An exhibition featuring works created by MSU Art, Art History, and Design students who attended the Ceramic Arts in Greece Study Abroad Program

August 31-October 3 | Reception: September 19, 11am-1pm

MSU Union Art Gallery | 42 Abbot Rd. East Lansing

As a soft and malleable material, clay naturally takes the impression of the people and things that touch it. Often this is intentional—from stamps, to surface textures, ceramic objects are often designed to display the marks of their makers. Other times, such signs are less deliberate—traces of fingerprints and other marks from the moment of creation become permanent parts of a clay object’s history. What is more, over time, some impressions remain clearly visible, while others wear away and become nearly invisible.  

In spring 2026, a group of students traveled to Greece to study the history of ceramics in the Mediterranean and to develop their own artistic skills in the context of what they learned. This exhibition explores the impressions that their experiences left on them. As is the case with the works they created, some are clear from the moment of their making, while others may not be recognized until seen by others and from different points of view. 

This exhibition is made possible by the support of MSU College of Arts and Letters, MSU Department of Art, Art History and Design, MSU Excavations at Isthmia, Global Arts Studio, Valsamakis Ceramics, Angeliki Kandri, Sokrates Lambropoulos, Mirella Petikidis, Angeliki Stamataki, Rania Totsika, Maria Tsiolaki, Ioulia Tzonou, and Panos Valsamakis.