TDSB Students Take Centre Stage at Gardiner Museum’s March 2026 Ceramics Exhibition

This month, students, families, educators, and community members gathered at the Gardiner Museum to celebrate the opening of a powerful student exhibition inspired by the work of contemporary ceramic artist Linda Sormin.

Sormin, an internationally recognized artist based in New York, is known for her sculptural work that explores themes of fragility, resilience, displacement, and transformation through clay. Her practice invites viewers to consider how materials can hold memory, tension, and possibility. In connection with her work, secondary students from across the TDSB created their own ceramic pieces that responded to these themes.

“Opening night was incredibly moving. One particularly special moment was when a student stood beside his work with his mother, explaining the meaning behind his piece and what it meant to have his work selected for exhibition,” said Program Coordinator of the TDSB Arts Department, Miranda Blazey.

As she listened, the mother became emotional celebrating her son’s work, describes Blazey, and those nearby felt that same sense of pride and joy.

“It was a powerful reminder that the arts create space for connection, reflection, and celebration—moments that extend far beyond the exhibition itself,” added Blazey.

After opening night, Sormin was able to visit the Gardiner Museum the following week to see the student’s hard work in person. As she walked through the space she said she was “struck by the depth of storytelling in this exhibition.”

“Each artist has offered such a generous glimpse of their life experience and point of view! When I made my installation "Uncertain Ground", I tried to dig deep into personal histories, including my family's oral traditions -- it is so moving to be let into each of your private worlds,” she added.

“There's not enough room to describe them all. I'm so moved by the nuanced complexity of these forms and feel that I can connect with the intuitions that these artists are following. As a fellow artist, I thank each of you for making these remarkable pieces, and also sharing your thoughts in writing.”

Through this creative process, students explored both technical and conceptual approaches to working with clay, pushing their thinking around structure, storytelling, and personal expression. The resulting works were deeply thoughtful and diverse, reflecting a wide range of perspectives and experiences. “

As a thank you to students, Sormin wrote the following poem expressing her gratitude.

 from toothy hindquarters of a mythological horse, to golden-scarlet flames, from Yemoja the water goddess to lounging selkies, a key in a heart memorial, from shell-dimpled vessels that blush to one that unzips to reveal a phantom cat, shard blossoms in an intricate web, merlion on waves suspended over an open palm, fragrant tea in an open peeling box, a curving form that unzips and reveals hidden meanings, to the sacred space of a mote gufta mogad.