Mixed media artist and UNC Charlotte ceramics professor Lydia Thompson likes to think of artwork as an ongoing conversation. It’s how she connects to the community, to students, to the past and even to a deeper understanding of herself.

That conversation expanded to Ghana this summer, thanks to a $6,600 travel grant from The Lighton International Artists Exchange Program.

Thompson, who specializes in ceramics, spent three weeks in Ghana studying traditional adobe architecture and indigenous pottery methods, meeting local artists, lecturing to students, and visiting cultural and historical landmarks.

The trip was full of discovery and inspiration. And it’s only one part of a very rich year of opportunities for Thompson.

✍️ Liz Rothaus Bertrand
🎥 Khadejeh Nikouyeh
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