Artist: Mia Riley
Mia Riley, ALBERTA
View Artist's Products
Our deep historical lineage with the clay enables ceramics and pottery to powerfully evoke thoughts on survival, ritual, time and the natural world. Through my artistic practice of creating vessel based installations and functional pottery, I am inspired by how the material properties of the medium can embody the human experience. The wetness of a glaze, the traces of destruction in a shard or the intimate size of a cup serve to communicate a visual language that illustrates this narrative. Having grown up with a strong passion for exploring the natural environment, my artistic practice often takes footholds on these adventures. Most recently, interactions with the landscape and the inherent geological qualities of clay have encouraged me to create work that is influenced by the areas in Alberta where I have resided. Emphasizing strongly on formal and conceptual contrasts I seek to convey a sense of harmony to the viewers/users of my work that parallels similar experiences in nature. I am continually excited by new possibilities to explore both technical and conceptual research to create ceramic art that encourages connections between the vessel and landscape while subtly referencing our place within it.
EDUCATION
2013-16 BFA in Ceramics, Alberta College of Art and Design, Calgary, AB
2013 Wood Fired Kiln Construction Course taught by Martin Tagseth, University of Regina, Regina, SK
2011-13 Diploma in Visual Art, Red Deer College, Red Deer, AB
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2016-17 Administration & Operations Coordinator, artsPlace Community Arts Centre, Canmore, AB
Ongoing
Independent Curator for exhibitions at The Banff Centre Project Space, Alberta College of Arts and Design,
Red Deer College, The Works Festival and the University of Regina’s 5th Parallel Gallery
2016
Artist in Residence, Kiln Raising Thematic Residency, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Banff, AB
Curatorial Intern, The Nickel Galleries, University of Calgary, Calgary
2015 Artist in Residence + Curatorial Assistant – Medalta Potteries Museum, Medicine Hat, AB
2012 Exhibit and Production Technology Assistant – The Works Art and Design Festival, Edmonton, AB
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2016
Off The Wall, Canmore Art Guild (CAG) Annual Invitational 3D Exhibition, CAG Gallery, Canmore
Cheers, International Juried Exhibition, Yuill Family Gallery, Medalta, Medicine Hat
Coffee ‘til Dusk, Whisky ‘til Dawn, Kiln Raising Residency Exhibition (Exhibition Coordinator), Banff Centre
Project Space, Banff
Echoes, solo exhibition, Discovery Gallery, Alberta Craft Council, Edmonton
2016 Grad Show, ACAD Graduating Student Exhibition, Illingworth Kerr Gallery, Calgary
2015
TOOL Show, Yuill Family Gallery, Medalta, Medicine Hat
Totipotent, Main Mall, Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD), Calgary
The Universe (which others call the Library), Luke Lindoe Library, ACAD, Calgary
2014
Spoon Me, Yuill Family Gallery, Medalta, Medicine Hat
Maturing Point, Main Mall, Alberta College of Art and Design, Calgary
(RE)VERB, Room 595, ACAD, Calgary
2013
Experimenting With Fire, Fifth Parallel Gallery, University of Regina, Regina
Points of View, Marjorie Wood Gallery, Kerry Wood Nature Centre, Red Deer
Coming Up Next, Discovery Gallery, Alberta Craft Council, Edmonton
Capacity for Fellowship, Edmonton Room, Works International Art and Design Festival, Edmonton
Rooted in the Arts, Harris-Warke Gallery, Red Deer
2012
Make A Sick Picture or A Sick Readymade, Gallery 958C, Curated by Xenia Benivolski, Red Deer
ACHIEVEMENTS
2016 Keith Evans Scholarship in Visual Arts Endowment
ACAD Board of Governor’s Award in Ceramics
Dr. K V. Blythe Exploration Scholarship
2015 Frances A. Rodgers Memorial Scholarship in Ceramics
2014 ACAD President’s Cup Commission and Award
2012 Series Summer School of the Arts Scholarship for Emerging Artists