Day in Clay is COVID-19 compliant with school districts in the tri-state area

About Cliff

Cliff Mendelson

My Bachelor of Fine Arts, earned at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University (SMFA/Tufts) was where I received my training as a fine artist, with an intense focus on ceramics and pottery.

The faculty enabled me to continue my education as an apprentice with some of the most well-known ceramic artists and sculptors in the country. (See resume) My BFA provided a well-rounded background in painting, drawing and sculpture, but my focus is on the ceramic arts and all its processes.

CLAY—Art History and Techniques—Form and Function in Society

My approach to the ceramic arts is based on art history/historical techniques that include the use of the potter’s wheel, hand building and sculpture. I make utilitarian pottery as well as non-functional sculptural freestanding work and mural hangings.

I was fortunate to begin my career as a teacher at the Greenwich House Pottery in NYC under the tutelage of Jane Hartsook, revered in the field. The Greenwich House has a long history, starting with classes as part of a larger handicraft program in 1904, the Pottery officially became a department within Greenwich House in 1909. The teachers, students and residents that have worked in the Pottery’s classrooms over the years have included such renowned names as Peter Voulkos, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Betty Woodman, Ghada Amer, Ann Agee, Kathy Butterly, Simone Leigh and David Salle.

There is a rich history to explore,
and it may be found in the hands of my students.

My college-level teaching includes the Parson School of Design and Hunter College undergraduate level.  In 1988 I became a faculty member with the Westchester Arts Workshop/Westchester Community College. On occasion I exhibit in Westchester, as well in other galleries and shows. Day in Clay enabled me to bring elements of the creative process into classrooms of all age groups, abilities, and grade-levels.

The diversity in my creative life includes the founding of Undercurrent Designs™ Inc., a decorative painting studio that primarily works with interior designers and architects for residential and commercial spaces. This work has added to the decorative sensibilities that have immediate currency in the design and art world. I bring this aesthetics back into the classroom. I think, too, that my diverse set of experiences has enabled me to relate to many ways of educating students in all levels and disciplines.

I enjoy the challenge of encouraging students to explore new ways of working in clay, paint, and color. We regularly accomplish results in the classroom that bring delight to students, parents, and teachers. Students respond with finished works that sometimes exceed even their own expectations.  I have been told many times that the students do not want to leave when the class is over

The Magic of Clay

Clay has a magic quality and it is responsive to the touch that allows the students to explore many forms of expressions from self-portraits, to Japanese Kabuki mask making to Egyptian canopic jars, and Greek vase painting.