PirateQ 
“Of all man’s arts, ceramics deals most directly with earth, water, air and fire…elements the ancients considered atomic essentials of our world.”
– excerpt from the Gulf Coast Kiln Walk Society’s Heritage Statement
In honor of the 20th Annual WoodStoke Festival of the Gulf Coast Kiln Walk, Pensacola State College’s Switzer Gallery will host Connected, a visual arts exhibition showcasing the works of regional, national and international master ceramic artists. Featured artists include Akio Takamori, Masayoshi Shimizu, Don Reitz, Gerry Williams and others. The exhibition will be open from Jan. 13 through March 7, 2025.
The exhibit will also spotlight pieces by five Gulf Coast ceramicists—Micah Cain, Steve Dark, Maria Spies, Jason Stokes and Ben Twingley—who will share their expertise in a panel discussion on the ancient craft of wood-fired pottery. The discussion will delve into sustainable wood-firing techniques and contemporary practices, offering a unique perspective on this time-honored art form.
Micah Cain, PSC Visual Arts Assistant Professor, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to contribute: “I am very proud to be included in an exhibition featuring so many well-known ceramic artists. Many of the pieces on display are by artists I have long admired and who have significantly inspired my own practice. The [society has] been incredibly generous to me and countless PSC students, providing opportunities to participate in and experience the unique process of wood-firing.”
The Gulf Coast Kiln Walk Society, established in 2001 in Navarre, Florida, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to advancing the art of wood-fired pottery. The society is renowned for its educational programs and its stewardship of two historically significant kilns: a 32-foot Japanese-style anagama kiln, the largest in Florida, constructed in 2004, and a historically preserved wood-fire kiln from the 1940s, the only functional kiln of its kind in the state. These kilns are central to the annual WoodStoke Pottery and Kiln Festival, during which nearly 50 potters from across the southeastern United States participate in workshops, educational activities, and a multi-day wood-firing event.
The opening reception for Connected is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 4, from 5-7:30 p.m. in the Switzer Gallery, with the panel discussion scheduled at 5:30 p.m. in the Switzer Lecture Hall (Room 1590). Admission is free and open to the public.