RESUME

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CARY ESSER

5526 Charlotte
Kansas City, MO 64110
(816) 523-7366
mocary@yahoo.com

http://caryesser.com

Ceramics Department
Kansas City Art Institute
4415 Warwick Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64111

EDUCATION

1984        MFA, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University
1978        BFA, Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI)

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2009

  • Evermore: Pattern & Process, Epsten Gallery, Overland Park, KS
  • KCAI: Then and Now, Red Star Studios, Kansas City, MO

2009-2007

  • Craft in America Exhibition and Catalog, venues:
  • Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AK
  • Museum of Contemporary Craft, Portland, OR
  • Mingei International Museum, San Diego, CA
  • Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX
  • Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI
  • National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs, CA

2008

  • Simply Assembly, Epsten Gallery, Overland Park, KS
  • Kansas City Flat Files, KCAI H&R Block Artspace, Kansas City, MO

2007

  • It’s Only Natural, KCAI H&R Block Artspace, Kansas City, MO

2004

  • Tile: Matter and Motif, Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD
  • Connoisseurs of Clay: Collecting Contemporary Ceramics (catalog),St. Petersburg, FL
  • Works by Artists in Residence at the International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemet, Hungary, Kansas City Artists Coalition, Kansas City, MO

2003

  • 21st Century Ceramics in the United States and Canada (catalog), Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, OH
  • Facets of Clay, Macalester College Art Gallery, Saint Paul, MN
  • Scripps College Annual Invitational, Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Claremont College, CA

2002

  • Evidence, Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO
  • Sculptural Clay Invitational (catalog), Daum Museum, Sedalia, MO
  • Out of Academe, Manhattan Arts Center, Manhattan, KS
  • Gathering Influence: The Artist as Collector, KCAI H&R Block Artspace, Kansas Ctiy, MO
  • KCAI Ceramics Faculty 1996-2002, Vanderslice Hall, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO

2000

  • Artistry in Tile, Greater Reston Arts Center, Reston, VA
  • The Summer Show, Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO


2000-1999

Flora and Fauna in Ceramics Sculpture (catalog) Traveling exhibition curated by Cary Esser, venues:

  • Florida Craftsmen Gallery, St. Petersburg, FL
  • KCAI H&R Artspace
  • Karl Drerup Gallery, Plymouth State College, Plymouth, NH
  • Pensacola Museum of Art, Pensacola, FL

1999

  • Clay Invitational, Kansas City Artists Coalition, Kansas City, MO
  • Departures from the Midwest, Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD

1998

  • Living With Tile: The Art of Installation, Wayne Arts Center, St. Davis, PA

1996

  • Clay Works: A National Invitational Exhibition, Zephyr Gallery, Louisville, KY

1995

  • Tile ’95 (catalog), Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
  • Keepers of the Flame, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO

1993

  • Visual Arts Faculty Exhibition, Duke University Museum of Art, Durham, NC
  • Another View, University Art Gallery, University of Massachusetts at North Dartmouth, MA
  • Six Women Who Make Art With Clay, Arts Council of Wilson, Wilson, NC

1992

  • Archie Bray Foundation Benefit Exhibition, Owen Patrick Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

1991

  • Ceramics Walls, Brainard Gallery, Eastern Illinois University, Charelstonm IL

1990

  • Artists in the Garden, Peden Gallery II, Raleigh, NC
  • LSU Ceramics Exhibition, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA

1989

  • North Carolina Arts Council Artist Fellowships 1988-89 (catalog), City Gallery of                 Contemporary Art, Raleigh, NC
  • Ceramic Sculpture in Open Spaces, Charlotte Kemper Gallery, Kansas City, MO

1987

  • Ceramic Sculpture Exhibition at New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM

1985

  • A Centennial Celebration: Highlights from Kansas City Art Institute Alumni, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO

1984

  • 40th Western New York Exhibition, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY

1982

  • Architectural Ceramics, Women’s Interart Center, New York, NY
  • Annual Scripps College Invitational Ceramics Exhibition, Claremont, CA

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

1999

  • Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO

1998

  • Grand Arts Studio, Kansas City, MO
  • Exhibition of Rosettes, public art projects work-in-progress, in collaboration with Al Frega, metal sculptor

1996-1992

  • Annual Open Studio Exhibition, Chapel Hill, NC

1994

  • Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne, WY

1992

  • Duke University Bryan Center Gallery, Durham, NC

1991

  • Chapel Hill Preservation Society, Chapel Hill, NC

1989

  • Holden Gallery, Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC

1987

  • Durham Art Guild, Durham, NC

1986

  • Galaxo Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC

1985

  • 305 West Cameron Gallery, Chapel Hill, NC
  • Greenwich House Pottery, New York, NY

CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE

2005

  • The Eye of the Colletcor: Art Pottery and More from the Morgan Collection, Belger Arts Center, Kansas City, MO

2004

  • Tile: Matter and Motif, Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD

2002

  • TRAX: An Exhibition of Sited Sculpture and Performance, Union Station, Kansas City, MO
  • New Territory, Belger Arts Center, Kansas City, MO
  • Evidence, Sherry Leedy Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2000-1999

  • Flora and Fauna in Ceramic Sculpture, a nationally traveling group exhibition

AWARDS and HONORS

2008-2004, Faculty Development Grant, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
2001, 1998-1996

2003 Lighten International Artists Exchange Program, Kansas City, MO

1994 Professional Development Grant, Duke University Institute of the Arts, Durham, NC

1993 Research Grant, Duke-UNC Program in Latin American Studies, Durham, NC

1988 Visual Artists Fellowship, North Carolina Arts Council, Raleigh, NC


COMMISSIONED PUBLIC WORKS

1999-1996

Old Revenue Building, Raleigh, NC

  • Contracted to collaborate with metal sculptor Al Frega to produce found-metal and carved ceramic sculpture with wall relief for lobby of renovated building.
  • Funded by Artworks for State Buildings Program, North Carolina Arts Council, Department of Natural Resources.

1994-1990

Heritage Park, Sandford, NC

  • Designed and produced four ceramic murals, installed fall 1994.  Funds received from City of Sanford, private donations, and New Works grant from the North Carolina Arts Council.
  • Artist/designer with landscape architect Carter Crawford and Downtown Revitalization Corporation, to develop master plan for pocket park and murals (1994-1990).
  • Led workshops for 150 Lee County residents to facilitate community brick murals.

1989-1988

Paint Branch High School, Burtonsville, MD

  • Designed, produced, and installed two ceramic relief murals.  Funded by the Montgomery County Art-in-Public-Architecture program (Percent for Art).

TEACHING

Present-1996 Kansas City Art Institute, Professor and Chair, Ceramics Department, Kansas City, MO

1994-1990 Duke University, Artist-in-Residence, Durham, NC Courses:

  • Architectural Ceramics
  • Re-creating Pre-Columbian Material Culture, (co-taught with Dr. Dorie Reents-Budet, Curator of Pre-Columbian Art, Duke University Museum of Art)
  • Public Art/Private Concerns (co-taught with Professor Vernon Pratt, Department of Art and Art History)
  • Ceramic Sculpture
  • Introduction to Drawing

1996-1989 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

  • Adjunct Professor, Art Fundamentals for Elementary Education (1996-1990)
  • Visiting Lecturer, Ceramic Sculpture (1991-1989)
  • Louisiana State University, Visiting Instructor in Ceramics, (1991)

LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS

2004

  • Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO
  • Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD
  • El Camino Community College, Torrence, CA

2003

  • International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemet, Hungary
  • University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
  • University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
  • Kansas City Artists Coalition, Kansas City, MO

2001

  • Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT

2000

  • Kent State University, Kent, OH

1999

  • Florida Craftsmen and St. Pete Clays, St. Petersburg, FL

1998

  • Forrest Park Community College, St. Louis, MO

1997

  • New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
  • Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT

1996

  • Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass Village, CO
  • Boulder Potter’s Guild, Boulder, CO
  • American Crafts Council Southeast Conference, Louisville, KY

1994

  • University of Wyoming and Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne, WY

1992

  • University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
  • Public Art Symposium, Wake Forrest University, Winston-Salema, NC

1991

  • National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA), New Orleans, LA
  • American Crafts Council Southeast Conference, Jackson, MS
  • Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ
  • University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
  • Lee Brick Company, Sanford, NC
  • Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL
  • Southeastern Massachusetts University, New Bedford, MA

1990

  • Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
  • National Council on Education of the Ceramic Arts (NCECA), Cincinnati, OH
  • Wilson County Public Schools, Wilson, NC
  • Paint Branch High School, Burtonsville, MD

PUBLICATIONS and MEDIA

2009

  • Episode V: Process, Craft in America Documentary produced by Carol Sauvion, air date October 7, 2009
  • Epsten Gallery Explores Pattern and Process, radio interview, KCUR 89.3FM Radio, Laura Spencer, January 14, 2009
  • Patterns at Play, by Sarah Mote, Arts Section, Kansas City Star, January 4, 2009

2007

  • Craft in America: Celebrating Two Centuries of Artists and Objects, by Jo Lauria and Steve Fenton, published by Clarkson Potter

2006

  • “Myra Morgan Collection at Dennis Morgan Gallery and Belger Center”, by Andrea Norris, Review, February

2004

  • “Matter and Motif”, Clay Times, September/October

2003

  • “21st Century Ceramics in the United States and Canada”, Ceramics Monthly, December
  • 21st Century Ceramics in the United States and Canada, exhibition catalog edited by Bill Hunt, The American Ceramics Society

2002

  • “Regeneration”, NCECA Conference Preview, Article by Cary Esser, Ceramics Monthly, March
  • TRAX Exhibition Brochure, curator’s statement by Cary Esser
  • Sculptural Clay Invitational Catalog, essay by Sherry Cromwell Lacy, Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, Sedalia, MO, March
  • “KANSAS CITY: New Territory”, review by Stephanie Bowman, Art Papers, July/August
  • “Curating Clay: A Troika of Tactics”, review by Alison Zimmer, Review, May/June
  • “Glaze Daze”, NCECA exhibitions preview by Kate Hackman, The Kansas City Star, PREVIEW section,          March 15-21
  • The Pennland Book of Ceramics, by Angelica Puzo, Lark Books
  • “Cary Esser Gives Kansas City an NCECA Look”, interview by Marcus Cain, Review, March/April
  • Openings, Review, listings and comments by Kate Hackman, March/April
  • Photo, Review, March/April

2000

  • “Humans, Nature, and Human Nature”, by Elizabeth Kirsch, The Kansas City Star, April 16th
  • “KCAI and the Capacity for Ceramics”, by Elizabeth Kirsch, The Kansas City Star, April 16th
  • “An Elegant Show of Naturalistic Clay Sculpture”, by Kate Hackman, Review, April

1999

  • Flora and Fauna Exhibition Catalog, curator’s essay by Cary Esser
  • “Timeless Tiles”, by Cara Walz, Pitch Weekly, November 11-17
  • Surface Decoration, by Lynn Peters, Lark Books
  • “Kansas City Art Institute Ties”, Ceramics Monthly, September
  • “No Shortage of Variety”, by Elizabeth Kirsch, The Kansas City Star, May 29th
  • “Living with Tile”, by Nancy McCroskey, Clay Times, January/February
  • Gallery Section, American Craft, December 1998/ January 1999

1998

  • Making Molds, by Pierce Clayton, Lark Books

1995

  • “Celebrating Ken Furgeson”, by Patricia Degener, American Craft, October/November
  • Tile ’95 Exhibition Catalog, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
  • Keepers of the Flame Exhibitions Catalog, Kemper Museum

1992

  • “When Art Goes Public”, by Kate Dobbs Ariail, Independent Weekly, January 15th

1989

  • North Carolina Arts Council Artists’ Fellowships 1988-89 Exhibition Catalog, by Vernon Pratt, City Gallery of Contemporary Art, Raleigh, NC

1985

  • “Architectural Clay Focus”, Ceramics Monthly, April

1983

  • “Scripps Invitational”, Ceramics Monthly, February

RESIDENCIES

2010 McKnight Artist Residency, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN

2003 International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemet, Hungary

1999 Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Newcastle, ME

1982 Resident Artist, Arts and Industry Program, Kohler Manufacturing Company, WI

1982-1980 Resident Artist, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT

RELATED EXPERIENCE

2004 Juror, Regional Juried Student Exhibition, NCECA conference, Indianapolis, IN

2002-1999 On-Site Liaison and Board Member, NCECA conference, Kansas City, MO

2001 Juror, Emerging Artists Program, NCECA conference, Charlotte, NC

1999 Juror, Missouri Scholastic Awards, Kansas City, MO

1997 Juror, Kentucky Craft Marketing Program, Lexington, KY

1993-1992 Design Advisory Group, North Carolina Pottery Museum, Seagrove, NC

1992 Selection Panelist, Artworks for State Buildings Program, North Carolina Arts Council, Durham, NC

1991 Grant Panelist, Visual Arts Project Grants, North Carolina Arts Council, Durham, NC

COLLECTIONS

  • North Carolina Arts Council Artworks for State Building
  • First National Bank and Trust Company
  • FGI Corporation
  • Glaxo Corporation
  • City of Sandford, North Carolina
  • Montgomery Council, Maryland, Art-in-Public-Architecture
  • Archie Bray Foundation
  • John Michael Kohler Art Center

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