A-B Projects is a platform for community, critical dialogue, and material experimentation that expand and redefine the ceramics field.
A-B Projects curates an abundant lineup of unordinary exhibitions and offers the A-B Projects Ceramics Certificate (ABCC). Programming includes non-hierarchical State of Ceramics discussions that evaluate the trajectory of contemporary ceramics, as well as monthly artist-led Studio Sessions in which participants collectively research through making. A-B also collaborates with Georgia Lassner on the writing project What About Clay?, which brings thoughtful, serious criticism to the ceramics community.
A-B Projects is based in Portland, OR and directed by Nicole Seisler.
Exhibitions
A-B Projects exhibits non-traditional ceramics with a particular focus upon conceptual and relational work that is deeply rooted in materiality.
(above: The Same Larry, by Nathan Lynch)
Critical Dialogue
State of Ceramics is an ongoing series of non-hierarchical discussions centered around evaluating the present and future of the ceramics field. These discussions are free and open to the public—the clay community and the clay curious—and are intended to be informal, open, and inclusive dialogues where participants are encouraged to share their unique perspectives and voices.
Material Experimentation
Studio Sessions are an online platform where artists working in clay gather virtually to create material experiments centered upon a particular topic. Led by rule-defying/devising/devouring ceramic artists who are already closely investigating the topic at hand, Studio Sessions embrace a range and convergence of conceptual/poetic/formal/technical aspects and gestures.
(above: The Subjective Meadow, by Kitty Ross)
History
The namesake of A-B Projects is Nicole’s old car, August Beater. Nicole bought this 25 year-old Toyota Corolla Deluxe in Chicago during August 2012 (which was a tough month for Nicole), from a friend who referred to it as ‘the beater’. Thus, this beloved car became known as August Beater, or A-B, and Nicole affectionately painted it with this bright new identity. In the summer of 2015 August Beater experienced brake failure and had to be left behind in Oregon while en route from Seattle to Los Angeles, but its spirit lives on with the advent of A-B Projects, which Nicole founded that same summer.
Supporters
A-B Projects has been generously funded by Kickstarter contributions from the following community members: Adrienne Cole, Alison Limtavemongkol, Alison Ragguette, Allison Fall, Alyson Iwamoto, Amy Santoferraro, Angeles Cossio, Anna Luis Delgado, Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, Ariel Brice, Ariel Gout, Brittany Mojo, Caran Ruga, Carlos Ramirez, Carrie Gundersdorf, Caroline Handel, Catherine Fairbanks, Charlie Schneider, Christy Matson, Cristina Garduño Freeman, CSUCI Ceramics, Daniel Alejandro Trejo, Debra Scacco, Earthbound Moon, Emily Schroeder Willis, Hannah Verlin, Hendrik & Pia Knoester, Janet R. Brandenstein, Jeannine Shinoda, Jeffrey & Adrienne Seisler, Jo Easton, Johanna Herrebrugh, Judy Seltz, Julia Haft-Candell, Julie Schustack, K. Morgin, Kate Hampel, Katherine L. Ross, Katie Kirk, Leah Ollman, Lizzy Freedman, Marilyn Beller, Marjolein Cuellar, Maureen H. Wightman, Melissa Weber, Merle Anderegg-Pulido, Michelle Decker, Michelle Samour, Nicole Kaufman, Nicolette Veen & Wybren van Haga, Nikki Renee Anderson & Michael Kozien, Patrick ‘Q’ Quilao, Rebekah Myers & Tim Berg, Roy A. Wiscarver & Ann L. Bryant, Sandra Hershey, Scripps College, Shannon Goff, Sonya Sanford, Susan & Peter Colby, Taylor Kibby, Thomas Müller, William Gordon, Zak Helenske, and a few dozen more.
About the Director
Nicole Seisler is a Portland-based ceramic artist who creates sculpture, installation, and public art that investigate time, materiality, process, and the overlapping roles of artist/viewer/participant/collaborator. Nicole has exhibited widely at museums ranging from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Museum of Fine Arts Tallahassee to the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago and Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles. She had a solo exhibition at the American Museum of Ceramic Art in Pomona, CA in 2021 and her book Recipes for Conceptual Clay (in the time of covid-19) was published in 2020.
Nicole received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and her BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She has taught ceramics at universities including SAIC, the University of Washington, UCLA, and Scripps College, where she was the Lincoln Visiting Professor of Ceramics. Nicole has curated over 30 exhibitions at A-B Projects and is constantly innovating educational programming in conceptual ceramics.