Artist: Lauren Smith
Lauren Smith, MONTANA
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I love making functional pottery. I want to share my work and create daily rituals amongst my collectors and admirers. I am constantly fulfilled every day that I can turn a ball of clay into something that someone can treasure. As I work at my wheel, I imagine my pots being used at a fancy dinner party with cake stands and flower vases decorating the table; or perhaps a favorite mug being filled with hot, steaming coffee or warm tea.
I use porcelain clay that is malleable and soft; it responds to the lightest of touch and can be altered until dried, then fired to create a hard permanent object. My forms are wheel thrown, trimmed, and manipulated. I apply a scalloped ruffle around each piece which creates an area for glaze to collect, resulting in variation from matte to glossy and breaking up surface. With a surgical knife, between each scallop, I draw vertical lines down the piece. The glaze breaks around these lines usually resulting in a lovely separation breaking up the surface. My glaze pallet consists of blues, greens, oranges, grays and browns which I spray on in multiple layers and fire in a gas kiln to cone ten in an oxidized atmosphere.
My inspiration comes from nature, specifically flowers and the way their petals unfold and the patterns they make. I always have a camera with me in case I see an interesting flower or beautiful bird. I look at antique and historical pottery, glassware and other current potter’s work to inspire and energize my own work. I am very lucky to be able to wake up every morning and do what I love to do. I have always been a maker and I will always be one.
Currently
Beginning September 2017
Teaching Beginning Ceramics at Paris Gibson Square
Beginning January 2017
Teaching Intermediate to Advanced Ceramics at the Paris
Gibson Square Beginning August 2011 Full-Time Studio Potter
Education
2011
M.F.A. Ceramics, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
2005
B.F.A. Ceramics, Minor-Geology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
2004
La Meridiana, International Center of Ceramic Arts in Tuscany, Italy
2001
Southern Methodist University Study Abroad, Italy
Residencies
September 2016
Short Term Resident at the Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana
September 2015
Short Term Resident at Red Lodge Clay Center, Red Lodge, Montana
May 2015
Short Term Resident at the Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana
Summer 2010
Center Street Clay, Steven Hill Pottery, Sandwich, Illinois
Production Potter Experience
Sept 2014 to Apr 2016
Contractual production potter for Emily Free-Wilson of Free
Ceramics Workshops & Visiting Artist
2018 June
Two Day, Hands-On Workshop at Boulder Mountain Clayworks, Ketchum, ID 2017 August
Two Day, Hands-On workshop at Clay Arts Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
2017 August
One Day, Hands-On workshop at AMOCA, Pomona, CA
2017 February
Three Day workshop at Green River High School, Green River, WY
2015 March
One week Visiting Artist & Lecturer at University of Montana, Missoula, MT
2014 March
One day workshop at San Bernardino Valley College, San
Bernardino, CA Teaching Experience
2018 March
Beginning and Advanced Ceramics at the Square, Great Falls, MT
2018 January
Beginning and Advanced Ceramics at the Square, Great Falls, MT
2017 September
Beginning Ceramics at the Square, Great Falls, MT
2017 September
Intermediate to Advanced Class at the Square, Great Falls, MT
2017 May
Intermediate to Advanced Class at the Square, Great Falls, MT
2017 April
Intermediate to Advanced Class at the Archie Bray, Helena, MT
2017 March
Intermediate to Advanced Class at the Archie Bray, Helena, MT
2017 January
Intermediate to Advanced Class at the Square, Great Falls, MT
2016 October
Beginning Ceramics Class at the Archie Bray, Helena, MT
2016 March
Intermediate to Advanced Class at the Archie Bray, Helena, MT
2016 January
Intermediate to Advanced Class at the Archie Bray, Helena, MT
2015 October
Intermediate to Advanced Class at the Archie Bray, Helena, MT
2014 April-May
Wheel-Throwing at Ceramic Services, Ontario, CA
2012-2014 August
Beginning to Intermediate Wheel Throwing and Glaze Calculation, American Museum of Ceramic Art, AMOCA, Pomona, CA
2010
Fall Teaching Fellow, Beginning Ceramics
2010
Spring Teaching Fellow, Design 2
2009
Fall/Spring Teaching Assistant, Design 2 Summer
2009
Teaching Fellow, Design 1
2008
Fall/Spring Teaching Assistant, Design 2
Exhibitions/Shows/Invitational
2018
Thanksgiving Table: The Butter Dish, ClayAKAR, Iowa City, IA
The Teapot Show III, the Clay Studio of Missoula, Missoula, MT
Wild:Blue, Radius Gallery, Missoula, MT
Montana Modern, Whitefish Pottery, Whitefish, MT
La Mesa, Santa Fe Clay, Santa Fe, NM
NCECA Expo, 18 Hands Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
The Abundant Bowl, Group Invitational, the Clay Studio of Missoula, Missoula, MT
2017
Cup of Joy, Group Invitational, Trackside Studio Ceramic Art Gallery, Spokane, WA
Serve It Up, Clay Arts Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
Cup the Intimate Object XIII, Charlie Cummings Gallery, NC
Conductivity, Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN
For the Table, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, OH
Archie Bray Foundation Residents and Visiting Artists, Lewis and Clark College, NCECA, Portland, OR
NCECA Expo, 18 Hands Gallery, Portland, OR
Ready to Ware: Contemporary Place Settings, Belger Crane Yard, Kansas City, MO
Functional Ceramics 2017, Wayne Center for the Arts, Wooster, OH
2016
The Archie Bray Foundation Residents, at the Kolva-Sullivan Gallery, Spokane, WA
19th Annual Winterfest Invitational, Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD
Cup of Joy, Group Invitational, Trackside Studio Ceramic Art Gallery, Spokane, WA
Belger Holiday Book, Belger Crane Yard Studios, Kansas City, MO
Exquisite Rituals, Solo Exhibition, Celadon Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY
AKAR Yunomi Invitational, AKAR Gallery, Iowa City, IA
Generations: A Legacy of Mentorship, NCECA 2016, Kansas City, MO
Small Works from a Big State, Montana Clay Group, Community Christian Church Steeple of Light Gallery, NCECA 2016, Kansas City, MO
Archie Bray Foundation Resident and Visiting Artists, Belger Crane Yard Studios, NCECA 2016, Kansas City, MO
International Cup 2016, The Clay Studio of Missoula, Juror Josh DeWeese, Missoula, MT
Pour It Up, Red Lodge Clay Center, Invitational Group Show, Red Lodge, MT
At Your Service, Baltimore Clay Works, Juror Linda Arbuckle, The Archie Bray Foundation Residents, at the Kolva-Sullivan Gallery, Spokane, WA
Ode to Bowls, Trackside Studio Ceramic Art Gallery, Spokane, WA
Montana Clay Group, Paris Gibson Museum of Art, Great Falls, MT
Crave the Cup, Clay Arts Vegas National Juried Show, Las Vegas, Nevada
Community Exhibit, The Clay Studio of Missoula, Missoula, Montana
2014
This Is Helena, Studio Art Center, Helena, Montana
Cup the Intimate Object X, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville,Florida
Frills and Function, Solo Exhibition, American Museum of Ceramic Art, AMOCA Ceramics Studio & Gallery, Pomona, California
Cup Show, Clay Arts Vegas National Juried Show, Las Vegas, Nevada
Coffee, Tea, or..., Terra Incognito Studio & Gallery, Awarded: Purchase Award, Oak Park, Illinois
2013
The Battle of the Bowls, National Juried Bowl Show, Juror Mike Jabbur, Awarded: Best Tea Bowl, Lynchburg, Virginia
Dining In VI: An Artful Experience, 18 Hands Gallery, Houston, Texas
2012
Starbrick Clay National Salt & Pepper Show, Starbrick Gallery Nelsonville, Ohio Art of the Pot, Group Show & Sale Invited Artist, Claudia Reese, Austin, Texas
2011
UNT Clay Grads & Alumni Group Show, College of the Redwoods, Eureka, California
Starbrick Clay National Cup Show, Starbrick Gallery, Nelsonville, Ohio
Dining In IV: An Artful Experience, 18 Hands Gallery, Houston, Texas Confinement, 1st Annual Workhouse Clay National-Ceramics Exhibition, Lorton, Virginia
KC Clay Guild Teabowl National 2011, Kansas City, Missouri
2010 Raison d’être, MFA Exhibition, Cora Stafford Gallery, Denton, Texas
Seven to Ten, North Gallery, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
9 bodies at 18 Hands, 18 Hands Gallery, Houston, Texas
Materials: Hard and Soft, Center for the Greater Arts in Denton, Texas
2009
Green 4 Green, Cora Stafford, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
Texas Heat, St. Petersburg Clay, Florida Student Art Competition, Union Gallery, Denton, Texas
2008
Crossroads: Ceramic Exchange, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS
Aspasian Arts and Crafts Festival, Rockwall, Texas A Southwest Ceramic Showdown, San Angelo, Texas
Publications
“Working with Porcelain” with an intro and insights from Antoinette Badenhorst, pages 53-54. September 2017 “Covered Cupcake Stand” Pottery Making Illustrated, pages 42-45. September 2016 “Berry Bowls” Pottery Making Illustrated, pages 44-45. May 2016 Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artist
Lauren Smith PO Box 90, Ulm, Mt 59485 214-669-7399/laurensmithpottery@gmail.com www.LaurenSmithPottery.com April 2016 Exposure Section of Ceramics Monthly
Collections
Archie Bray Collection, Helena, MT Barbara Baldinado, Claremont, CA University of North Texas, Denton, TX
Gallery and Museum Representation
A Coastal Eddy, Laguna Beach, California AKAR Gallery, Iowa City, Iowa American Museum of Ceramic Arts, AMOCA Gallery Store, Pomona, California Belger Crane Yard, Kansas City, Missouri Clay Studio of Missoula, Missoula, Montana The Archie Bray, North Gallery, Helena, Montana Holter Museum of Art, Museum Store, Helena, Montana In Tandem Gallery, Bakersville, North Carolina Lewistown Art Center, Lewistown, Montana Red Lodge Clay Center, Red Lodge, Montana Santa Fe Clay, Santa Fe, New Mexico