'Drawn to clay': Archie Bray celebrates 75 years shaping artists in the Helena community

A terracotta angel standing guard.

Ceramic and tile archways that beckon you in.

The crumbling remnants of a beehive kiln.

For 75 years, artists have left remnants of themselves scattered about the 26-acre property of the Archie Bray Foundation. From eccentric outdoor sculptures and magical hidden art installations, exploring the grounds is much like falling down the rabbit hole — you never quite know what piece of bizarre or beautiful pottery you'll stumble upon next!

This summer, join the Archie Bray in kicking off its historic 75th anniversary — which is Nov. 1 — with a special lineup of activities including an anniversary exhibition, resident artists exhibition, community workshops and its signature Brickyard Bash.

“It’s a very unique thing to have an organization with this kind of impact in a more rural community,” said Steven Young Lee, interim artistic director for Archie Bray. “It has international reach.”

The first brick laid in the story of the Archie Bray Foundation was in 1951 by entrepreneur, brickmaker and avid arts patron Archie Bray Sr. Founded on the site of the former Western Clay Manufacturing Company, Bray envisioned a creative community that would make available “for all who are seriously and sincerely interested in any of the branches of the ceramic arts, a fine place to work.”

What started with a rather simple mission has today grown into a thriving, vibrant, and inspired community featuring more than 17 buildings, including a 12,000-square-foot resident artist studio facility, a new education and research facility, multiple sales and exhibition galleries, renovated administrative offices, and a facility for retail, ceramic supplies and clay manufacturing.

Through summer and long-term studio experiences, The Bray Resident Artist Program has garnered a world-renowned reputation of offering unprecedented opportunities for artists to work within a global community actively creating new work. Since its inception, more than 600 ceramic artists have come to the Bray to work.

Standing within that community of 600 is Lee, whose involvement with Archie Bray began more than 20 years ago.

“I always felt very drawn to clay even as a little kid,” shared Lee. “I remember the tactility of the material … it’s such a direct relationship with clay because when you touch it the mark is immediate.”

While he began experimenting with ceramics in high school, Lee never dreamed it would become such a defining part of his life.

“I kind of got hooked by the whole experience … wheel throwing and working with clay, but I didn’t think that there was a possibility to pursue it as a career,” said Lee.

Following high school, Lee left for college to study business. But he continued to pursue his love for ceramics during every free moment he had.

“I started to contextualize what a career as an artist, particularly in ceramics, could look like,” said Lee.

After his first year of college, Lee switched his major to art and never looked back.

At the suggestion of his fellow classmates, Lee later applied for and was accepted into Archie Bray’s summer residency program.

“The Bray was one of the places that was at the top of everybody’s list as far as premier programs and experiences,” shared Lee. “I came out for a summer in 1998 and fell in love with the organization and Montana.”

“I remember thinking that that it seems like such a unique organization that supports artists, and in my mind, I thought if there’s ever a chance to come back here and work for that place, I would pursue it,” added Lee.

Lee would go on to serve as the resident artist director of the Bray for 15 years and is currently the interim artistic director.

While Archie Bray officially recognizes 75 years on Nov. 1, 2026, it has several events and opportunities over the summer helping kick off the milestone celebration.

On June 12, the exhibit, “Now, Next, Always: The Bray 2000-2025” opens at the Holter Museum. Curated by Dr. Jenni Sorkin, this exhibition draws from the Bray’s permanent collection to highlight artists whose contributions were historically underrepresented during the institution’s first 50 years: people of color, queer and women artists.

“The exhibition offers a broader and more inclusive perspective on The Bray’s history,” said Perry Burlingame, exhibitions manager for Archie Bray. “Together, the works reveal the diversity of voices, experiences and approaches that have helped shape contemporary ceramics.”

“This is the first time much of this artwork has been shown at all, so it is very exciting to host and present this unexpected work from such an established institution,” said Gianna Sherman, curator for the Holter Museum.

According to Burlingame, the exhibit features 59 artists who have played important roles in shaping the Bray’s legacy, from early contributors such as Frances Senska, Betty Woodman and Judy Cornell to more recent artists including Chris Antemann, Shalene Valenzuela, Christina Erives, Joanna Powell, Kristy Moreno and Julia Galloway.

Opening at the same time is the Archie Bray’s Resident Artists Exhibition. From June 11 through Aug. 8, the exhibition brings together work by 20 talented artists in residence at The Bray — both long-term and summer residents.

For Lee, it is the annual turnover of new residents that keeps everyone engaged and inspired.

“Every time you have a new group of people come in, it infuses new excitement, enthusiasm and creativity for everybody — the staff and fellow artists,” said Lee.

On July 25, Archie Bray will host its annual Brickyard Bash — a summer celebration dedicated to bringing the community together for an evening of art, music, food and fun on its historic brickyard campus. While Lee admitted that the event had fallen somewhat by the wayside since the COVID-19 pandemic, he assures that the Bash is back and bigger than ever this year.

“The community was very supportive of that event and we really wanted to bring back that experience because it was a very celebratory, exciting time to reconnect with everybody,” said Lee.

Guests at the Bash will enjoy delicious offerings from local food trucks, beverages, and live music from the band Big Sky Mudflaps while gathering with friends and fellow supporters of the ceramic arts. The event will also feature a small collaborative auction highlighting pairs of artists who worked together to create singular pieces to auction off.

“They’re all unique objects that wouldn’t exist otherwise,” said Lee. “They’re really cool pieces too. They’ve been coming in and I’ve been able to see them before they get installed. It should be really exciting.”

Throughout the year, art lovers can also explore new formats of condensed learning from prominent artists in the field in a variety of community workshops available or peruse a living archive of ceramic innovation on Archie Bray’s new online database.

Lee also indicated that there will be an additional online auction event in November as well as forthcoming announcements on additional anniversary events.

For more than seven decades, Archie Bray has served as an internationally acclaimed mecca for ceramic artists. Don’t miss the opportunity to reflect, celebrate and “fall down the rabbit hole” of exploration at one of Helena’s most cherished organizations.

“The 75th anniversary celebrations encompass several ways to experience that history while also engaging with The Bray’s future,” said Burlingame.

“To have a place like the Bray that’s operating at such a high level is wonderful for the Helena community, but its impact also reaches the whole state, the region, and the country,” said Lee.