Plate depicting the Fall of Manna
16th Century, Urbino, Italy
Majolica, Earthenware
Gift of Dr. Jane Carver Holmes
PMA Permanent Collection 1975.2.1

Every museum has thousands of works in storage that the public rarely gets to see. With our new Collection in Focus Talks, we pull back the curtain. Attendees will have an exclusive opportunity to delve into hidden gems and curiosities of our collection and to learn about works of art not often on display. With objects removed from storage just for the day and for those who attend, each talk will feature different under-studied areas of the permanent collection and be led by an expert in the field. 

In this Collection in Focus, Andrew Coombs will explore the development of ceramic styles and techniques in Europe over time using works from our collection.

Andrew Coombs began his ceramic career making pinch pots in his father’s pottery studio. His academic career ranged from chemistry to philosophy and back to pottery, and he earned his MFA in ceramics in 2008 from the School for American Crafts at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

He has taught at the Clay Art Center in Port Chester, NY and the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, and is currently a Professor of Art at Polk State College in Winter Haven, FL. He enjoys making functional pottery, giving people the opportunity to interact and form personal connections with his work.