Artist: Ray Brown
Ray Brown, MISSISSIPPI
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ARTIST BIO
Ray Brown was born in Houston, Texas, and earned a BFA with Honors from the University of Mississippi under Matt Long. He then earned a MFA in studio art with emphasis in ceramics at West Virginia University, learning under Shoji Satake, Robert “Boomer” Moore, Jen Allen and Shalya Marsh.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I make utilitarian pottery with the intent to provide the user with an entrance into a memorable and contemplative experience. Crafting works that are soft, inviting, generous, and strong, I intend for the user to leave with a sense of thoughtfulness and curiosity. I wish to achieve cohesive forms that capture a confidence of line, with supporting crisp and energetic surface decoration. Both in surface and form, I strive for a captured, pressurized volume within my work, as if they are inhaling. Furthermore, I am interested in translating curvilinear patterns and line work into three-dimensional forms inspired by architecture and forms from the Streamlining Era. By exploring these iterations, I create forms that are grouped or assembled into utilitarian pottery focusing on jars, flower vases, and teapots. Overall, through playing with proportions, surface, and color I hope to create a tactile and visual experience that prompts the user to slow down.
EDUCATION
2019 – 2022 Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art, Emphasis in Ceramics, West Virginia University (WVU), Morgantown, WV
2014 – 2019 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Major In Ceramics, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, with Honors from Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2024 - Present Beginning Ceramics Art 340, Instructor of Record, UM
Intermediate Ceramics Art 341 & Handbuilding Art 342, Instructor of Record, Stacked Class, UM
2022 - 2024 Intermediate Ceramics Art 341 & Handbuilding Art 342, Instructor of Record, Stacked Class, UM
2019 - 2022 Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, Shadowed and Taught Individual sections
Spring 2022- 3D Foundations for Art Majors
Fall 2021- Drawing for Art Majors
Spring 2021- Ceramics Lead Production Assistant
Fall 2020- Intro to Ceramics for Non-Majors
Spring 2020- Intro to Ceramics for Non-Majors
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & LEADERSHIP
2026 Arrowmont Pentaculum, May Session, Gatlinburg, TN (Upcoming)
Participant, Spring Woodfiring, University of Mississippi
Thrown and Altered: And Then Some, 5 Day Workshop, Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts (Upcoming)
2025 Throwing and Altering, 5 Day Workshop, Touchstone Center For Craft
Touchstone Visiting Artist Lecture, Touchstone Center For Crafts, Farmington, PA
Throwing and Altering: On the Potter’s Wheel with Ray Brown, 2 Day Workshop, Lighthouse Arts Center
Lighthouse Visiting Artist Lecture, Lighthouse Arts Center
Midwestern Train Kiln with Ted Neal, Assistant Kiln Builder, Coordinator Steve Hilton
Midwestern State University Short Term Summer Residency
Midwestern State University High School Education Workshop Assistant
Participant, Spring Woodfiring, University of Mississippi
Participant, Fall Woodfiring, University of Mississippi
2024 Presenter, Zoom Artist Talk and Q&A, Westminster College Ceramics Department, coordinator Summer Zickefoose
Participant, Fall Woodfiring, University of Mississippi
Participant, Spring Woodfiring, University of Mississippi
Work Included in Firing, Florida Heat Workshop, Morean Center for Clay
2023 Participant, Equitable Hiring Practices Workshop, University of Mississippi
Participant, Fall Woodfiring, University of Mississippi
Participant, Spring Woodfiring 2, University of Mississippi
Participant, Spring Woodfiring 1, University of Mississippi
2022 Participant, WVU Inaugural Tube Kiln Firing, Simon Levin and Virgil Ortiz Workshop
Participant, Fall Woodfiring, University of Mississippi
Participant, Spring Woodfiring 2, University of Mississippi
Participant, Spring Woodfiring 1, University of Mississippi
2021 Presenter, WVU China Program, Freshman Elective Class, Professor Alison Helm, WVU Engineering Building, Morgantown, WV
2019 Lecturer, Learning Arts Center “Artist Lecture Series”, WVU China Program, Pottery Workshop, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, PRC
Resident, Pottery Workshop, WVU Ceramics Program, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, PRC
2025 Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Tomo Museum, Tokyo, Japan
11th Kikuchi Biennial, juried, Honorable Mention
Watermark Art Center, Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN
Its Only Clay Exhibition, juried, 3rd Place
Clay Studio Missoula, Missoula, Montana
It’s the Little Things, juried, Juror Beth Lo, Best of Show Award
Schacht Gallery, Saratoga Clay Arts Center, Schuylerville, NY
Morningware: Breakfast and Brunch, juried, juror Lorna Meaden, Juror’s Choice Award
2024 University of Southern Mississippi Museum of Art, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
Cups of Contemplation, Juried, Juror Tom and Elaine Coleman, Award of Excellence
Watermark Art Center, Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN
Its Only Clay Exhibition, juried, juror Mark Lambert, Purchase Award, Margaret Harlow Collection
2019-2022 Graduate Full Tuition Waiver, West Virginia University
2019 NCECA National Juried Student Show, Minneapolis, MN
Studio Potter Award
Provost Office Permanent Collection, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
Cookie Jar, Purchase Award
2016 Fellowship Scholarship, Anderson Ranch Art Center, Snowmass Village, CO
2025 Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Tomo Museum, Tokyo, Japan
11th Kikuchi Biennial, juried, Honorable Mention
Watermark Art Center, Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN
Its Only Clay Exhibition, juried, 3rd Place
Clay Studio Missoula, Missoula, Montana
It’s the Little Things, juried, Juror Beth Lo, Best of Show Award
Schacht Gallery, Saratoga Clay Arts Center, Schuylerville, NY
Morningware: Breakfast and Brunch, juried, juror Lorna Meaden, Juror’s Choice Award
2024 University of Southern Mississippi Museum of Art, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
Cups of Contemplation, Juried, Juror Tom and Elaine Coleman, Award of Excellence
Watermark Art Center, Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN
Its Only Clay Exhibition, juried, juror Mark Lambert, Purchase Award, Margaret Harlow Collection
2019-2022 Graduate Full Tuition Waiver, West Virginia University
2019 NCECA National Juried Student Show, Minneapolis, MN
Studio Potter Award
Provost Office Permanent Collection, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
Cookie Jar, Purchase Award
2016 Fellowship Scholarship, Anderson Ranch Art Center, Snowmass Village, CO
Provided assistance to attend one workshop at the Ranch
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN
October, solo invitational, curator Eric Botbyl
Lighthouse Art Center, Tequesta, FL
May-June, solo invitational, curator Chad Steve
2023 Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN
October, solo invitational, curator Eric Botbyl
2022 The Laura and Paul Mesaros Galleries, Douglas O. Blaney Lobby of the WVU Canady Creative Arts Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
Mechanisms of Nourishment, MFA Thesis Exhibition
INVITATIONAL AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026 Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, Maryland
Winterfest Exhibition, curator Yoshi Fuji (Upcoming), national exhibition
Carbondale Clay Center, Carbondale, Co
Chromatic Harmony – Kait Arndt, Ray Brown, Michael Connelly, Ruth Easterbrook, Ashley Kim, Adam Meitrell and Naomi Peterson, group invitational exhibition, curator Kait Arndt, national exhibition
Cedar Creek Gallery, Creedmoor NC
12th CUPful Show, curator Jennifer Dolan, national exhibition
Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN
11th Last Call: Handmade Ceramics for Storing, Pouring & Sipping Fine Libations, curator Juan Borroso and Eric Botbyl national exhibition
University of Mississippi Museum and Historic Houses, Oxford, MS
Art Faculty Exhibition, curator Melanie Antonelli, national exhibition
Batch Brewing Co, Detroit, Michigan
Good Habit Pottery Co Pop Up, Concurrent with NCECA, curator Adam Lefebvre, national exhibition
Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN
Winter Exhibition, curator Rachel Nusbaum, national exhibition (Upcoming)
Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, Edgecomb, ME
Invitational Pottery Sale at the 31st Annual Salad Days, curator Aidan Fraser, national exhibition (Upcoming)
Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, Edgecomb, ME
Second Look Exhibition 2026, curator Aidan Fraser, national exhibition (Upcoming)
Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN
Ceramics 2026 Spring Exhibition, curator Eric Botbyl, national group exhibition
Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN
Ewer Invitational, curator Eric Botbyl, national group exhibition (Upcoming)
Clay AKAR, Iowa City, Iowa
Yunomi and Teapot Invitational (Upcoming), national exhibition
Red Lodge Clay Center, Red Lodge, Montana
Objects of Desire Winter Invitational, national exhibition (Upcoming)