent Tree," Luce examines the frailty of the body and the fallibility of man — questioning mental and psychological fragility, femininity and her struggles with the concept of eternity.

Nikki Blair investigates contemporary issues of gender and sexuality as they exist within popular material culture. Through the use of domestic like wares, Blair explores the notion of gender being taught as a behavior, removed from the anatomy of sex. The issues of gender within her work address psychological constraints placed on individuals by society — maleness and femaleness as being two distinct cultures and therefore providing two uniquely different life experiences. She is fascinated by the way in which popular and material culture address these differences through advertising campaigns, product design, and television programming.

The discussion began with a historical look at feminism in context of what could be considered a demonized word by artists of younger generations. Nikki Blair pointed out that feminists are often viewed as "femi-nazis" and that a negative connotation has been attached to the word. Appropriately or not, there is still a stigma attached to first generation feminism and its raw approach of dealing with the female body and issues. That is why Barber supposed that sometimes there is a difficulty for younger artists to own feminism as a student and to feel comfortable exploring a woman's viewpoint in their artwork. She wondered if this could be attributed to the fact that many faculty members are male and there is still a pressure to conform and not to be "un-like" the male professors. Wood added that she does not mind being associated with feminism and that she feels indebted to the artists that have gone before her bringing a women's perspective into the visual and theoretical discourse. The panelists agreed that they are able to make the work they are making today because of the feminist art movement.

Next, the panelists discussed gender and the role it plays in their art making practices. All agreed that their work is influenced by the relational aspects of feminism, providing the freedom to create personal narratives in their artwork. Luce thought that issues of gender come across subconsciously in her work while Blair and Wood like to tackle issues of gender head on. In her piece "The Ring," Blair asks rhetorically, "Diamonds and babies that's what we want, right?" While a women's artistic viewpoint is now acceptable, there are still stereotypes, which can unexpectedly arise. Barber has encountered surprise by a few male artists at the size and scale of her ceramic installations. They have insinuated that working in such a large scale was unacceptably masculine, and that a smaller scale was more suitable for a woman.

Of course, no conversation about ceramics can be complete without touching upon the timeless art versus craft debate. While this issue may be summed up as a mere difference in semantics, it still has an effect on artists working in clay today, but not always in negative ways. For instance, Blair stated that there are two paths when applying for shows and grants. One path for art, and the other for craft. As an artist working in clay, artists are free to apply to both. As a recent recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council Craft Artist Fellowship, she can attest to this herself. However, the term "craft" often seems to imply art made for hobby and has connotations of low art. Often, hobby artists and professional artists work side-by-side at ceramic art centers, making it harder for the professionals to be taken seriously. Luce has experienced this confusion first hand with a gallery director rejecting her work because of its clay construction. She was told dismissively, "We don't look at clay." Wood held that issues about art versus craft are not as important as knowing the right venues to market her artwork.

In conclusion, Gender, Culture, Clay: A Discussion brought self-awareness and discovery to the panelists and the audience. While exploring different ideas in their work, a common thread emerged in the panelists' thoughts and experiences: As the artists continue creating their work in clay, they feel a connection to the past and an excitement for the future.