December 28, 2022
By Adam Chau
In the 1990s, a group of artists of color in the U.S. banded together in response to the lack of representation at ceramics conferences. Initiated by Bobby Scroggins, an artist and professor at the University of Kentucky, the group wanted to take a proactive approach to making the field of ceramics more inclusive. Rather than wait for an invitation to someone else’s table, they created their own. So began The Color Network, with a mission to promote the careers of ceramic artists of color through sharing information and opportunities across the United States.
In the early 2000s, the organization evolved to form a traveling exhibition and a website called Cultural Visions, headed by Paul Andrew Wandless. In 2018, what the organization refers to as its “third iteration” began. A new group of artists—originating from a panel discussion led by Natalia Arbelaez and April Felipe—picked up the baton and started hosting roundtable discussions to listen to the needs of the community, address new issues, and share opportunities. Much of the original concerns that artists were reacting to in the 1990s persisted, including a lack of diversity in higher education ceramics programs and the need to connect with artists of similar backgrounds.
