The Thomaston Art and Soul Ceramic Arts Competition will take place during this year’s Thomaston Art and Soul Festival, Saturday April 20, 2024.
Competition is open to skilled potters only.
Competitors must register online by April 14, 2024. All work must be on site at Greatest Generation Park, for exhibit Saturday, April 20th from 8am-6pm.
All entries to the EXHIBITION categories must be on display for the duration of the Saturday event and all work must be picked up at the close of the festival.
Winners will be announced during the festival.
Exhibition:
4 Categories will be awarded, each will be judged by a panel of local ceramic artists. No explicit, political or inappropriate work will be included.
Best of Show –Most creative, well-constructed wheel-thrown or hand-built ceramic work. Work may be functional or non-functional in nature. Entries will be judged on quality of construction, use of surface decoration, and overall creative design.
Best Mug-Most creative, well-constructed wheel-thrown or hand-built mug. Entries will be judged on quality of construction, use of surface decoration, and overall creative design, as well as ergonomics.
Best Sculptural Ceramic Work- Entries will be judged on quality of construction, use of surface decoration, and overall creative design. *For this category, entrants are advised to submit work that is reflective of the 2024 Art and Soul festival theme, Threads of Time. This theme is open for interpretation.
People’s Choice Award: Voted by festival attendees’ votes. All entries to the Ceramic Arts exhibition will be automatically entered into the People’s Choice. Winner will be selected by number of votes received throughout the day, as voted by festival attendees.
Live Pottery Olympics Competitions
Judged by a panel of local ceramic artists. *The Pottery Olympics is not appropriate for beginners or unskilled contestants. Experienced ceramic potters should apply. There will be 4 LIVE Events judged. Number of contestants may be limited to space available. Register early to ensure that you will be included!
Tallest Cylinder thrown on the wheel with 3 lbs. clay (15 min)
Largest Bowl thrown on the wheel with 3 lbs. clay (15 min)
Creative Creature/Hand-building (60 min)
Most Creative hand-built ceramic creature made using 2 lbs. clay. Contestants may use slabs, coils, pinch pots, or any other hand-building techniques to create their creative clay creature.
Blindfolded Throwing (30 min):
Most creative Design created on the wheel, altered and completed in 30 min or less, while potters are blindfolded.
Prizes:
Winners in each category of the EXHIBITION AND POTTERY OLYMPICS will receive a $100 gift certificate to Daven’s Ceramics in Atlanta.
- The City of Thomaston, its employees, agents, contractors, sponsors, staff, volunteers, and the owners of property on which any activities take place, will not be responsible for any theft, loss, incident, accident, personal injury, or legal situations involving the artist, artwork, and/or personal property before, during, or after the competition.
- Artsists are responsible for providing any or all insurance to cover themselves, their artwork, and/or their property. This is not a requirement, but artists assume the risks associated with participation in the event.
- By participating in this competition, artists agree to follow these rules, behave as a professional, and conform to public and artistic ethics during the competition. Judges will have final discretion with respect to awards. The City of Thomaston reserves the right to adjudicate any work shown in the competition and sale.
- Participating artists will allow the City of Thomaston to photograph all artists and painting and release to the City of Thomaston such images and work for promotional and publicity purposes.
