Welcome to my website. I am a studio clay artist living in Detroit, Michigan. I have been working in clay since my first class at Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, Michigan in 1968 studying under Gawaine Dart. I recently retired from Ford Motor Company where I worked in Manufacturing for 33 1/2 years.
I recently joined the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center as Director of Ceramic Arts. Officially, I began March 1, 2010, however, I was finishing teaching the Spring semester at Henry Ford Community College and Schoolcraft College, so I really came on board about mid-May. The last week of May, BBAC experienced a horrific flood of the ceramic studios. Potters wheels, kilns and student work in progress were under three feet of water and more in certain areas! What a welcoming! We have been working extremely hard cleaning and restoring the facilities to keep us up and running. Generous donations have allowed us to purchase two new Skutt kilns from Runyan Pottery Supply, Clio, Michigan. Paul Runyan has been a huge help in advising me as to saving and/or rebuilding equipment. I was able to dry out all 14 Brent potters wheels, and only needed a replacement motor (generously donated by Amaco/Brent). I am currently rebuilding our four Evenheat Ramp Master II kilns. They have the control boards for easy programming and firing, however, they were all put out of commission being under water. Evenheat has been extremely helpful, guiding me to take ohm readings of all the elements so I can get an initial read of what elements to replace as I rebuild each one. Student work took a heavy hit, as the shelves floated and tipped over in the water. We have held extra open lab times for students to rebuild their "projects" as well. The studio is being revamped a bit during the restoration so it can be better than before the flood. This has been a huge challenge, however, I am pleased with the results of our recovery and have found everyone involved really came together, worked hard together and I know we are on our way to better ceramics here at BBAC.
I previously taught ceramics and 3D Design part time at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Michigan. I have taught there and other local colleges since 1986. I was continually involved in all aspects of ceramics, from handbuilding to wheel throwing, Raku firing and cone 10 reduction firing in a Geil downdraft kiln.
Stay tuned as I update the website and hope you will return and enjoy seeing what I love to do.
Visit the Photo Gallery for actual works for sale.
Also, you will find a "process" photo gallery,
a "Schoolcraft College" photo gallery,
and a recent photo gallery of a weekend workshop I gave at Hood College, Frederick, Maryland this past February 2008. Now that I am retired from FOMOCO, I am available to give lectures/workshops at your University or College. Contact me for details and schedule availability.
BFA. Eastern Michigan University, August 1975 Undergraduate work.
Henry Ford Community College, 1967-1971
EMPLOYMENT:
Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, Michigan, Director of Ceramic Arts, March 1, 2010 to the present.
Ford Motor Company, Fairlane Plaza North, Dearborn, MI, October 1973 to 2/28/07.
Wayne County Community College, Art Department, Adjunct Instructor Ceramics - beginning thru advanced, Fall 1990, Spring 1991, Fall 2009.
Henry Ford Community College, Art Department, Adjunct Instructor Ceramics - beginning thru advanced. Fall 1987, Spring 1988, Summer 1988, Fall 1988, Spring 1989, Fall 1989, Fall 1990, Spring 1991, Fall 1991,Spring 1992, Fall 1992, Spring 1993, Fall 1993,Spring 1994, Fall 1995, Spring 1996, Fall 1997. 3D Design Spring 1997 and Spring 2010.
Schoolcraft College, CES Art Department, and Liberal Arts Department, Adjunct Instructor Ceramics, beginning thru advanced, and Raku, 3D Design- Fall 1992, to Spring 2010.
Wayne State University, Art Department, Adjunct Instructor Ceramics - beginning thru advanced. Fall 1986, Fall 1988, Winter 1997, Winter 2008.
GALLERY EXHIBITS:
5th World Ceramic Biennale 2009 Korea, Ichon, Korea, February 2009, Honorable Mention
Winter whites:Works in Clay, Stubnitz Gallery, Adrian College, Adrian, Mi, January, 2009
Michigan Ceramics: 2008, 50th Anniversary, Michigan Ceramics Art Association, Traveling exhibition, Kalamazoo, Mi and Detroit, Mi, September, 2008
Parallel Paths, Detroit Artists Market, Detroit, Michigan, August 2005
Ceramics 2005 Fifth Biennial Exhibition of North American Clay, The Gallery at Guilford Handcraft Center, Guilford, Connecticut, June 2005, Award
In the Stratton Gallery, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, Michigan, March 2005
3rd World Ceramic Biennale 2005 Korea, Ichon, Korea, February 2005, Honorable Mention
Michigan Ceramics 2004, Michigan Ceramic Art Association, Paint Creek Center for the Arts, Rochester, Michigan October 2004, "Best Nonfunctional Vessel Form"
Award Saginaw Art Museum Michigan Invitational Ceramics 2004, Saginaw, Michigan June 2004
Fifteenth San Angelo Museum National Ceramic Competition, San Angelo, Texas, April 2004, Merit Award
Cup Sale, NCECA Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, March 2004, Merit Award
Orton Cone Box Competition 2004, NCECA Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, March 2004, Purchase Award
Michigan Fine Arts Competition 2004, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, Michigan, March, 2004
Materials Hard and Soft, Denton Art Center, Denton, Texas, January, 2003 Craftforms 2003, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, Pennsylvania, December 2003, Juror's Choice Award
2003 Celebrate Clay, Lawrence St Gallery, Ferndale, Michigan, December 2003
Cup: The Intimate Object II, Charlie Cummings Clay Studio, Fort Wayne, Indiana, November, 2003
Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2003 , Cheongju, Korea, October 2003, Honorable Mention
2nd World Ceramic Biennale 2003 Korea, Ichon, Korea, August 2003, Honorable Mention
Ceramics 2003, Guilford Handcraft Center, Guilford, Connecticut, July 2003
Michigan Fine Arts Competition, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, Michigan, March 2003.
Silver Medal Exhibition, The Scarab Club, Detroit, Michigan, February 2003. Best of Show Award.
Jane Speaks Modern Art, A Street Level Gallery, Detroit, Michigan, December 2002.
Michiganow!, Michigan Institute for the Arts, Detroit, Michigan, November 2002.
42nd Annual Greater Michigan Art Exhibition, Midland Art Center, Midland, Michigan, October 2002. Katharyn Rave Award for Craft.
Mastery in Clay: New Work, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 2002.
20 Years at Paint Creek Center for the Arts, Paint Creek Center, Rochester, Michigan, August 2002
2002 Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramics Exhibition, Shepparton Art Gallery, Shepparton, Australia, March, 2002
Fifteen, A Video Project, Museum of New Art, Detroit, Michigan, September, 2001
“Documenta USA”, Museum of New Art, Detroit, Michigan, September, 2001
