Clay Fish Renditions on Display at Quincy University

Works by artisans of Mississippi Mud Pottery in Alton, Ill., will be on display in Quincy University's Gray Gallery March 4 – April 4, 2013. The general public is invited to view the exhibition without charge during operating hours of the Brenner Library.

The Mississippi Mud potters, Felicia Breen and Chad Nelson, create stoneware, raku pottery, and custom designed ware. They employ natural clay materials, mined in the Midwest, and lead-free glazes, offering a wide range of items for sale in their Alton shop.

The Clay Fish Renditions show comprises press-molded renditions derived from actual fish caught by the artisans. Refining their technique over the past seven years, the artists selectively exaggerate various features of the fish and embellish both surface and color, developing a project that combines their love of the outdoors with their professional interests and proficiencies.

According to the artists, the process begins with pressing clay into the fish mold by hand. The molded fish are retooled and carved to add detail before being left to dry. They are fired, glazed, then fired again in an electric kiln at a temperature of 2165 degrees. The results are as original and distinctive as the creatures of the mighty Mississippi.

Additional information about the Clay Fish Renditions exhibition is available from Robert Lee Mejer, Gray Gallery curator, at 228-5371.