Artist: Sanam Emami
Sanam Emami, COLORADO
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My pots and tiles are made with a specific intent - a function. Plates, cups and tiles are ubiquitous, recognizable. The vases and their multiple spouts are curious when empty, when filled with flowers their function is revealed. The tile is a background or canvas. The cup provides a counterpoint - the curves and movement of the form interact with the surface pattern and imagery. The parameters of the functional pot simultaneously create boundaries and endless possibilities.
Ideas come from different places; a book, a conversation or a glimpse of something familiar like a favorite historical pot that can seem new, as if seen for the first time. The studio space is where the concepts and inspiration take shape and become tangible and dimensional. The concept of unity with variety is important. For example, combining soft marks and volumes with crisp edges and lines. I am interested in creating contrasting gestures that can coexist within a pot or a tile through mark making, symmetry and repeated patterns.
As a student I was drawn to ceramics for its apparent connections with and veneration of “women’s work”. The deep history of clay seemed to reveal connections between women and the material, taking shape in depictions of domestic rituals and ancient fertility goddesses. This history of ceramics and its connections with slow, methodical work - less visible yet necessary for the survival of societies - has often been marginalized to the more dominant narratives of ceramics in 20th century art: one of heroic virtuosity and singular objects.
EDUCATION
2000-2002 MFA Ceramics, New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred NY
1996-1997 Post-Baccalaureate Program, Ceramics, University of Colorado, Boulder CO
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
2013-Present Associate Professor: Pottery, Department of Art, Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO
2007-2013 Assistant Professor: Pottery, Department of Art, Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO
2004-2007 Visiting Assistant Professor: Foundations Program, Drawing and Studio/3D Design Division of Ceramic Art; Sophomore Wheel, Junior Pottery, Senior Studio
New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred NY
SOLO &GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018
Imprint(ed), Carter, Christen, Emami, Three Person National Invitational, Schaller Gallery, Saint Joseph MI
The Image & the Vessel – a Survey of Contemporary Pottery, National Group Invitational,
Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence KS
Cups, National Group Invitational, Ash Street Project, Portland OR
Garden (feast) of Paradise, National Juried Exhibition at NCECA - National Council for Education Ceramic Art, “Cross Currents: Clay and Culture”, Pittsburgh PA
Garden (feast) of Paradise, National Group Invitational, Traveling Exhibition (second venue)
Clay Studio, Philadelphia PA
Artstream Nomadic Gallery: 2018 Spring Tour, National Group Invitational, NCECA – National Conference on Education of Ceramic Art, “Cross Currents: Clay and Culture,” Pittsburgh PA
2017
Objective Clay Holiday Invitational, Objective Clay/Online Holiday Exhibition, National Group Invitational
New Work: Sanam Emami, National Solo Exhibition, In Tandem Gallery, National, Bakersville
NC
WITHIN THE MARGINS | CONTEMPORARY CERAMICS, National Group Invitational, Penland School of Crafts/Penland Gallery, Penland NC
Containers and Conduits / New work by Sanam Emami and Del Harrow, National Two Person Invitational, Harvey Meadows Gallery, Aspen CO
40 for 40 Ceramics Invitational, National Group Invitational, Lux Center for the Arts, Lincoln NE
Cups Half Pint Cafe Exhibition, National Group Invitational, Ash Street Project/Half Pint Cafe,
Portland OR
La Mesa, Sante Fe Clay Gallery/NCECA – National Conference on Education of Ceramic Art, “Future Flux”, Portland, OR
Artstream Nomadic Gallery: 2017 Spring Tour, Art stream Nomadic Gallery/NCECA – National Conference on Education of Ceramic Art, “Future Flux”, Portland OR
2016
Filter: Sanam Emami & Ursula Hargens, National Juried Exhibition at NCECA – National Conference on Education of Ceramic Art, “Makers, Mentors and Milestones”, Kansas City MO
100 Artists 1000 Cups, National Group Invitational Exhibition, curated by the Clay Studio (a
ceramic gallery in Philadelphia), exhibited at NCECA – National Conference on Education of
Ceramic Art, “Makers, Mentors and Milestones”, Kansas City MO
Artstream 2.0, Exploring the Digital Landscape, National Group Invitational, Hosted in
Collaboration with NCECA 50 th Annual National Conference on Education of Ceramic Art,
“Makers, Mentors and Milestones”, Kansas City MO
Colorado Clay: Sanam Emami, Alleghany Meadows, Doug Casebeer & Sam Harvey, Four Person National Invitational, Trax Gallery, Berkeley CA
8 Fluid Ounces, National Group Invitational, Curated by Ayumi Horie, Alfred C. Glassell Jr.
Gallery, LSU Baton Rouge LA
On 10, National Group Invitational, Hostler Burrows, New York NY
Crafted, National Group Invitational, Dow Studio, Deer Isle ME
Perennial Influence, Three Person Group Invitational, Schaller Gallery, Saint Joseph MI
Socks & Rocks, an exhibition of work by Ceramics Faculty and Students, College Avenue
Galleries, California College of Art, Oakland Campus, Oakland CA
Yunomi Invitational, National Group Invitational, Akar Gallery, Iowa City IA
Six McKnight Artists, National Juried, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis MN
Traveling Exhibition: St. Peters Art Center, St. Peters MN - February 5 - March 6
Bemidji State University, Bemidji MN - March 21 - April 29
The Phipps Center for the Arts, Hudson WI - May 13 - June 19
2015
Six McKnight Artists, National Juried, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis MN
Traveling Exhibition: Winona University, Winona MN - September 21 - October 16
An Architecture of Touch: Del Harrow, Andy Brayman and Sanam Emami, Three Person National Invitational, Haw Contemporary, Kansas City MO
Ceramic Color: The Endless Pursuit, National Group Invitational, Carbondale Clay Center,
Carbondale CO
Yunomi Invitational, National Group Invitational, Akar Gallery, Iowa City IA
Cups: Hundreds of Cups, National Group Invitational, Sante Fe Clay, Sante Fe NM
3 rd Annual Steinzeugkrug: Present Day Interpretations, National Group Invitational, Claymakers, Durham NC
Cup: The Intimate Object XI, National Group Invitational, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville FL
La Mesa, Sante Fe Clay National Group Invitational at NCECA - National Conference on
Education of Ceramic Art, Providence RI
2014
Pour, National Group Invitational, Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred NY
Lineage: The Art of Mentorship, National Group Invitational, Curated by Gail Kendall, Clay Art Center, Port Chester NY
Matthew Metz, Linda Sikora and Sanam Emami, Three Person National Invitational, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia PA
Object, Structure, Subject, Regional Group Invitational, Western Colorado Center for the Arts,
Grand Junction, CO
Our Cup Runneth Over: Functional & Sculptural Ceramic Cups, National Group Invitational, The Society of Arts & Crafts, Boston MA
Artist of the Month, Gallery Representation, Selected Gallery Artist, Northern Clay Center,
Minneapolis MN
Cup: The Intimate Object X, National Group Invitational, Charlie Cummings Gallery,
Gainesville FL
Sanam Emami: New Work, Solo National Invitational, Crimson Laurel Gallery, Bakersville NC
Vivid Conversations, Local Group Invitational, Historic Carnegie Building, Fort Collins CO
2013
Clay Prints: Image, Surface and Narrative in Contemporary Ceramics, National Group Invitational, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne IN
The Feast: Art for the Table, National Group Invitational, Harvey Meadows Gallery, Aspen CO
Garnitures and Tableware, Solo Regional Invitational, Esther and John Clay Fine Arts Gallery, Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne WY
Duets, National Group Invitational, Clay Art Center, Port Chester NY
Haystack Faculty Exhibition, National Invitational, Haystack Mountain School of Craft,
Deer Isle ME
Art-Stream Nomadic Gallery, National Group Invitational at NCECA - National Conference on
Education of Ceramic Art, Houston TX
PRESENTATIONS:
Audio Podcast http://maketime.libsyn.com/podcast, ;A Potters Journey," Make/Time by craftschools.us, podcast, NA, United States. (June 15, 2017).
Future Flux, NCECA 51st Annual Conference, Portland OR, "Cultural Impact: Women in Clay, Women& Work, Panelist, National Council on Education of Ceramic Art, Portland, Oregon, United States. (March 2017).
California College of Art, Visiting Faculty Lecture, CCA, Oakland, CA, United States. (October 27, 2016).
Cabrillo College, Possibilities of form for wheel thrown tableware and centerpieces”, Visiting Artist Lecture and Demonstration, Santa Cruz, CA, United States. (October 14, 2016).
Ox-bow School of Art, Form, Structure, Surface," Two Week Workshop, Team taught with Del Harrow, Saugatuck, MI, United States. (June 19, 2016).
Everyday Aesthetics, The Craft Object and Everyday Aesthetics, LEAP, Panel Discussion and Presentation, Fort Collins, CO, United States. (May 9, 2016).
COLLECTIONS INCLUDE:
Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art, Alfred NY
Dinnerware Museum, Ann Arbor MI
David and Louise Rosenfield Ceramic Collection
Robert Pfannebecker Collection
Ron Gallas Cup Library, St. Olaf College
Kansas City Art Institute, Ken Fergusosn Teaching Collection, Kansas City MO