Artist: Bri Larson

My work is an invitation to take notice of small details in daily life and pop culture while honoring them through patterned imagery. Through the use of my work, I invite people to celebrate objects and themes while building connections with each other every day. I use a mid range porcelain and I throw the majority of my work on the wheel. I combine the plain white clay with colorfully stains and playful imagery to create my body of work. Using an Xacto knife, I hand draw every line, curve and detail into the surface of the clay that satisfies my love of drawing and precision. I’ve always had a passion for both drawing and making pots and I have found porcelain is the perfect material to merge two of my passions and skills. Nothing beats the satisfaction I get from making objects that bring families and friends together over shared meals, drinks and common interests.

As a BFA graduate from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Bri currently makes functional pottery in New England, though she remains a Midwesterner at heart. She makes primarily wheel thrown pottery adorned with colorful clays and bold lines that merge her love of drawing with her love of clay. Originally from the great state of Minnesota, she relocated to Providence, Rhode Island in 2018 for a 2 year long residency at The Steel Yard. Bri currently has her studio located in the Nicholson File Artist Community in Providence, RI where she focuses on functional and sculptural ceramics. When not working in the studio, you can find Bri hiking and biking the outdoors, knitting or playing tabletop games with her friends.

Education
2013 B.F.A. Ceramics and Painting - University of Wisconsin-River Falls
2011 A.F.A. Inver Hills Community College

Professional Experience and Residencies
2022 Fandomonium Artist Panel, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN
2018-20 Resident Artist and Studio Assistant, Ceramics, The Steel Yard, Providence, RI
2015-16 Pottery Studio Manager and Studio Coordinator, BreakAway Arts, Hastings, MN
2013 Ceramics Studio Tech Assistant, Ceramics Studio/Art Department, UWRF

Awards/Honors/Scholarships
2020 Judge’s Choice Award, 8th Annual Juried Cup Show, Jansen Art Center, Lynden, WA
2019 Alloy Fellowship, The Steel Yard, RI
2014 Work-Study Scholarship, Penland School of Crafts, NC
2013 Studio Excellence Award, UWRF Ceramics Department
Westcliff Foundation Fellowship Fund, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, CO
2012 Juror’s Choice Award, Juried Student Exhibition, Gallery 101, UWRF

Publications
2020 “Exposure” Ceramics Monthly. Mar. 2020: 14. (1 image)
2019 “Clay Culture: Mug Madness” Ceramics Monthly. Oct. 2019: 24. (1 image) Lewing, Paul.

Selected Exhibitions
2022 Fandom, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN
16th Annual Clay AKAR Yunomi Invitational, Clay AKAR, Iowa City, IA (June 2022)
Summer Clay Jam, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL (June 2022)
5th Annual CHEERS Exhibition, Commonwheel Artists, Manitou Springs, CO (July 2022)
Breakfast is Served, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL (July 2022)
2021 Mug Madness, Semi-finalist, Saltstone Ceramics, Seattle, WA Juror: Michelle Ettrick and Chris Hosbach, Ceramic Artists
Small favors, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA Juror: Kensuke Yamada
Margarita Cup Invitational, Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN
GEAUX CUPS IV, Clay Center of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA Juror: Chris Hosbach
Playground, Wildfire Ceramic Studio, Missoula, MT Juror: Chris Alveshere
Cup: The Intimate Object XVII, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL
Annual 406 Cup Show, Wildfire Ceramic Studio, Missoula, MT
FunctionFest, Clay Center of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA

2020 Material Mugs V: Underglaze, Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN Juror: Mike Cinelli
8th Annual Juried Cup Show, Jansen Art Center, Lynden, WA
Judges' Choice Award
International Cup 2020, The Clay Studio of Missoula, Missoula, MT Juror: Sunshine Cobb, Ceramic Artist, Helena, MT
Sip: A Ceramic Cup Show, Savannah Clay, Savannah, GA Juror: Jason Bige Burnett, Ceramic Artist, Bakersville, NC
Last Call V, Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN Juror: Naomi Clement, Ceramic Artist, London, ON, Canada
Mug Madness 2020, Salty Sixteen, Saltstone Ceramics, Seattle, WA Juror: Chanakarn Semachai and Edrianne Ellias, Ceramic Artists
Lip Service, Saratoga Clay Arts Center, Schuylerville, NY Juror: Mary Barringer, Ceramic Artist, Shelburne Falls, MA
6th Annual Dirty South Cup Call and Competition, River Oaks Art Center, Virtual Juror: Deborah Schwartzkopf, Ceramic Artist, Seattle, WA
3rd Annual Cheers! Drink up!, Commonwheel Artists Co-op, Manitou Spring, CO Juror: Justin Lambert, Ceramic Artist, Morrison, CO
Kindled Spirits, Good Earth Pottery, Bellingham, WA Juror: Simon Levin

2019 Mug Madness 2019, Semi-Finalist, Saltstone Ceramics, Seattle, WA Juror: Justin Rothshank, Ceramic Artist, Goshen, IN
11th Annual Cup Show: Form and Function, Amelia Center Gallery, Panama City, FL Juror: Adam Field, Ceramic Artist, Helena, MT
The Bowl Show, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA Juror: Martha Grover, Ceramic Artist, Bethel, ME
5th Annual Dirty South Cup Call, River Oaks Square Art Center, Alexandria, LA Juror: Doug Peltzman, Ceramic Artist, Hudson Valley, NY
Cheers! Drink-Up!, Commonwheel Artists Co-op, Manitou Spring, CO Juror: Sumi von Dassow, Artist, Lakewood, CO
Juried National V, Red Lodge Clay Center, Red Lodge, MT Juror: Mike Helke, Ceramic Artist, Stillwater, MN

2018 Function Fest, NOLA Clay, New Orleans, LA
Juror: Kristin Kieffer, Ceramic Artist, Worcester, MA
The Clay Cup IV: Vessel, Icon, Canvas, George Caleb Bingham Gallery, Columbia, MO Juror: Ayumi Horie, Ceramic Artist, Portland, ME
6th Annual Cup Show, Studio 550, Manchester, NH Juror: Sunshine Cobb, Ceramic Artist, Helena, MT
The Cup, The Mug 2018, Main Street Arts, Clifton Springs, NY Juror: Jenny Mendes, Chesterland, OH and Melissa Weiss, Asheville, NC, 
Annual Cup Show Invitational, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA

2017 Phipps Galleries, Solo Show, Phipps, Hudson, WI
5th Annual Cup Show, Jansen Art Center, Lynden, WA

2016 Randy Johnston Invitational Exhibition, UWRF Gallery 101, River Falls, WI
Irons in the Fire: The Many Faces of Iron in Ceramics, Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN Juror: Justin Rothshank, Ceramic Artist, Goshen, IN
7th Annual Visions in Clay 2016, San Joaquin Delta College, Stockton, CA Juror: Liz Quackenbush, Professor of Art, Pennsylvania State University, PA
American Craft Council St. Paul Show, UWRF School to Market Booth, St. Paul, MN

2013 BFA Group Exhibition, Gallery 101, UWRF
Artists of Northern Clay Center, NCC, Mpls, MN
Juried Student Exhibition, Gallery 101, UWRF Juror: Sarah Millfelt, Visiting Artist, Director of NCC, Mpls, MN

2012 Juried Student Exhibition, Gallery 101, UWRF Juror: Megan Vossler, Assistant Professor of Art, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN