To Die For is one of 95 exhibitions that are part of INDEPENDENCE: The 44th Annual National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference taking place in Philadelphia from March 31 – April 3, 2010. The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA is serving as the onsite liaison and organizing body of the exhibitions program. For a complete list of programmed exhibitions, visit: http://www.theclaystudio.org/events/nceca/exhibitions.php.

Whether in effigy pots, vase paintings, or offerings to the dead, ceramics has always been a significant material in the world of the rituals of death, spirituality, and transformation. Dealing with the nature of mortality, issues of loss, hosts, ghosts, surrounding fears, and the meaning of life or afterlife, To Die For is co-curated by Judith Schwartz and Jack Thompson. Invited artists include: Mark Burns, Richard Cleaver, John De Fazio, David Furman, Peter Gourfain, Kathy King, Charles Kraft, Matt Nolen, Mel Rubin, Richard Shaw, Ehren Too, and Monica Van den Dool.

To Die For is one of four different groups of exhibitions developed for the conference, entitled From the Community (the other groups being NCECA exhibitions, The Clay Studio exhibitions, and Concurrent Independent Exhibitions.) From the Community is a group of exhibitions developed in support of the 44th NCECA Conference by individual artists, groups of artists, commercial galleries, non-profit and alternative spaces, colleges and universities. The exhibitions celebrate the work of professionals, aspiring professionals, and students.