ANNOUNCING 2020 CHRYSALIS AWARD

​JRA ANNOUNCES Kate Roberts As the
​2020 JRACraft Chrysalis Awardee

In response to the economic hardship in the arts caused by COVID, we have increased support for emerging artists through the 2020 annual Chrysalis Award. The James Renwick Alliance has granted $5,000 to the winner of the Chrysalis Awardee, three Awards of Excellence of $1000 each, five honorable mentions, and over 100 gift memberships to the Alliance for applicants.
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The 2020 JRACraft Chrysalis Awardee:
Kate Roberts

The Awards of Excellence include: 
Maxwell Mustardo 
Eliza Au
Chris M Rodgers 

The honorable mentions:
Joann Quinones
Rae Stern
Shiyuan Xu
Courtney Mattison
Yoonjee Kwak

Kate Roberts. "Walking on Ghosts" (2019). Aluminum, red art clay dust, tulle. 2019.

With record submissions, esteemed jurors Michelle Erickson, Cass Johnson, and Ibrahim Said had the challenging of narrowing down the awardees. "I was impressed by the wide range of work presented by these ceramic artists." said Said "They presented complex views rooted in materiality and process, unique and diverse global traditions, varieties of techniques and skills that bridged ancient processes with science and technology. So many had personal stories to tell that revealed the multicultural and hybrid fabric of this country."

Kate Roberts was selected as this year's JRACraft Chrysalis Awardee for her innovative use of the ceramic medium in untraditional, delicate forms. Roberts received her BFA from Alfred University in 2010 with a major in Ceramics and minors in Art Education and Art History. She has traveled extensively and completed Residencies and Internships at Art Centers around the world including Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Colorado, La Meridiana in Italy, Cite International des Arts in Paris, Project Art in Massachusetts, Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill in Massachusetts, Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Maine and  Archie Bray Foundation in Montana. In 2015 she received a Master of Fine Art from the Ceramics New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University and in 2017 she was the NCECA Emerging Artist, National Council on the Education for Ceramic Arts. Throughout her career she has been teaching and currently is Assistant Professor at the University of Memphis.

Kate Roberts. Photo by Doug Manelski, courtesy University of Washington.

For the first time ever, the Alliance has raised additional funds to award three Awards of Excellence. These artists include Maxwell Mustardo, Eliza Au, and Chris M. Rodgers. ​"I have been following Kate Roberts’ career from her time as an NCECA Emerging Artist and her artwork is incredible" said fellow awardee Chris M. Rogers. "I recently moved to Philadelphia to begin as a resident artist at The Clay Studio. With this funding I will be able to invest in the tools, equipment and materials to see this group of artwork through completion."

The James Renwick Alliance Chrysalis Award was established in 2016 to encourage and support emerging American craft artists who demonstrate excellence and a commitment to artistic innovation but who does not have major gallery representation. Until now, the annual James Renwick Alliance Chrysalis Award has supported one emerging artist with a $5,000 award.

This award is made possible by our donors and supporters. Our generous donor, Rebecca Ravenal, selected this year's focus in ceramics. Additional support was provided by Diane Charnov, Elizabeth Doyle, Gigi and Ben Huberman, Jaimianne Jacobin, Leslie Lane, Michele Manatt, Geri Ostrove, Amanda Phillips, Bonnie and Gil Schwartz and Roberta Van Haeften.

SEE PAST CHRYSALIS AWARDEES