Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art

Workshop Title: Personal Narrative Multi-Dimensional Surface Decoration with Underglaze on Stoneware Workshop (clay collage)
When: Wednesday, June 17 – Friday, June 19, 2026
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. each evening
Location: Room 18, Throwing Room
Cost: FREE for Veterans only; pre-registration required
Instructor: Exhibiting Artist Jesse Albrecht
Key Concepts: Throwing, Hand building, Stamping, Sprigging, Underglaze Application, Brushwork
Experience Level: All

"Create a meaningful visual story by pressing objects you’ve collected into the wet clay of a pot you create. Experiment with press-casting sprig molds. Practice your brushwork with underglaze to color your piece or add illustrations. What is your story? What is a story you want to tell? No pressure if this feels overwhelming; seeing what happens with playful attention is a perfect place to start as well! 

High relief objects that you can press into clay are pieces to the puzzle. They should be no larger than your hand, sturdy enough to be pushed into clay, and have enough relief that your fingernail can catch on it. These objects may already be sitting on your desk, nightstand, or kitchen windowsill. Fun ideas are to hit your local thrift store or go for a nature walk and see what grabs your eye or moves your heart. When objects are pressed into clay, they will be a mirror image of how we see it, so text will be “backwards” in clay." — Jesse Albrecht

This workshop is part of programming for the traveling exhibition, Jesse Albrecht: Vessels of War & Recovery, on view at The Square June 12 – September 12, 2026. This exhibition is sponsored by Schoolhouse History & Art Center via the Montana Art Gallery Directors Association (MAGDA).

About Jesse Albrecht:

Albrecht was halfway through his MFA in ceramics at the University of Iowa when he was deployed to Iraq with the U.S. military. His work interrogates the symbolic economy of globalism and other ideologies that animate and sustain conflict. With brutal honesty, he also explores the personal psychological aftermath of combat.

Albrecht trained under legendary ceramicist Don Reitz. Albrecht combines technical mastery with imagery and forms that range from refined and realistic to intentionally crude and even funny. Functional pottery has recently been added to his work.

His solo and collaborative work is held in numerous public collections, including the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. He built and implemented programming in the arts for veterans of special operations, has taught in post-secondary education, and is currently a studio artist. He lives and works in Belgrade, Mont.

The Veterans' Art Program is funded in part by an Artists in Schools & Communities (AISC) Residencies grant through the Montana Arts Council, an agency of the State Government, and by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Jesse Albrecht: Vessels of War & Recovery originated at the Schoolhouse History & Art Center, organized by Executive Director, Kayla de la Ossa, and is sponsored by the Montana Art Gallery Directors Association (MAGDA), a state-wide service organization for non-profit museums & galleries, and supported in part by grants from the Montana Arts Council, a state agency funded by the State of Montana; coal severance taxes paid based upon coal mined in Montana and deposited in Montana's Cultural and Aesthetic Projects Trust Fund; and the National Endowment for the Arts.

This exhibition was curated by Nicole Maria Evans, Chief Curator/Director of Curatorial Affairs. Exhibitions at the museum are supported in part by the Montana Arts Council, a state agency funded by the State of Montana, and the National Endowment for the Arts. We are funded in part by coal severance taxes paid based upon coal mined in Montana and deposited in Montana's cultural and aesthetic projects trust fund. Additional funding is provided by museum members and the citizens of Cascade County, Davidson Family Foundation, D.A. Davidson, Montana Credit Union, Hotel Arvon, First Interstate Bank, an anonymous donor, and Kelly’s Signs & Design.