Gulf Coast State College will host its Annual Ceramics Symposium, on April 9 &10, at the Amelia Tapper Center. The theme for this year’s symposium is adaptation. All programming will be available via Zoom and Facebook.

Adaptation is change, or the process of change, by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment. The greatest tools at our disposal as artist are the ability to troubleshoot problems, to overcome change, to adjust to transitions, and to regularly deal with failure. Through this process we become better suited to grow personally and to make strides in the development of our work, which leads to a more fruitful and successful art practice. In an ever-changing world, where uncertainty is a constant, the ability to adapt is more crucial than ever to sustain our creativity, our artist communities, and our sanity.

The impetus for the theme of this year’s symposium was COVID-19. The global pandemic had a profound effect on our everyday life; from how and where we work, to how we connect to our loved ones, and everything in between. As a result we were all forced to change our routines and develop new ways to connect, work, live. We were forced to adapt.

Over the course of the symposium we will share some of these newfound modalities. We will address new ways of sustaining a studio practice, new approaches to teaching, and the importance of remembering to take care of yourself. And because this is still a ceramics symposium we will, of course, have ceramics demonstrations.

Please check the schedule as many events will not be physically on campus but hosted on Zoom and Facebook Live. The symposium will consist of workshops, lectures, panel topic discussions and demonstrations. Some of the programming will be presented by visiting artists, while others will be led by GCSC faculty. This is a great opportunity to learn from a variety of professionals.