Artist: Zach Wollert

Zach Wollert, ARKANSAS
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Artist Statement:

Being actively curious is how I approach the planning and making of my artistic work. Curious of materials, effects, processes, and 'what if...' moments. As curiosity has led me through traditional ceramic making methods, curiosity has brought me towards integrating digital technologies with handcrafted methodologies and I am fascinated how the processes influence one another. Hand-made properties guide the digital and the digital technology controlling the physical material. I envision these works a collaboration of physical and digital tools used to create a hand-made digitally influenced object. Admittedly, labeling an object to be 'digitally hand-made' leaves me with a good excited chuckle. After that quick laugh and enjoyment of self-satisfaction, I return to serious enough contemplation that reinforces my artistic drive.

Education

2015 M.F.A. Ceramics: Kent State University – Kent, OH

2007 B.F.A. Ceramics: University of Oregon – Eugene, OR

2004 B.S. Fine Arts, Business Minor: University of Oregon – Eugene, OR

Employment

2023 – Current Assistant Director/Ceramics Chair, Windgate Art School Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts – Little Rock, AR

2019 – 2023 Assistant Professor, Ceramics and 3D Art: Kirkwood Community College – Cedar Rapids, IA

2018 – 2019 Temporary Faculty, Ceramics and 3D Art: Kirkwood Community College – Cedar Rapids, IA

2017 – 2023 Continuing Education Instructor: Kirkwood Community College – Cedar Rapids, IA

2017 – 2018 Lead 3D Art Studio Technician: Kirkwood Community College – Cedar Rapids, IA

2015 – 2016 Production/Technical Assistant: Firebug Pottery – Elkton, OR

2014 – 2015 Graduate Assistant, School of Art Galleries: Kent State University – Kent, OH

2013 – 2014 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Ceramics Department Kent State University – Kent, OH

2008 – 2010 Ceramics Instructor: Radius Community Art Studios – Portland, OR

2003 – 2013 Service Clerk/Forklift Operator/Supervisor: Costco Wholesale – Tigard, OR

Showings of Work

2023 Winter Warmers Cup Show, Good Earth Pottery – Bellingham, WA Octagonal:All Media Show, Octagon Center for the Arts – Des Moines, IA

2022 Artists Ending Homelessness, Shelter House – Iowa City, IA Americano Holiday Show, AKAR – Iowa City, IA
Landscapes, Northwest Woodfire Conf., Chehalem Center – Newberg, OR Platters, Northwest Woodfire Conf., Chehalem Center – Newberg, OR
Yunomi Invitational, AKAR – Iowa City, IA
New Work Sale/Show, AKAR – Iowa City, IA

Faculty Show, Festival of the Arts – Cedar Rapids, IA

2021 Salem Art Works Fall Auction – Salem, NY
Yunomi Invitational, AKAR – Iowa City, IA
Artists Ending Homelessness, Shelter House – Iowa City, IA
Maria Tritico Benefit, Lighthouse Art Center – Tequesta, FL

The Ceramics Forum, Virtual NCECA concurrent show – NCECA.net

2020 Yunomi Invitational, AKAR – Iowa City, IA
Last Call V, Companion Gallery – Humboldt, TN

Clay Legacies, Stetson University – DeLand, FL

2019 High Low and Naked, Eutectic Gallery – Portland, OR
Unanimous Discourse, Upper Iowa University – Fayette, IA
Alumni Show, Kent State University, Downtown Gallery – Kent, OH
Faculty Exhibition, Kirkwood Community College – Cedar Rapids, IA
Yunomi Invitational, AKAR – Iowa City, IA
Concurrent Show, NCECA – Minneapolis, MN

Nuance, Peters Valley School of Craft – Layton, NJ

2018 On the Rocks, Pewabic Pottery – Detroit, MI
Yunomi Invitational, AKAR – Iowa City, IA
River to River, Iowa Clay Conference, Coe College – Cedar Rapids, IA
One Degree, Iowa Clay Conference, ICCGS – Cedar Rapids, IA
Wichita Invitational, Reuben Saunders Gallery – Wichita, KS

Emerging Artists, Wood Fire Symposium, Free Gallery – Helena, MT

2017 Americano Invitational, AKAR – Iowa City, IA
DISH, Medalta, Medicine Hat – Alberta, Canada
Yunomi Invitational, AKAR – Iowa City, IA
Material Function, Kirkwood Community College – Cedar Rapids, IA
Alumni Exhibition, Kent State University – Kent, OH
Fired Relationships, New Harmony Gallery – New Harmony, IN

Legacy Emergent, Blackfish Gallery/NCECA – Portland, OR

2016 Resident Show, Cobb Mountain Art and Ecology – Loch Lomond, CA Strictly Functional Pottery National – Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Fired in Freedom, Revision Space – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2015 (im)permanence: Graduate Thesis Exhibition, Main Art Gallery, Kent State University – Kent, OH

2014 Quest for Space, Uumbaji Gallery, Oscar Ritchie Hall – Kent, OH Be the Voice for Those Who are Unheard, Stark State – North Canton, OH Fired in Freedom, Kent State Downtown Gallery – Kent, OH
Wood, Fire, and Ash, Stark State – North Canton, OH
ASM International Art Exhibition, ASM Headquarters – Novelty, OH
Student Annual Show, Kent State School of Art Gallery – Kent, OH
A Home for Joe, Coffee Cup Show, Baldwin Wallace – Berea, OH

Niche Awards, Student Finalist, Functional Ceramics – Philadelphia, PA

2012 Mud, Sweat, and Cheer – Portland, OR

2 Woodfire Kilns of the NW, Pots Gallery, NCECA – Seattle, WA

Publications

Coppage, Ryan. The Anatomy of a Good Pot. The American Ceramics Society. 2021. pp. vi, 41, 76, 125.

Last Call V. “Party Ewer.” Companion Gallery. 2020. pp. 25.

Nuance: Craftsmanship, Imagination, Innovation. “Salad Plates.” Peters Valley School of Craft. 2019. pp. 28.

Wollert, Zachary. Pottery Making Illustrated. “Stacked Place Settings.” November/ December 2017. pp. 33-36.

Wollert, Zachary. NCECA Journal. Volume 36. “Deconstructing Process.” 2015. pp.127.

Artist Residencies

2023 International Ceramic Studio – Kecskemét, Hungary

2016 Cobb Mountain Art and Ecology Project – Loch Lomond, CA 2015-2016 Firebug Pottery – Elkton, OR

Invited Artist Demonstrations and Lectures

2021 Lincoln Highway Arts Festival – Mt. Vernon, IA
2019 Upper Iowa University – Fayette, IA
2018 Iowa Clay Conference, Iowa Ceramic Center – Cedar Rapids, IA
Winterset Art Center – Winterset, IA
2017 The Iowa Ceramic Center – Cedar Rapids, IA
2014 Grand Valley Ceramics Forum, Grand Valley State University –  Allendale, MI
2012 Lewis and Clark College – Portland, OR

Instructed Courses

Kirkwood Community College:
Ceramics I, Ceramics II, Ceramics III, Ceramics IV
Sculpture I, Sculpture II
Independent Study
Honors Projects

Ceramics: Woodfiring – 3 week summer intensive session

Kent State University:

Introduction to Ceramics (Instructor of Record)

Institutional Service

Collaborative Learning Days Presenter: The Digital Hand, Kirkwood Community College, 2021.

Hiring Committee Member : 3D Art Technician, Arts and Humanities, Kirkwood Community College, 2018. Hiring Committee Member

Glass Art Faculty, Arts and Humanities, Kirkwood Community College, 2017. Curator/Preparator

Kent State University Art Gallery, ASM International Art Exhibition, Novelty, OH, 2015. Curator/Preparator

Kent State University Art Gallery, GAR Student Art Show, GAR Foundation, Akron, OH, 2015.

School of Art Representative: Graduate Student Senate, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 2015.

Committee Member: Domestic Travel Awards, Graduate Student Senate, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 2014.

Artist Mentor: Leaders for Social Justice Students, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 2014.

Extracurricular Service

Committee Member: Iowa Clay Conference, Iowa Ceramic Center, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2021.

Organizer/Chair:Midwest Clay Online, virtual zoom conference, 2020.

Committee Member:Iowa Clay Conference, Iowa Ceramic Center, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2018.

3D Art Club Advisor:Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2017 – 2023.

Organizer/Chaperone :SOFA (Sculptural Object Functional Art) Conference, 3D Art Club, 2017 – current.

Institutional Awards

Club Advisor of the Year: 3D Art Club, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2018.

Most Memorable Event: Halloween Open House, 3D Art Club, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2018.

Artist: Zach Wollert

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