“A Culture of Pots 2025” Brings St. Croix Valley Pottery to WBCA

Picture it: you’re enjoying a beautiful spring day as you traipse from pottery studio to pottery studio in the St. Croix River Valley. You enjoy the hospitality of the artists, perusing the handmade bowls and pitchers and plates and cups, purchasing the ones that most strike your fancy. This is the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour, and its artists will soon be headed to White Bear Center for the Arts. 

“A Culture of Pots 2025,” on display at White Bear Center for the Arts June 12 through July 25, features artwork by the potters of the 33rd Annual St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour. The featured artists will display their work in WBCA’s Ford Family Gallery, allowing viewers to appreciate the pottery from a different angle: as elevated pieces of art.

The name “A Culture of Pots” comes from the title for the Weisman Art Museum’s 2017 anniversary project which produced a beautiful and inspiring book. A custom, rustic display element designed by WBCA’s resident artist, Kyle Frederickson, will help bring that atmosphere into WBCA’s gallery. Each participating artist will display a small collection of their finest works. Work will be for sale, and purchases will be available for pick up after the show has ended.

Gates open at 6:00 PM on Thursday, June 12, kicking off the opening reception which runs until 8:00 PM. Meet the artists, view the work on display, and then hear from participating potters during an artist panel at 7:00, moderated by Diane Mullin, senior curator at the Weisman Art Museum. 

WBCA will be introducing a new accessibility tool, Capption, to its exhibition experience. Capption provides non-disruptive, multilingual access to exhibit content through your smartphone. This technology creates a more inclusive and engaging experience for all visitors, helping them connect with stories in the language they understand best, right from their own devices. In “A Culture of Pots,” viewers will be able to read more info about the artists by holding their smartphone up to the label, deepening the understanding of the exhibit, and also providing crucial access for all visitors.