Each year, we welcome several talented emerging artists to Clay Art Center as part of our Artist in Residence program and Fellowship program. The program commences each September, and is designed to allow artists the time and space they need to develop their voices. Residents and Fellows teach classes, share their expertise, assist with studio responsibilities, and contribute greatly to the artistic vibrancy of the Center. Meet our 2026-2027 Artists, and look for their artwork in our Shop.
Meet our 2026-2027 Artists In Residence and Community Arts Fellow!
Abigail Carpenter (she / her)
2026-2027 Rittenberg Artist-in-Residence
Abigail Carpenter grew up just outside of Indianapolis, Indiana and attended Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis for her BFA in ceramics. Abigail states, “For the past two years, I have been in the post-baccalaureate program at The University of Hartford in Connecticut. I utilize a combination of hand building and wheel throwing techniques with a focus on fabric/surface pattern, the domestic space, and complex silhouettes. My work is a bold reclamation of what is traditionally viewed as feminine in order to bring power and autonomy to women of the past, present, and future.”
Alvaro Villa (he / him)
2026-2027 Artist-in-Residence
2025-2026 Rittenberg Artist-in-Residence
Alvaro Villa is a first-generation Mexican-American from Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas. He earned a BFA in ceramics, sculpture, and painting from the University of North Texas, and an MFA in ceramic art at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Alvaro lives with his magical companion, Lluna, a cat whose presence adds a touch of enchantment to his creative life. Alvaro grew up meeting healers, curanderos, brujos, and brujas within his community. These encounters enriched his understanding of spirituality and culture, further fueling his creative spirit. As an Aquarian, a middle child, and someone navigating dyslexia, Alvaro found solace and freedom in art. His craft has become a spiritual temple, a space where he channels his identity, experiences, and imagination into vivid, transformative works.
Kamila Roman (she / her)
2026-2027 Community Arts Fellow
Kamila Roman is a Puerto Rican contemporary artist who grew up in New York. She earned her BFA from Alfred University, where she focused on ceramics and painting. Through ceramic figures, she explores identity, memory, intuition, and emotion as they relate to the self. She is now very excited to join the Clay Art Center as their Community Arts Fellow this fall. Kamila states, “I paint, and I do ceramics. They both inform each other. When I'm painting, I mainly focus on portraiture subconsciously talking about my community and cultural identity as a Puerto Rican. Painting has become a way for me to digest my relationships with others as I paint them. My work in ceramics has become a way for me to digest my relationship with myself, memories and emotions. I focus a lot on texture and being able to see my touch in the work. Creating each coil or carving is important to me, therapeutic almost as I work through memory and how I felt in that moment.”