Artist-in-Residence
Turner Center Hudson Pottery Studio
104 Webster Street
Valdosta, Ga. 31601
The Turner Center’s Artist Residency program began in 2020 and each year, talented local and/or regional artists take up residence at The Center to develop works that challenge, educate, entertain, and enrich the cultural art experience at the Turner Center. The ceramics residency is a new update to this program, and begins in the summer of 2025. Applications are now being accepted for the next residency term, which will begin January 2026.
The Turner Center for the Arts ceramics artist-in-residence program is open to practicing ceramic artists who are ages 18+ years. While all applications will be given serious consideration, this program is designed to benefit recent high school or college graduates and other artists who are early in their ceramic careers. The program will provide the artist with affordable supplies and a studio space to use for the creation of their own artwork. In exchange, the artist will provide art related services or products for the Center. These might include studio work, teaching, and/or other areas that fit both the resident’s specialties and Center’s needs. The resident may be required to create work for the Turner Center Gift Shop, and is encouraged to do so for commission. Residency lengths will average 4-6 months, and this application will remain open year-round. Residents will work closely with and report directly to the Hudson Pottery Studio Manager and will also work with the Turner Center Art Education Administrator and Curator.
For additional information or for assistance with the application process, contact Turner Center Art Education Administrator Hailey Rathmann at [email protected] or 229.247.2787.
Meet Hudson Pottery Studio Manager Ramiro Santillan
South Georgia based artist, Ramiro Santillan, is a ceramicist and oil painter who experiments with his mediums to tilt the ordinary on its head. Drawing references from modernism and pop culture, Santillan’s inspiration comes from asking questions about the everyday things we say, do, or see. With asking questions comes learning. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Valdosta State University where he studied and worked as a ceramic studio technician. Santillan is passionate about education and its ability to foster positive communities. Santillan is currently the pottery studio manager and instructor at the Hudson Pottery Studio at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts.
Meet the first Turner Center Ceramics Artist-In-Residence, Philip Nicholas Di Pietro!
Artist Bio: Philip (Nick) Di Pietro is an artist born and based in Valdosta Georgia. Di Pietro works in pen and ink, charcoal, and ceramics. Di Pietro’s work balances attention to detail with strong contrast and carries thought-provoking themes and deep personal exploration. Di Pietro challenges himself with each new project to try something new with his preferred art mediums.
Di Pietro’s work was featured in the Diversity and Inclusion show in the Spring of 2022, and the Foundations Showcase at the Dedo-Maranville Gallery at Valdosta State University in the Fall of 2022. Nick Di Pietro intends to gain an MA in Studio Art and to build a personal studio for the creation and development of art and help further art making and appreciation in the community.
Artist Statement: A common theme of my work is communication and its failings. Growing up I found difficulty in developing good communication skills and struggled to meet new people or develop meaningful relationships. Through my work I explore my desire to connect, and my failures to do so. Discovering and managing my own autism has led me to observe how we as humans communicate and the difficulties involved. Vulnerability is the crux of communication, yet it is a state in which we are the least comfortable, so it is difficult for us to fully connect. My life experiences have helped me see this struggle that we all experience and it is the analysis and observation of it that my work focuses on.