Baltimore Clayworks is proud to celebrate four artists from our community – Ali Saunders, Yoshi Fujii, Shalya Marsh, and Wes Brown – who were invited to participate in the 10th Annual Flower City Pottery Invitational, held October 9–11, 2026, at Flower City Arts Center in Rochester, New York.
Bringing together 18 premier ceramic artists from across North America, the annual invitational celebrates the diversity, craftsmanship, and innovation of contemporary ceramics. This milestone tenth-anniversary event offered collectors, clay enthusiasts, and the wider community an opportunity to experience an expansive selection of handmade pottery, meet the artists behind the work, and explore the many possibilities of clay as an artistic medium.
Throughout the weekend, visitors had the opportunity to view and purchase original ceramic work, and engage directly with participating artists. The event opened with a special reception on Friday, October 9, featuring live music, refreshments, and an exclusive preview of the pottery sale. Free exhibitions, demonstrations, and the pottery sale continued throughout Saturday and Sunday.
The participation of Ali Saunders, Yoshi Fujii, Shalya Marsh, and Wes Brown reflects the breadth of artistic talent represented in the Baltimore Clayworks community. Their inclusion among this year’s invited artists provided an opportunity to share their work with audiences beyond the Baltimore region and contribute to a national conversation around contemporary ceramic art.
Wes Brown also served on the invitational’s 2026 curatorial team alongside Garth Johnson and Lisa Orr, helping shape an event dedicated to presenting exceptional work by artists working in clay.
Invitational opportunities such as this create meaningful connections between artists, collectors, arts organizations, and communities. They also offer audiences a chance to encounter ceramics in new ways, gaining a deeper appreciation for the skill, experimentation, and creative vision behind each handmade piece.
At Baltimore Clayworks, we celebrate opportunities for artists to share their work, expand their professional networks, and engage with audiences across the country. The participation of our artists in this year’s Flower City Pottery Invitational exemplifies the importance of these connections in sustaining a vibrant ceramics community. We congratulate all four artists on their participation in this milestone event and thank Flower City Arts Center for continuing to create opportunities that bring ceramic artists and communities together.
