Artist: Christy Culp
Christy Culp,
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Influenced by the kitchens of the women in my life and the farms on which I have lived, my work speaks to the daily habits of life- cooking and eating. From my grandmothers and mother, I learned the traditions of setting the table whether it be for lunch when my grandfather came in from the fields or holiday table for my large extended family. I understood that serving food is an art form of which the serving dishes, cups and bowls were a considerable part. I work with red earthenware, white slips and underglaze, firing to cone 04. I find the warm tones of red clay peeking through the slip give my pieces visual warmth and makes them approachable. My decorating process is many layered- the application of underglazes in the berry and leaf patterns and bees takes time. The most satisfying part is the line drawing carved into the clay surface. This sgrafftio process is meditative. The attention I give to each bee or berry will then be transferred to the gaze of the user. The lush decorations give a sense of abundance and summer days. Currently, I am using a motif of blackberries and bees. These images evolved when my husband and I started a small commercial berry farm. The hours of standing in the thick of berry canes picking blackberries left a mark on my psyche and on my pieces.
Education:
Bachelor of Science, Art Education Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1991
Professional Experience:
Present- Independent ceramic artist
Present-1997- Deer Lakes High School Art Educator, Cheswick, PA
Present-2017- Ceramic Studio Director/Instructor, Butler Art Center, Butler PA
2017- Presenter, Clay Symposium, Touchstone Center For Crafts, Farmington, PA
2015-2008 Saxonburg Area Artists Cooperative, Ceramic Instructor, Saxonburg, PA
2013- Armstrong County League of Arts, Ceramic Instructor, Kittanning PA
2012- Presenter, “Community Connections” NCECA K-12 programming, National Council for the Education of the
Ceramic Arts Conference, Seattle, WA
2008- Presenter “Teacher as Artist in Residence” NCECA K-12 programming, National Council for the Education of the
Ceramic Arts Conference, Pittsburgh, PA
2008 Touchstone Center for Crafts, Ceramics Instructor, Farmington PA
2004 Touchstone Center for Crafts, Ceramics Instructor, Farmington PA
Solo Exhibitions:
2020, Featured Artist, January. Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL
2017, “Functional”, Butler Art Center, Butler Pa
2016 “New Works” Butler Art Center, Butler PA
2015 “Cherry Ware”, Butler Art Center, Butler, PA
2014 “Kitchen Collection”, Saxonburg Area Artists Cooperative, Saxonburg, PA
2011 “Passion Fruit”, Boulevard Gallery, Verona, PA
Group Exhibitions:
2020
“By Our Own Hands”, Associated Artists of Butler County, Butler PA
“Sip: A Ceramic Cup SHow” Savannah Clay Community, Savannah GA
“Practicing What We Teach”, Penn State NEw Kensington Art Gallery, New Kensington PA
2019
“The Painted Canvas IV”, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville FL
“Cup: The Intimate Object XV” , Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville FL
“All Things Spring”, Invited artist, The Union Project, Pittsburgh PA
“Sip: A Ceramic Cup Show” Savannah Clay Community, Savannah GA
“The Almighty Cup” Gandee Gallery, Fabius, NY
“Spring Show”, Associated Artists of Butler County, Butler PA
Indiana County Potters Tour, Guest Artist, Little Mahoning Creek Pottery
2018
“Cup: The Intimate Object XIV” Invited Artist, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville FL
“Twin Cups: National Ceramic Exhibition” Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, MO
“Sip: A Ceramic Cup Show” Savannah Clay Community, Savannah GA
“Practicing What We Teach” Penn State New Kensington Art Gallery, New Kensington, PA
“Spring Show”, Associated Artists of Butler County, Butler PA
Indiana County Potters Tour, Guest Artist, Little Mahoning Creek Pottery, Smicksburg, PA
2017
“Cup: The Intimate Object XIII” , Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville FL
“Practicing What We Teach” Penn State New Kensington Art Gallery, New Kensington, PA
“A Friendship in Clay” Butler Art Center, Butler, PA
Indiana County Potters Tour, Guest Artist, Little Mahoning Creek Pottery, Smicksburg, PA
2016
“Spring Invitational”, Butler Art Center, Butler PA
“Practicing What We Teach” Penn State New Kensington Art Gallery, New Kensington, PA
“LUPEC Women’s History Month Exhibit” LUPEC Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
2015
“The Almighty Cup” Gandee Gallery, Fabius, NY
“Cup: Intimate Object XI” Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL
“Sips, Brews and Gulps”, Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Sewickley, PA
Invitational Exhibition, Associated Artists of Butler County, Cranberry, PA
“LUPEC Women’s History Month Exhibit” LUPEC Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
“Practicing What We Teach” Penn State New Kensington Art Gallery, New Kensington, PA
“Artist’s Choice Exhibition”, Panza Gallery, Millvale PA
“Spring Exhibit”, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Butler PA
“UNjuried Exhibition”, Spinning Plate Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
2014
“Illusions” Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Shadyside, PA
“Spring Exhibition 2014” Associated Artists of Butler, PA
“LUPEC Women’s History Month Exhibit” LUPEC Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
“49 th Pittsburgh Society of Artists Annual Exhibition” Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Shadyside, PA
“Art In the Garden” Lemoyne House, Washington, PA
2013
“Spring Exhibition 2013” Associated Artists of Butler, Butler, PA
“The New Collective” Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Shadyside, PA
2012
Invitational Exhibition, Associated Artists of Butler County, Cranberry, PA
2008
“New Works” Donn Hedman and Christy Culp-Hedman, The Clay Place, Carnegie, PA
2007
Indiana County Potters Tour, Participating Artists, Indiana, PA
2006-
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Alumni Exhibition, National Council for the Education of the Ceramic Arts,
Pittsburgh, PA
Indiana County Potters Tour, Participating Artists, Indiana, PA
2005
“40 Under 40” The Clay Place, Pittsburgh, PA
Indiana County Potters Tour, Participating Artists, Indiana, PA
2004-
“New Member Exhibition” Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh, Moxie Dada Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
Indiana County Potters Tour, Participating Artists, Indiana, PA
2003
Indiana County Potters Tour, Participating Artists, Indiana, PA
Related Professional Experience
2020 - Co-Director, “Practicing What We Preach”
2019-Curator/Director “Art of the Drink” Butler Art Center, Butler PA
2017- Curator/Director “Art of the Drink” Butler Art Center, Butler PA
2017-2015- Curator/Director, “Practicing What We Teach” Educator Exhibit, Penn State New Kensington, New
Kensington, PA
2015- Artist Presentation and demonstration, Butler Art Center, PA
2008-2015 Education Coordinator, Saxonburg Area Artists Cooperative, PA
2014- Curator “Daily Ritual: The Ceramic Cup”, Saxonburg Area Artists Cooperative , Saxonburg, PA
2010 Curator/Coordinator “Setting the Table: Contemporary Ceramics Dines In”, Saxonburg Area Artists
Cooperative, PA
2006-2003 Education Coordinator, Indiana County Potters Tour, Indiana, PA
2006 Exhibition Curator/Coordinator, Alle-Kiski Arts Consortium, Penn State New Kensington Campus, New
Kensington, PA
2005 Arts Education Presenter, Alle-Kiski Arts Consortium, New Kensington, PA
2004 Exhibition Curator/Coordinator, Alle-Kiski Arts Consortium, Penn State New Kensington Campus, New
Kensington, PA
Awards:
2006- Teacher as Artist in Residency, TAG Grant, Pennsylvania Art Education Association
Professional Memberships:
Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Society of Artists
National Council for the Education of the Ceramic Arts
Potter’s Council
Associated Artists of Butler