Artist: Kevin Snipes

Kevin Snipes, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Bio

Kevin Snipes is an American visual artist whose works primarily consists of an interplay of narrative drawings and hand-built porcelain constructions. Along with his studio practice, Kevin has taught numerous workshops and has given lectures on topics such as creativity, art, and the construct of otherness. He was born in Philadelphia, but grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. He holds a BFA (1994) from the Cleveland Institute of Art and did graduate studies at the University of Florida (2003), in Gainesville, Florida. Kevin’s work reflects his interest in understanding human behavior through psychological attributes such as attraction and repulsion, inner versus external identity and the relationship of the self and the other.  Kevin's art embodies his role as a storyteller. He seeks to draw people into conversation through his art.  

Artist Statement

I am continuously fascinated by the concept of duality. Duality of course, refers to two things which are intrinsically bound together, made of the same stuff. Yet those things are also inherently in opposition with each other. This is nothing new. Such things as lightness and darkness, and day and night, can only exist by acknowledgment of their oppositions and duality. But what I find most interesting is the way that we define one side of the duality is by describing what it is not. In other words, we can only know a thing by defining its opposite. How is it possible to describe what lightness is, for instance, without referring to the concept of darkness, or to describe what rigidity is without describing softness? These thoughts are my starting point in the act of creating.

There are many types of dualities in my work. Look closely and you will find, not just the obvious binaries of male and female drawings on opposing sides of my clay vessels, but also subtler means of communicating my fascination with this two folded view of life. It is my goal that by creating multiple layers of dualities I can develop provocative narratives in each piece.

I often use written text in the form of cartoon-like word bubbles, or notation-like scribbling to give the viewer clues into the unfolding stories. People I know become quirky child like representations of themselves, and fodder for true or completely bogus tales. I like to think of my work as “sweet and spicy”; not too much of either, with a good dash of humor. There is an uncertain sense of edginess or mystery that offers the viewer just enough information, so that they can extrapolate his or her own stories.

As an artist, and as a member of a historically marginalized group, I find that I tend toward nontribalism. Rather than creating art that speaks of love or victimization of African Americans, I speak of the problems underlying the recognition of difference. I work on a personal, intimate level that encourages an almost private investigation of the objects that I make. This act of confrontation that encourages only a single viewer with a single object sets up a dialog, in the nature of subject-to-object relationships and becomes a metaphor for the concept of otherness.

EDUCATION
2003
Master of Fine Arts in CeramicsUniversity of Florida, School of Art and Art History Gainesville, Florida
1996
Concentration & Summer Student Penland School of Crafts Penland, North Carolina Studied with Ron Dale, Brad Schwieger, Mckenzie Smith Terry Gess
1994
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics with Drawing MinorCleveland Institute of Art Cleveland, Ohio
1990-1991
Cleveland State University Cleveland, Ohio

TEACHING & PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2004
Visiting Artist in Residence Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio Fall semester lecturer and working artist
2 Day Workshop Rhode Island School of Design, Fall semester, slide presentation, demos and graduate critiques
2003-2004
Artist in Residence Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MassachusettsMarie P. Cowen Fellowship recipient
2004
Instructor Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MassachusettsBeginning Wheel Work
2002
Instructor University of Florida, Gainesville, FloridaCeramics: Form and Surface, handbuilding ceramic vessels, Fall 2002 GTA assignment
2001
Fine Arts College Council Representative for the University of Florida’s student run Potters’ Guild
Resident Artist Artist-Invite-Artists Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, New Castle, Maine
1999
Adjunct Professor The University of Akron, Akron, OhioCeramics II, Beginning wheeling throwing class for undergraduate students
1998-1999
Ceramics Teacher Cleveland School of the Arts, Artist-in-Residence ProgramCleveland Public School System, Cleveland, OhioDeveloped and taught curriculum for studio based classes in pottery and sculpture for grades 6th-10th
1995-1999
Teaching Assistant Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland OhioIndividual work with ceramics students, maintenance of ceramic shop

AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS
2003-2004
Marie P. Cowen Fellowship in Ceramics Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester Massachusetts
2000-2003
Graduate Minority Fellowship University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
2000
Director’s Choice Award Cain Park Arts Festival, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Katherine and Lee Chilcote Foundation Award Drawn Together Exhibition, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
1994
Scholarship Recipient Summer Workshop, Michael Simon Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
Gund Competition Candidate Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
1993
Annette MacNeil Watson Award Cleveland Institute of Art, Ceramics Merit Award, Cleveland, Ohio
1992
OX-BOW Fellowship School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Summer program, Saugatauk, Michigan
1991
Full Scholarship Recipient Blossom Summer Workshop Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. Program with Kirk Mangus, Marie Woo & John Gill
1990
June Sherrow Award Excellence in Drawing, Cleveland State UniversitySelectedExhibitions
2005
Lillstreet Art Center Chicago, IllinoisThe Contemporary Cup Curated by Ralph Scala
Florida Craftsmen inc. St Petersburg, FloridaDaily: Courting and Keeping the Muse Curated by Susan Andrews and Carolyn Fellman
2004
Charlie Cummings Clay Studio Fort Wayne, IndianaThe Intimate Cup lll Juror: Peter Beasecker
Worcester Center for Crafts Worcester, MassachusettsTen Hands: CurrentArtists in Resident Show
Santa Fe Clay Santa Fe, New MexicoThe Drawn Surface Jenny Mendes, Ron Meyers, Kevin Snipes & Jason Walker
Louisiana State University, School of Art Gallery Baton Rouge, Louisiana 8 Fluid Ounces
The Society of Arts and Crafts Boston, MassachusettsPortraits2004
Baltimore Clayworks Baltimore, MarylandDiversity in Unity: Contemporary African American CeramicsCurated by David MacDonald and Winnie Owens-Hart
2003
Society of Contemporary Crafts Pittsburg, Pennsylvania Transformation 4: Contemporary Works in CeramicsShow catalog printed
University of North Texas Art Gallery Denton, TexasCeramics 2003 Juror: Doug Casebeer
Exploding Head Gallery Sacramento, CaliforniaAn Affinity for the Cup Juror: Richard Hotchkiss
The Publication’s Art Gallery 999 San Diego, California NCECA27@999: A Teapot Invitational Curator: Heather O’Brien
2002
Centre Gallery University of South Florida, Tampa, FloridaGraduate Ceramics from the University of Florida
2001
Sandusky Cultural Center Sandusky, Ohio (K)NOW CLAY2000The Wayne Center for the Arts Wooster, Ohio Functional Ceramics 2000
2000 & 1998
Cleveland Institute of Art Cleveland, OhioDrawn Together, Annual Exhibition of Alumni Art
1999
Avanti Gallery Cleveland, OhioCleveland Institute of Art Alumni Exhibition 1999NCECA Columbus, OhioStorefront Installation Project
1998
The Clay Studio Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaTiles
1998 &1997
Gordon Beale Frank Gallery Cleveland, OhioThe Quintessential Mug
1997 & 1996
Gordon Beale Frank Gallery Cleveland, OhioThe Tea Party
1996
Arrowmont School of Crafts Gatlinburg, TennesseeUtilitarian Clay II: Celebrate the Object
1995
University of Akron Akron, OhioAncestral Voices, Afro American Artists
1994
Pro Forma, Murray Hill Art Walk Cleveland, Ohio Secrets and Menaces Drawings on Clay: Kevin Snipes/Preston Williams

PUBLICATIONS
2004
500 Figures in Clay, Lark Books
2002
Evolving a Tradition, The University of Florida Ceramics Program, Ceramics Monthly May p. 38
2000
Functional Ceramics 2000 Ceramics Monthly, October p. 37
1997
Utilitarian Clay II Ceramics Monthly, January p.48