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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)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2010
•Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO
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
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2011
•Bray Collaboration, Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT
•Islamic Influence, Crossroads Gallery, St. Petersburgh College, Clearwater, FL
•Kansas City Clay, Red Star Studios, NCECA Expo Gallery, Tampa, FL
2010
•Lay of the Land (solo), Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO
•Creating and Collecting: Kansas City and Contemporary Sculpture, Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO
•(Re)Form, H&R Block Artspace, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
•Six McKnight Artists, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN (catalog)
•25th Anniversary Summer Exhibition, Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO
•Connecting With Contemporary Sculpture, Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
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
•Kansas City Flat Files, H&R Block Artspace, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
2007
•It’s Only Natural, H&R Block Artspace, Kansas City Art Institute, 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
H&R Block Artspace, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
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
PUBLICATIONS and MEDIA
2011
•Lay of the Land, review by Glen Brown, Ceramics Monthly, February 2011
•Kansas City Clay: What’s Happening Now, article by Tara Polansky, Ceramics: Art and Perception, Issue 88
2010
•Six McKnight Artists, Exhibition Catalog, Essay by Robert Silberman, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN
•”A Voyage of Ideas and Reflections” by Aarik Danielson, review and photo, The Columbia Daily Tribune, January 4, Columbia, MO
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
COLLECTIONS
•Belger Collection, Kansas City, MO
•Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, Sedalia, MO
•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
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
AWARDS and HONORS
•2008-2004, 2001, 1998-1996 Faculty Development Grant, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
•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
1999-1996Old 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).
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
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
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
