Louis Mendez '52 Endowed Fund

Mendez' Work
included in the
Permanent Collection of the
Alfred Ceramic Art Museum


left to right:
"Palomino" (stoneware)
"Regal Head" (raku)
"Square Head (stoneware)
Mendez '52 Award Recipients:
October 2016 - Michael Mycola Haleta: Audio Research Project, Elektronmusikstudion, Stockholm, Sweden
Summer 2017- Alexandra P. Smith: Internships, Mitchell-Innes & Nash Gallery, Gina Beavers Studio, New York City
Summer 2018 - Mariah N. Addis, Residency, Red Lodge Clay Center,  Red Lodge, Montana
Summer 2019 - Sophia Weiss - Internship at Bridget Donahue Gallery: Studio Assistant to Artists, Lauren Clay & Ruby Sky-Stiler, New York City
Summer 2020 - Andrew Sensenig - Studio Assistant for artists Nina Rizzo, Anna Kunz, Michelle Wasson and Frank Trankina, Chicago, IL
Summer 2021 - Trey Millward - Internship at Light Work, a residency & photography center affiliated with Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Summer 2022 - Daniela Marie Murphy - Mold Making Master Class with Ashley Thomas, Yellow Moth FX LLC, Harrison, NJ

To make an online tax deductible contribution to the Mendez '52  Fund,  go to the Alfred University Website,  Type Mendez in the search box at the bottom of the page, click on the link that appears and fill out the online donation form. 

Thank you for your generous support of carefully selected, highly talented and deserving students.

Mendez' Work
included in the permanent collection of
the Scholes Library of the NYS College of Ceramics at Alfred University

"The Encounter Group" (pit-fired clay)

Louis Mendez was a versatile artist in many media. His work explored human and animal forms with equal intensity in large-scale sculpture, graphic images, mask designs, traditional ceramics, graphics photography and painting. Born in New York City, Mendez earned BFA and MFA degrees in industrial design from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. The artist was a recipient of a Louis Comfort Tiffany award for design and development of large-scale ceramic art in architectural settings. Although he always maintained an independent studio and active exhibition schedule, Mendez also held professional positions in both industry and higher education. His work is included in numerous public and private collections in the Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia.

In recognition of his transformative student years at Alfred, members of the Artist's Family have established the Louis Mendez '52 Endowed Fund to support travel for educational purposes for Alfred University students enrolled in the School of Art & Design. During his long and highly productive career, Mendez derived great inspiration from his extensive travels.  He was an ardent advocate for the efficacy of organized and purposeful travel to shape students' perceptions of others and themselves, as well as the connections we all share across time and cultures.  Opportunities made possible by this fund will complement students' studio work and studies, connecting them with other artists and the world of art in ways essential to achieving maturity in their personal and professional development.