The Clay Studio of Missoula — Small & Radiant

About this call

The Clay Studio of Missoula has issued an open call for Small & Radiant, a juried exhibition scheduled to open February 5, 2027, at the Studio's facilities. The premise is deliberately narrow and materially specific: modest ceramic forms that, through vibrant glazes, painted surfaces, and bold palettes, produce an expressive intensity disproportionate to their scale. The exhibition is not framed as a survey of contemporary ceramics at large but as a focused inquiry into the relationship between scale, color, and material presence. The final roster will be determined by juror George Metropoulos McCauley. Selected artists receive inclusion in the exhibition, and current awards include a Best of Show prize of $200 along with additional cash merit awards. Artists will be notified of results by email on or before December 11, 2026. Applicants may submit up to two small-scale ceramic works, with JPG images (up to two per entry), a statement of no more than 300 words addressing the theme, and image details including title, material, dimensions, year, and price. The submission fee is $25 USD. The curatorial position rewards work in which chromatic decisions are integral to the object rather than applied as decoration. Submissions should be read as an argument about how color and surface can carry weight that size alone does not, and the call is best understood as a test of that proposition.

How to apply