Join us at The Bray as we kick off the 2025 Artist Amplified season with an amazing artist trio: Dante Gambardella, Josh DeWeese, and Colby Allred. Join us at The Bray as they give a joint artist talk about their individual practices following their weeklong workshop, Working with Local Clay. Learn about each artist, how local clay has played a role in their ceramic journeys, and the reasons they find sharing the knowledge of sourcing and processing local clay such an important endeavor. 

Our Artist Amplified lecture and demonstration series allows artists and art enthusiasts to share their history, process, and conceptual motivations with the public through various presentation formats. We can’t wait to discover what these three have to share!

In Person:
       Frances Senska Center for Education and Engagement
       2915 Country Club Ave
       Helena, MT 59602

JOIN VIRTUALLY! (Link goes live at the time of the event)

About the Presenters   

Dante Gambardella grew up in the Bay Area and discovered ceramics after moving to Bozeman, MT. While studying at Montana State University, he became deeply interested in wood firing and using local materials—techniques ceramicists have practiced for thousands of years. In recent years, Gambardella has expanded his practice to include ceramic furniture and glaze paintings. Still, he remains deeply inspired by Montana’s rich geology and the unique experience of working with local materials. To him, the world of clay is about engaging with his community, contributing to a network of shared knowledge, and continuously challenging himself as an artist. Learn more about Dante and his work here.

Josh DeWeese is a ceramic artist and educator. He is currently a Professor of Art teaching ceramics at Montana State University in Bozeman, where he and his wife Rosalie Wynkoop have a home and studio. DeWeese served as Resident Director of the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana from 1992-2006.  He holds an MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred, and a BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute.  DeWeese has exhibited and taught workshops internationally and his work is included in numerous public and private collections.  Discover more about Josh and his work here.

Colby Allred was born in the woods of western Maine and grew up in the greater Portland region, leaving to study art at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. It was there that he discovered the tactility of clay and the various processes of firing ceramics. Discover more about Colby and his work here.