Inspired by the history, culture, and ceramic traditions of Greece, Michigan State University students who participated in the Ceramic Arts in Greece Education Abroad in Spring 2026 transformed their experiences into works of art that are now on display in the “Lasting Impressions” exhibition at the MSU Union Art Gallery.
The exhibition is on view through Saturday, Oct. 3, with a public reception scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Ceramic Arts in Greece Education Abroad is led by Department of Art, Art History, and Design faculty Jon Frey, Associate Professor and Director of the MSU Excavations at Isthmia, and Rebecca Casement, Teaching Specialist and Ceramics Technician.
As part of the education abroad, students traveled to Greece to study the history of ceramics in the Mediterranean while developing their own artistic skills within the context of what they experienced and learned.
Throughout their time in Greece, the students explored how clay has served as both a creative medium and a record of everyday life across time and cultures. They encountered ancient ceramics and learned how creating in the present can shape understanding of the past.
The students met contemporary Greek ceramic artists whose practices carry long-standing traditions forward, providing opportunities to consider the connections between past and present and how ancient practices continue to inform contemporary work.
“It is important to Rebecca and I to encourage students to see that while the past may serve as a point of inspiration, contemporary Greek artists are exploring ideas and themes of their own,” Frey said. “It is important for students to see that the story of ceramic arts in Greece is ongoing. It would be a shame to think that Greek art ended in the classical period.”
The program builds on MSU’s longstanding presence in Greece through the MSU Excavations at Isthmia, which has provided students with opportunities to engage with ancient artifacts and gain firsthand insights into the processes and techniques used to create them.
Students also worked at the Global Arts Studio in Corinth, Greece, to create their own ceramic work. Rather than reproducing the artifacts and styles they encountered, they were encouraged to consider what those traditions and experiences meant within the context of their own lives and creative practices. When they returned to MSU, they continued that exploration in the studios of Kresge Art Center, building upon their experiences abroad to create the ceramic works featured in the “Lasting Impressions” exhibition.
The exhibition’s title reflects both the nature of the medium and the impact of the experience itself — the impressions made in clay as well as those that Greece, its people, places, history, and artistic traditions left on the students.
The students whose work is featured in the exhibition are Alexis Alore, senior Art Education; Marissa Camporesi, junior Art Education; Eleanor Connick, senior Global History; Hadley Detter, senior Studio Art; Sierra Lamphier, junior Art Education; Ari Mullett, senior Art Education; Charlie Sailor, senior Graphic Design; Harrison Sanders, senior Graphic Design; Kaity Silengo, senior Studio Art; and Lillian Stauffer, senior Studio Art.
“Lasting Impressions” is made possible with support from the 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.
By Kim Popiolek and Austin Curtis
