Artist: Michael Ashley
Michael Ashley, MISSOURI
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ARTIST BIO
Michael Ashley grew up on a farm in Green County MO, where he explored the rivers and streams of the Ozark Mountains. He graduated from College of the Ozarks with a BA in Painting and Ceramics then moved to Tachi, Taiwan where he did a one-year residency at Tainan National University for the Arts. In 2010 he graduated from the University of Mississippi with an MFA in Ceramics. He has taught at Missouri State University, the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University and Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia PA. He is currently an Associate Professor of Art at College of the Ozarks.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work invites touch, like a stone plucked from a riverbed I love pots that are smooth in the hand but have a rugged, natural beauty. I observe a constant erosion and evaporation that takes place in my daily environment. I strive for layers of visual depth combining slip, glaze and texture to recall this geological wearing. Traditional utilitarian forms are the vocabulary for my investigation; surfaces are a combination of historic patterns and motifs mixed with the vibrancy and life of midcentury abstract expressionist paintings.
Ritual and habit inform my studio practice. Art, work and play exist in all aspects of life.
I begin my day with tea; boil the water, strain, pour and savor. That rhythm carries throughout my day whether chopping onions or wedging clay. Make something, use it, let it inform your life, make more.
EDUCATION
2010 University of Mississippi - Oxford, MS
MFA, Ceramics
2005 Tainan National University of the Arts - Tainan, Taiwan
Artist in Residence, Masters Ceramics Program
2004 Missouri State University - Springfield, MO
Special Student - 2 semesters in advanced studio ceramics
2003 College of the Ozarks - Point Lookout, MO
BA, Ceramics & Painting, Asian Art History Minor
RECENT SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2026
What we Make of it, group show - Kingsbury Gallery St. Louis Mo.
Sip Cup Show Juror David Kring- Ology Gallery, Savannah GA
Juror’s Choice Award
Mudflat Cup Show- Juror Candra Debuse Mudflat studios, Somerville, MA
5th Annual Arkansas Pottery Festival, Invitational artist. Community Creative Center, Fayetteville AR
Justus Fine Arts Gallery, Featured Artist April exhibition, Hot Springs, AR
2025
Strictly Functional National Juror Mark Hewitt, Lancaster Museum of Art, PA
KC Tea Bowl National, Juror Meredeth Host, KC Clay Guild, KC-MO
2nd Place Award
Red lodge, Juried National VIII, Jurors Linda Sikora and Matt Metz, Loft Gallery, Red Lodge, MT
Put a lid on it, Jurors, Jessica Hong-Chief Curator at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and Louise Meyer. Belger Arts KC-MO
Sip Cup Show, Juror Mike Cinelli, Ology Gallery, Savannah, GA
The Caron Gallery- Art release “Bloom” early summer collection, Tupelo, MS
Justus Fine Arts Gallery- Featured Artist, 21st Anniversary Show, Hot Springs, AR
New Artwork Feature, Relodge Clay Loft Gallery, Red Lodge, MT
4th Annual Arkansas Pottery Festival, Invitational artist. Community Creative Center, Fayetteville, AR
2024
Sip Cup Show, Juror Jen Allen, Ology Gallery, Savannah, GA
M-USE- Group show curated by Jurors Linda Sikora and Matt Metz, Loft Gallery, Red Lodge, MT
KC Tea Bowl National Juror Shika Joshi, KC Clay Guild, KC-MO AMACO/Brent award best use of color,
KC Clay Guild Purchase Award
Mudflat Cup Show- Juror Martha Grover, Mudflat studios, Somerville, MA
Justus Fine Arts Gallery, New Year’s Exhibition, Hot Springs, AR
Melt, Art Faculty Exhibition, Boger Gallery, College of the Ozarks, Point lookout, MO
Earth & Fire, Juror Shoji Satake, Stifel Fine Arts Center, Wheeling WV
2023
KC Tea Bowl National Juror Danny Meisinger, KC Clay Guild, KC-MO
Strictly Functional National Juror Adero Willard, Lancaster Museum of Art, PA
The Caron Gallery- Art release “Magnolia Mino” collection, Tupelo, MS
Justus Fine Arts Gallery, Featured Artist June exhibition, Hot Springs, AR
HGTV’s Home Town Renovation Program, Season 7 Episode 6.
From Windy City to City Beautiful, Artwork featured.
True South, Jackson MS edition, Host John T. Edge collaboration with Chef Zaccheaus artwork featured, SEC Network
2022
HGTV’s Home Town Renovation Program, Season 5 Episode 17.
Bones and Bug’s, Artwork featured.
2021
“Gifted” Lux Gallery Center for the Arts, Invited Artist, Lincoln NE
New Year’s Exhibit. Justus Fine Art Gallery, featured artist, Hot Springs AR.
Justus Fine Arts Gallery, Featured Artist Aug. exhibition, Hot Springs, AR
Collaborative Dissonance, Art Faculty Exhibition, Boger Gallery, College of the Ozarks, Point lookout, MO
25 Days of Art, featured artist, The Caron Gallery, Tupelo Ms.
July Exhibit, Justus Fine Art Gallery, featured artist, Hot Springs AR.
2020
Solo Show “New Work” Spiva Gallery, Southern Missouri State University Joplin Mo.
15-year Anniversary Showcase, featured Artist, Justus Fine Art Gallery in hot Springs AR.
“Gifted” Lux Gallery Center for the Arts, Invited Artist, Lincoln NE
HGTV’s Home Town Renovation Program, Season 4, Episode 8.
Home Away from Home, Artwork featured.
2019
The University of Mississippi, Ceramics MFA Alumni Exhibition 2009-2019, Invited Exhibitor Gallery 130, Oxford Mississippi.
“Gifted” Lux Gallery Center for the Arts, Invited Artist, Lincoln NE
March Exhibit, Justus Fine Arts Gallery Exhibitor and Presenter with Robyn Horn and Katherine Strause, Hot Springs ARK.
2018
Fall in the Ozarks: A Homecoming, Solo Show, Boger Gallery College of the Ozarks, Pt. Lookout MO
“Assembly: Recent Acquisitions”, Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton MA
Through the Eyes of a Collector, Group show, Invited Artist, Lacoste Gallery Concord MA, Curator: Steve Alpert
Our Cups Runneth Over, Invited Artist, Society of arts and crafts Boston MA, Curator: Mary Barringer
Gifted: Annual Winter Show, Invited Artist, Lux Center for the Arts Lincoln NE
Solo Show, Anderson Gallery, Northeast Mississippi Community College, Booneville MS
Ware/Wear, Pocosin Arts Gallery, Juror: Doug Peltzman
“Stain” Group Show, Invited Artist, Red Lodge Clay Center, Curator: Matt Kelleher
“Southern Table” Group Show, Invited Artist, Mason-Scharfenstein Museum of Art, Demorest, GA
2017
Personalities in Clay, American Studio Ceramics from the E. John Bullard Collection, New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans LA
Form and Function: Tenth Annual Cup Show, Gulf Coast State College, Panama City, FL, Juror Jeremy Randall
The Cup the Mug, Main Street Arts, Clifton Springs NY, Juror Peter Pincus
The Cup VIII, Lux center for the Arts, Lincoln NE, Juror Doug Peltzman
Strictly Functional, Lancaster PA, Juror Linda Sikora
The Cup Show 2017, Clay Arts Vegas, Juror Leilani Trinka
Tea Bowl National Kansas City art guild, Juror Chandra Debuse
SELECTED TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2024
to Current Associate Professor of Art, College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, MO
2018 to 2023
Assistant Professor of Art, College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, MO
2018
Belvoir Terrace, Art Dept Chair. Lenox, MA
2017
Ashley Studio Pottery, LLC, Owner and operator since 2014
Juror, Gumtree Arts Festival. Tupelo MS
Drawing Instructor. Northeast Mississippi Community College.
Belvoir Terrace, head of ceramics, Lenox, MA since 2013
2016
Gum tree Museum of Arts, Preparator, Tupelo MS, Since 2014
2014
Visiting Artist, Adjunct Assistant Professor Tyler School of Art Temple University,
Abington Art Center, Jenkins town PA, Ceramics instructor
2013
Visiting Artist, Adjunct Assistant Professor Tyler School of Art Temple University. Beginning, Intermediate and advanced ceramics.
2012
New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Instructor – Sophomore Wheel
Alfred University, School of Art and Design, Instructor – Topics in Contemporary Art History Issues and Debates
2011
Alfred University, School of Art and Design, Instructor – Topics in Contemporary Art History Issues and Debates
Fosdick Nelson Gallery – Preparator, Alfred University
Studio Assistant, Walter McConnell – Slip casting, Kiln Tech
2010
Sabbatical Replacement, Instructor Ceramics program Missouri State University, Springfield Mo.
REPRESNTATION
Red Lodge Clay Center, Red Lodge, MT
The Caron Gallery, Tupelo MS, Laural, MS
Justus Gallery, Hot Springs, ARK
PERMANENT COLLETIONS
Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton MA
John E. Bullard Collection, New Orleans Museum of Art
Lee County Library, Tupelo Mississippi, permanent installation for Helen Foster Award.
John E. Bullard Collection, New Orleans Museum of Art
Lee County Library, Tupelo Mississippi, permanent installation for Helen Foster Award.