Artist: Ruth Easterbrook
Ruth Easterbrook, PENNSYLVANIA
Artist Statement
Pottery is a living art in its ability to enhance our daily lives. My forms embody generosity and communicate utility that welcomes interaction. With sturdiness and thoughtful volume, my pots welcome being held, and lend themselves to continual use from the table, to the sink, and back again.
My surfaces are a subtle and complex tangle of floral motifs, designed and adapted from the natural and art worlds. These flowers connect me with my childhood growing up in the rural hills of California. Wildflowers represent place and time through their cycle from seed to bloom rooted in their environment of soil and climate. Their resilience gives me hope as I witness them emerging through the frozen ground in spring or returning to their familiar spot after a devastating wildfire. Captured in glaze, my designs bring the joy of spring and summer all year round.
Using a palette of glazes from matte to glossy I map out the decoration with the intent of collaborating with the heat in the kiln to flux and move glaze across surfaces. I welcome happenstance and embrace the power of the heat as it transforms wet earth to ceramic and ground rocks to a multitude of glazes.
Bio
(b. 1984) Ruth Easterbrook was born in California growing up in the tiny rural town of Redwood Valley. She was first introduced to clay in High School which led her to study ceramics at Syracuse University where she earned her BFA in 2007. After graduating Ruth spent many years learning through practice and hands-on experience as an apprentice at Hoyman-Browe Studios (CA) and assisting various artists including Whitney Smith Pottery (CA). In 2014 she began focusing on her career starting with a spring concentration at Penland School of Craft (NC) and then spending extended time at Anderson Ranch Arts Center (CO) as a student, summer intern, and returning as an Artist In Resident in 2016. In 2019 Ruth earned her MFA in ceramics at NYSCC Alfred University. Since 2019 she has continued her studio practice as an Artist in Residence. From 2019-2020 at Harvard Ceramics Program (MA) and 2020-current at The Clay Studio (PA). She has been awarded the honor of Emerging Artist for NCECA 2020, 2022 Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artist. Ruth’s work has been exhibited internationally as well as throughout the USA and is in the permanent collection of the Alfred Ceramics Arts Museum as well as other personal collections.
Education
2017-2019 MFA of Ceramics, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, School of Art and Design, Alfred, NY.
2003-2007 BFA of Ceramics, Syracuse University, School of Visual and Performing art, Syracuse, NY.
Residencies // Scholarships
2020-current Resident Artist, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA.
2019 Artist in Residence, Office of the Arts, Ceramics Program at Harvard University, Allston, MA
2016 Fall Artist in Resident, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass Village, CO.
2015 Scholarship, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass Village, CO, instructor Josh Deweese.
2014 Scholarship/Work-study, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC, eight week spring concentration with instructor David Eichelberger.
2007 Scholarship/Work-study, Penland School of Arts and Crafts, Penland, NC, summer two-week with instructor Chris Staley.
Apprenticeships // Assistantships
2016 - Fall Intern. Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Make.Eat.Think with Allegany Meadows. Snowmass, CO.
- Artstream Intern and Harvey/Meadows Gallery Assistant, Aspen, CO.
2015 Summer and Fall Ceramics Studio Intern. Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, CO.
2009-2010 Studio Assistant, Whitney Smith Pottery, Oakland, CA.
2007-2009 Lead Apprentice, production throwing, at Hoyman-Browe Studio, Ukiah, Ca.
Awards // Grants
2020 -Emerging Artist, NCECA, Richmond VA/ Virtual Conference 2021
-Zelfell Fellowship, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
Selected Teaching Experience
2022
- Wheel I and Wheel II in-person classes with The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
- ‘Parts of a Tea set’ Online hand-building class Harvard Ceramics Program, Allston, MA.
2021
- Wheel I and Wheel II in-person classes with The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
- Summer, fall, winter online classes with Harvard Ceramics Program: Fundamental Form, Handbuilding Basics and Handbuilding Challenges
- Virtual recorded lessons and eight-week zoom classes with The Clay School, Lynn, MA
2020
- Instructor of Wheel I and Wheel II at The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA. Fall and Winter.
- Virtual Fundamental Form, and Handbuilding Basics at the Office of the Arts Ceramics Program at Harvard University, fall semester. Allston, MA. Summer and Fall 2020
- Instructor for Combined Methods and Form and Surface at the Office of the Arts Ceramics Program at Harvard University, fall semester. Allston, MA. Spring 2020
- Instructor for multi-level community classes at The Clay School, Lynn, MA.
2019
- Instructor for Combined Methods and Introduction to Wheel at the Office of the Arts Ceramics Program at Harvard University, Fall 2019. Allston, MA.
- Adjunct Professor at Lesley College of Art and Design, Introduction to Wheel, Fall Semester. Cambridge, MA.
- Instructor for multi-level community classes at The Clay School, Lynn, MA.
- Long-term Sub. for Professional Development Seminar, Massachusetts College of Art (MassArt), Boston. Fall 2019
2017
- Liberal Arts Beginning Ceramics, Fall 2017. School of Art and Design in New York School of Ceramics at Alfred University. Alfred, NY.
Selected Exhibitions/Presentations
2021
- VERNAL LIFE - Solo exhibit at Gallery 224, Harvard Ceramics Program. Allston, MA
- Pitcher Perfect, Good Earth Pottery, Bellingham, WA. Juror Jen Allen
- Breakfast, The International Museum of Dinnerware, Ann Arbor, MI. Juror Ursula Hargens
- Sarah’s Spirit Squad, Mug Madness, Saltstone Ceramics, WA
- 2020 Emerging Artist Talks, 2021 Virtual NCECA Conference
- Gandee Gallery, Expo Pottery Show, NCECA 2020, virtual conference
2020
- PMA Craft Show, Emerging Artist. Philadelphia Museum of Art juried Craft Show, Online
- Lunch and Learn Artist talk, The Clay Studio, September
- Strictly Functional Pottery National, Presented by the Market House Craft Center Lancaster, PA. Juror Julia Galloway
- Summer Clay Jam 2020, Invited artist in a summer showcase. Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL.
- Delec-table, 2020 National Juried Show at The Arts Students League of Denver. Juror Liz Zlot Summerfield.
- Small Favors, Small works juried show. The Clay Studio, Philadelphia PA.
- Eight Fluid Ounces 2020, Invitational Cup Show, curated by Mike Helke. Glassell Gallery, LSU College of Art and Design. Baton Rouge, LA.
2019
- 2019 Juried National V, Red Lodge Clay Center, Red Lodge, MT. Juror Mike Helke.
- Pitcher Perfect, Good Earth Pottery, Bellingham, WA. Juror Deborah Schwartzkof.
- Efflorescence, MFA Thesis Exhibition. Robert C. Turner Gallery, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, School of Art and Design, Alfred, NY.
- Clay as Foundation/La Arcilla como Fundamento, Campos de Gutiérrez, Medellin, Colombia. International Show.
2018
- Trestle Draw, NCECA, Pittsburgh, PA. Student-organized, Faculty Juried.
- Small Scale Bake Shale, Shipping Container University Show at Standard Ceramics, NCECA. Pittsburgh, PA. Student-organized, Faculty Juried.
- Painting <3 Ceramics, Robert C. Turner Gallery, School of Art and Design at Alfred University, Alfred, NY. Organized and Juried by the Alfred Painting Club.
2016
- Ceramic Intern Exhibition: Mentoring Artistic Excellence at Anderson Ranch, Carbondale Clay Center, Carbondale, CO, Curated by Doug Casebeer, July 2016.
- At Your Service, Baltimore Clay Works, Baltimore, MD. Juror Linda Arbuckle.
Published Writing
“Ceramic Watercolor Surfaces”, Pottery Making Illustrated, Nov/Dec. 2014.
“9 Makers Share Secrets for Staying Creative on the Daily” Brit+Co, By Cortney Cliff, Sep, 16 2014.
“Ruth Easterbrook’s New Love”, The Penland Sketchbook, blog-post May 2014.