Art by Sahar KhouryBy Tess Miller ’27
The time-honored Scripps College Ceramic Annual has returned to the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery. The ceramic annual, now in its 81st year, is the longest continuous exhibition of contemporary ceramics in the United States. Curated by ceramic artist Reniel Del Rosario, Means to an End showcases artists who not only work with clay as a medium, but also incorporate other forms of media in their pieces.
Means to an End features pieces by artists including Debra Broz, Paola de la Calle, Cathy Della Lucia, Fred Dewitt, Matt Goldberg, Dana Hemenway, Stephanie Temma Hier, Haylie Jimenez, Sahar Khoury, Karen Kuo, Cathy Lu, Kari Marboe, Patrick Martinez, and Victor Saucedo.
Art by Karen Kuo
Ruth Chandler Williamson GalleryDel Rosario notes that the exhibition shows diversity within the ceramics community—not only of artists, but also of approaches.
“There’s a lot of conversation between every single piece, even though they’re all made differently,” he says. “When someone walks in the show, I want you to get overwhelmed; look at everything; and go back to something. That’s what I feel like when I see all the works in the show: You can never get enough of them.”
For 81 years, the Scripps College Ceramic Annual has led the inclusion of innovative and exceptional works in its exhibitions, and this year is no exception. Del Rosario selected works that reflect the flexibility and versatility of ceramics by challenging the traditional. Ceramicist Haylie Jimenez, for example, creates animated films using drawings on ceramic slabs for each frame. Her short films can be viewed as part of the exhibition.
Art by Victor Saucedo
Art by Matt Goldberg“Means to an End invites us to pause and reconsider the medium,” says Erin M. Curtis, Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Director of the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery. “These artists demonstrate clay’s enduring relevance to and pervasive presence in contemporary art.”
Means to an End is currently showing at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery until April 5th, 2026. The gallery is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is free. For more information about the exhibition, visit rcwg.scrippscollege.edu.