Artist: Steph Galli
Steph Galli, KENTUCKY
Statement
My interests lie in the moments during the making process, when the clay is still soft and malleable, or when the glaze is responding to high temperature and beginning to melt and move along ceramic surfaces. Viewers bear witness to the collaborative nature that the kiln has with my work as I capture moments of flux in the kiln. Through attention to curvature of form, thickness of glaze application and firing sequence I am able to bring witness to the movement of glaze in the kiln, as drips hang off each vessel. The black underglaze goes on the pot as solid, graphic lines that bleed through the translucent glaze during the firing. I strive to visually share these moments with those that have never touched clay before and those who have been seduced by the medium for years.
The utilitarian vessel is meant to be held, used, and integrated into everyday life. While using my pots, one will notice the form of the handle and foot fluently resting in their hands, the rim sitting effortlessly on their lips, and their palms warming as they wrap them around their morning coffee or nightly tea. This is where I hope the user experiences the tactile collaboration with the medium, as I do when making the work. Through their hands, they explore the textural depth of the glaze, where it becomes more than just surface treatment, subtly shaping the form of each piece. This connection extends beyond the gallery, reintroducing the pottery to the tactile from whence it emerged as clay.
While I'm inherently drawn to precision and control, I've come to embrace the beauty of spontaneity and serendipity in my work. By surrendering a measure of control to the kiln, each piece takes on a life of its own, emerging from the kiln as singular and unrepeatable entities. This is evident in the dance of black graphic lines mingling with cobalt in the fluid glaze, and the organic drips that emerge in the firing process.
Biography
Stephanie Galli is the professor and area-head of Ceramics at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, where she also maintains an active studio practice. Galli received her MFA ‘16 from Indiana University and her BFA ‘12 from Central Michigan University. Passionate about travel, she has spent time making art in China, Italy and Malaysia. She has been a resident artist at the Pottery Workshop Jingdezhen, AMACObrent, Red Lodge Clay Center, and MudFire Clayworks. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, most notably at Miami Art Week, The Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and Hangzhou Peace International in Hangzhou, China. Stephanie’s sculptures and utilitarian vessels have been featured in publications such as Ceramics Monthly, American iPottery, and BADAO ART. She was named an Emerging Artist in 2017 by Ceramics Monthly. Besides artmaking and education, her interests include gardening, cooking & baking and her three rescued dachshunds.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS **indicates solo/one-person exhibition
2025 (scheduled)
International Ceramic Sculpture Invitational Exhibition. Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China
2024
Our Favorite Forms, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville FL (invitational)
Material Mugs IX, Companion Gallery, Humboldt TN (invitational)
Beyond the Classroom: Survey of Works by Centre Faculty, Norton Center of the Arts, Danville KY
Yunomi Invitational, ClayAKAR, Iowa City IA (invitational)
Embrace the Vase 2024, Invited by Martha Grover, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester MA
SXPF, Southern Crossings Pottery Festival, Invited Artist, TEN20 Brewery, Louisville KY (invitational)
2023
Material Mugs IIIV: All Skate, Companion Gallery, Humboldt TN (invitational)
Michiana Pottery Tour, Invited Artist, Dick Lehman Studio, Goshen IN (invitational)
State of Clay in Indiana, Invited artist, Grunwald Gallery, Indiana University, Bloomington IN (invitational)
SXPF, Southern Crossings Pottery Festival, Invited Artist, TEN20 Brewery, Louisville KY (invitational)
2022
Last Call, Companion Gallery, Invited Artist, Humboldt TN (invitational)
Stephanie Galli, Richmond Museum of Art / Indiana University East (invitational)**
Grissom Visiting Artist Collaboration Exhibition, The Civil War with Eduard Duval Carrie, Aegon Gallery
Learning Beyond Lessons, Collaborative Research with student Ella Thornberry. Aegon Gallery
Cup: Intimate Object, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville FL (invitational)
2021
Blue Notes, sponsored by Crafted Social, Lexington KY (juried)
The Second Annual Cup Show, ArtLink, Fort Wayne IN(invitational)
Collaborations, Justin Rothshank showroom, Goshen IN (invitational)
Cup: Intimate Object, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville FL (invitational)
Featured Artist: Stephanie Galli, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville FL (invitational)**
Indiana University Alumni Virtual Exhibition, Bloomington IN (Juried by Linda Tien & Betsy Stirratt)
Crafted Social, Railbird Festival, Lexington KY (Juried by David Kring and Anna Gregory)
Exquisite Forms III, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville FL (invitational)
2020
Spatial relationships: 3-D Invitational, The Art Gallery at Collin College, McKinney TX (invitational)
Margarita Invitational, Companion Gallery, Invited Artist, Humboldt TN (invitational)
The Cup Invitational, GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Reading PA (invitational)
Material Mugs: Underglaze, Companion Gallery, Invited Artist, Humboldt TN (invitational)
lipbodyfoot, The Smithery, Columbus OH (invitational)
Intimate Object, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville FL (invitational)
Small Favors, The Clay Studio of Philadelphia, Philadelphia PA (Juried by Leila Cartier)
The Cup Show, ArtLink, Fort Wayne IN (invitational)
2019
Fired and Inspired, LexArts Gallery, Lexington KY (invitational)
Lush: Contemporary Ceramics, Lighthouse Art Center, Tequesta FL (juried by Alex Zablocki)
State of Clay, Purdue University, Fort Wayne IN (juried by Ted Neal)
Michiana Pottery Tour, Dick Lehman Studio Pottery, Goshen IN
Material Mugs IV: Cobalt, Companion Gallery, Humboldt TN (invited by Juror Ian Childers)
The 6th Annual SteinFest 2019, Claymakers Gallery, Durham, NC (invitational)
Lip. Body. Foot.- a cup shaped thing, Blockfort Gallery, Columbus OH (invitational)
The Eloquent Vessel, Lightwell Gallery, University of Oklahoma, Norman OK
(Award: 2nd Place. Juror by Doug Casebeer)
Ceramics by Stephanie Galli, Evans Gallery, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN (solo show)**
Think Outside the Jar, AMACOBrent NCECA Exhibition, Minneapolis, MN (invitational)
2018
Aqua Art Miami, Miami Art Week, Represented by Art Helix Gallery of Brooklyn NY, Miami Beach, FL
Drip, Morean Center for Clay, St. Petersburg, FL
The 6th Annual SteinFest 2018, Claymakers Gallery, Durham, NC
2018 exhibitions cont.
The 12th Annual Simple Cup Show 2018, KOBO Gallery, Seattle, WS
Stephanie Galli: New Works, The Open Gallery, Vincennes IN **
2018 Academy of the Arts Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Academy Center of the Arts, Lynchburg VA
M5: Annual Juried Exhibition, MINT, Atlanta GA
2017
Creatives: 125th Anniversary Young Alumni Exhibition, Central Michigan University’s Art Gallery,
Mount Pleasant MI (purchase award)
Michigan Mud Conference 2017: Expanding Community, Presenter’s Exhibition, Albion, MI
quiet-quiet, Invitational Female Sculpture Exhibition, Valade Gallery, Adrian College, Adrian, MI
Michigan Ceramics 2017 Biennial Exhibition & Competition, Valade Family Gallery, Detroit, MI.
Juried by Richard Notkin
2016
The 10th Annual Simple Cup Show 2016, KOBO Gallery, Seattle, WS
Primary: Ceramics in Color, The Ceramics Center, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Art and Design Faculty Exhibition, University Art Gallery, Mt. Pleasant MI
2016 Southern Miss Ceramics National, The University of Southern Miss Museum of Art, Hattiesburg, MS
13th Annual Ceramics Invitational, Artisan Gallery, Paoli, WI
Irons In The Fire, Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN
Stephanie Galli: New Work, AMACO Gallery, Indianapolis, IN**
MFA Thesis Exhibition, Grunwald Gallery, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN**
NCECA National Juried Student Exhibition, Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, Kansas City, MO
2015
The Kinsey Institute Juried Art Show, Grunwald Gallery, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
America’s ClayFest III, Blue Line Arts Gallery, Roseville, CA
Group Show: Cups, Artisan Gallery, Paoli, WI
MFA: Group Exhibition, Grunwald Gallery, Henry Radford School of Fine Arts, Indiana University,
Bloomington, IN
2014
Cup: The Intimate Object X, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL,
Battle of the Bowls 2014, Academy of Fine Arts, Lynchburg, VA
Mugs for Jugs 2014; Breast Cancer Fundraiser Invitational Exhibition, MudFire Clayworks Gallery, Atlanta, GA
11th Annual Ceramics Invitational, Artisan Gallery, Paoli, WI
MFA: Group Exhibition, Grunwald Gallery, Henry Radford School of Fine Arts, Indiana University,
Bloomington, IN
2013
The Unexpected, Max L. Jackson Gallery, Queens University, Charlotte, NC
Mugs for Jugs 2013; Breast Cancer Fundraiser Invitational Exhibition, MudFire Clayworks Gallery, Atlanta, GA
10th Annual Ceramics Invitational, Artisan Gallery, Paoli, WI
Stephanie Galli: Exit Show, Mudfire Clayworks Gallery, Atlanta, GA**
Print On Clay, MudFire Clayworks Gallery, Atlanta, GA
Stephanie Galli: New Work, Solo Show, MudFire Clayworks Gallery, Atlanta, GA**
NCECA 2013 National Juried Student Exhibition, Glassell School of Art, Museum of Fine Arts Houston TX
2012
New Work; a Solo Show, MudFire Clayworks Gallery, Atlanta, GA**
juxta-clay: BFA Thesis Exhibition, University Art Gallery, Mount Pleasant, MI**
Annual Juried CMU student Art Exhibition, University Art Gallery, Mount Pleasant, MI
2011
International Student Exhibition, Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China
Jingdezhen Comprehensive Ceramic Exhibition, DIY gallery, Jingdezhen Comprehensive College,
Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China
The Second Zheyao International Ceramic Invitational Exhibition, 2011 China Hangzhou Cultural
and Creative Industry Expo, Hangzhou Peace International Convention and Exhibition Center,
Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Annual Juried CMU Student Art Exhibition, University Art Gallery, Mount Pleasant, MI
RESIDENCIES
2024
Red Lodge Clay Center, Short-term Resident, Red Lodge MT
2018
The Pottery Workshop, Jingdezhen, Artist in Residence, Jingdezhen, China.
2017
AMACO, Summer Artist in Residence, Indianapolis, IN
2015-2016
Red Lodge Clay Center, Short-term Resident, Red Lodge, MT
2012-2013
MudFire Clayworks Studio and Gallery, Artist in Residence, Atlanta, GA
PUBLICATIONS
2024
Norton Center for the Arts, 2024-2025 Annual Catalog
2023
Ceramics Monthly Annual Yearbook,
Indiana Clay Conference Program, Cover
2022
Ceramics Monthly, May 2022, Spotlight Feature
Ceramics Monthly, June/July/August 2022, Thoughts on Collaboration by Justin Rothshank
2021
Power of Positivity, featured artist interview
RedFin Blog, "How to Decorate Your Home with Handmade Decor."
2020
The Michinana Potters: Art Community, and Collaboration in the Midwest, Meredith A.E. McGriff (book cover)
Indiana University's “20 Under 40 List”
Material Mugs: Underglaze Catalog
2017
Ceramics Monthly, May 2017, Emerging Artist
Ceramics Monthly, May 2017, Emerging Artist Recipes
Ceramics Monthly, National Juried Student Exhibition by Sarah McNutt, January 2017, pg 47
2016
IU MFA Catalog, Richard Noyes
NCECA NSJE Catalogue, pg 57
2015
Indiana Public Media, Arts & Music, CSAB: Cultivating Collectors, Feeding Artists
2014
Ceramics Monthly, October 2014, Exposure pg 17
American iPottery, iPad application/eBook, Kevin Hluch
2013
NCECA Journal, Volume 34, pg 156
NCECA NSJE 2013 Catalogue, pg 17
2012
G’NATmag, Episode 01, Visual Art: Meghan Borland and Stephanie Galli: Juxtaclay, July 2012,
pages 8-10
2011
BADAO ART, The Second International Ceramic Invitational Exhibition Catalog, 2011, pg 25, 50
AWARDS
2024
Stodghill Research Award, Centre College. competitive award for a two-course release (Fall 2024)
2020
Indiana University's “20 Under 40 List”
2019
2nd Place, Eloquent Vessel Exhibition, Juror: Doug Casebeer
2017
Ceramics Monthly, 2017 Emerging Artist
2015
Grunwald Award, MFA: Group Exhibition, Grunwald Gallery, Bloomington, IN
2013
Friends of Arrowmont Scholarship, Nick Bivins workshop
EDUCATION
2013-16
Indiana University, MFA Ceramics, Bloomington, IN
2015
Scuola Internazionale di Grafica Venezia, Venice, Italy, IU Summer Program, Printmaking and Bookmaking
2012
Central Michigan University, BFA 3-D Art, Ceramics Concentration, Art History Minor, Mount Pleasant, MI
2011
Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Ceramics in China, Summer and Fall programs, Jingdezhen,
Jiangxi, China, West Virginia University
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Academic Appointments *Indicates title change at same institution
2019-present
Centre College, Assistant Professor, Ceramics, Danville, KY*
Faculty Director. Ceramics, Cuisine, and Colonialism: Intercultural Exchange in Malaysia. Study Abroad
2018-2019
Centre College, Visiting Assistant Professor, Ceramics, Danville, KY
2017-2018
Vincennes University, Lecturer, Ceramics Area Head/Coordinator, Vincennes, IN
2016-2017
Central Michigan University, Lecturer I, Ceramics and Foundations, Mt. Pleasant, MI
2013-2016
Indiana University, Associate Instructor, Instructor of Record. Bloomington, IN
Invited Demonstrations, Lectures, and Workshops
2024
NCECA, AMACO-brent booth demonstration, Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond VA
2023
Indiana Clay Conference, Invited presenter, two-day demonstrations, lecture, (alongside Pete Pinell,
Andrea Keys Connell and Von Venhuizen), Bloomington Convention Center, Bloomington IN
Indiana University Southeast, Demonstrating Visiting Artist, New Albany IN
SXPF, Surface Demonstration, TEN20 Brewery, Louisville KY
2019
Marion College, Visiting Artist Workshop & Lecture, Indianapolis IN
Michiana Woodfire Workshop, Demonstrating Artist, Goshen IN
2017
Queens University of Charlotte, Visiting Artist Workshop & Lecture, Charlotte, NC
Michigan Mud Conference 2017, Demonstrating Artist, Albion College, Albion, MI
2016
Brickyard Ceramics & Crafts at AMACO, two day hands-on workshop, Indianapolis, IN
DePauw University, Visiting Artist workshop, Greencastle, IN