Artist: Justin Donofrio

Justin Donofrio, NEW YORK
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Through the lens of functional pottery I focus on questions about our relationship with objects. I explore the concept of humanity’s authority over landscape and record of construction as a form of time materialized. The geographical layered strata of each vessel represent fragments or glimpses into the density of every assemblage. With the intersections and overlaps, I contemplate the dynamic relationship between materiality and landscape and our attempt to control it. Each vessel is made using clay that is artificially colored to reference natural tones. The juxtaposition of the natural and artificial speaks to a notion of manicured space in an attempt to cultivate order.

Focusing on the fluidity of process and materials as remnants of making, I work with a limited number of tools and movements to allow the clay to actively inform the line quality and elegant volume. Relying heavily on the physicality of the technique I generously push and pull these lines to develop an undulation that resembles natural rhythms. The harmony of repetition comes through meditation of movement. The presence of process in the work is essential as my forms are searching for confidence in their construction. The conversation between the stained clay and glaze, obscuring or revealing, explores a didactic look at color as body and color as skin.

EDUCATION
M.F.A
Alfred University. Alfred, NY
2021
B.F.A.
Colorado State University. Concentration in Pottery. Fort Collins, CO.
2016.
A.A.
Cabrillo Community College. Aptos, CA.
2009.
Pasadena City College. Instituto Italiano. Study Abroad, Florence Italy. 2007.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2018 Red Lodge Clay Center. Featured Artist. Red Lodge, MT.
2016 Artisan Framing. Harmony of Repetition. Fort Collins, CO.
CSU Gallery Space. Body Moon Skin. Fort Collins, CO.
2014 Tannery Arts Center. Untitled. Santa Cruz, CA.


SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018 Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts. Resident Artist Exhibition. Helena, MT.
Austin Ceramics Studio Tour. Art of the Pot. (Invitational) Austin, TX.
Artstream Nomadic Gallery. NCECA Spring Tour. (Invitational) Pittsburgh, PA.
The Clay Studio of Philadelphia. Clay Studio National: 2018. Philadelphia, PA.
Market House Craft Center. Strictly Functional Pottery National 2018. Lancaster, PA.
The Clay Studio of Philadelphia. Emerging Artist exhibition series. (Invitational) Philadelphia, PA.
AKAR. Americano Invitational: 2018. Iowa City, IA.
Kolva-Sullivan Gallery. Archie Bray Resident Artist Exhibition. Spokane, WA.
AKAR. Yunomi Invitational: 2018. Iowa City, IA.
Western Colorado Center for the Arts. Contemporary Clay 2018. Grand Junction, CO.
University of Missouri. The Clay Cup IV: Vessel, Icon, Canvas. Columbia, MO.
ASU Art Museum. Ceram-a-rama. (Invitational) Tempe, AZ.
Santa Fe Clay. La Mesa: 2018. (Invitational) Santa Fe, NM.
The Gandee Gallery. Almighty Cup 2018. (Invitational) Fabius, NY.
The Clay Studio of Philadelphia. Small Favors. Philadelphia, PA.
Art Students League of Denver. delecTABLE: The Fine Art of Dining. Denver, CO.
Companion Gallery. Last Call III. (Invitational) Humboldt, TN.
Clay Studio of Missoula. International Cup 2018. Missoula, MT.
Pewabic. On the Rocks. Detroit, MI.
Savannah Clay Community. SIP. Savannah, GA.
James May Gallery. T.B.D. Algoma, WI.
Carbondale Clay Center. Nomadic Hands. (Invitational) Carbondale, CO.

2017 Main Street Arts. The Cup, The Mug. Clifton Springs, NY.
LUX Center for the Arts. MUG SHOTS. Lincoln, NE.
Flower City Arts Center. Good Things…Come in Small Packages. Rochester, NY.
Belger Crane Yard Studios. 2nd Annual Holiday Book. Kansas City, MO.
Lillstreet Gallery. Handmade Holidays. Chicago, IL.
Amelia Center Gallery. Tenth Annual Cup Show: Form and Function. Panama City, FL.
In Tandem Gallery. Being in Touch. Bakersville, NC.
Clayworks. Cups in Common. Charlotte, NC.
Ceramics Monthly. Pour it On. (print) Westerville, OH.
James May Gallery. Working Pots 2. Algoma, WI.
Artstream Nomadic Gallery. NCECA Spring Tour. (Invitational) Portland, OR.


2016
Artlab. Three. Fort Collins, CO.
Carbondale Clay Center. 50 Years: Anderson Ranch Intern Exhibition. (Invitational) Carbondale, CO.
Student Lory Center. CSU Student Juried Art Exhibition. Fort Collins, CO

2015
Gallery 970. Form/Function. (Invitational) Loveland, CO.
Student Lory Center. CSU Student Juried Art Exhibition. Fort Collins, CO
Gallery 970. Holiday Exhibition. (Invitational) Loveland, CO.

2014 Chapel Gallery. Pedestal to Pantry. (Invitational) Aspen, CO.
S.A.W. Studio for the Arts and Works. Sawholiday Exhibition. Carbondale, CO.
Carbondale Clay Center. Pairings. (Invitational) Carbondale, CO.

2013 Chapel Gallery. Small Wonders. (Invitational) Aspen, CO.
Carbondale Clay Center. Pairings. (Invitational) Carbondale, CO.

PUBLICATIONS
Featured Artist, Ceramics Monthly, ‘2018 Emerging Artists’ May 2018.
Featured Artist, International Ceramics Artists Network, ‘ICAN Functional Collection Calendar’ January 2018.
Featured Artist, Ceramics Monthly, ‘Pour it On’ September 2017.
Featured Artist, Ceramic Artists Now, ‘9 Potters to Watch in 2018’ January 2018.
Featured Artist, Ceramic Artists Now, ‘Conscious of How We Move Through the World’ March 2018.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Tour Manager/Exhibiting Artist, Artstream Nomadic Gallery, Carbondale, CO. Spring 2017-18.
Gallery Assistant, Harvey Meadows Gallery, Aspen CO. 2013-Present.
Intern, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, CO. 2014.
Web Design/Maintenance, Ceramic Field Guide, 2017-18.
Studio Support Staff/Service Assistant Coordinator and Labor, James Surls Studios, Carbondale , CO. October, 2013 – August, 2015.
Ceramics Lab Technician Assistant, Cabrillo Community College, Aptos, CA. August, 2011- May 2013.
Graphic Facilitator, Choicess/We Gather to Listen, Arcadia CA. 2007-Present.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Artist Workshop, Artstream Nomadic Gallery, Wichita State University, Spring 2018.
Artist Workshop, Artstream Nomadic Gallery, St. Louis Community College, Spring 2018.
Demo Artist, Art of the Pot: GACA Artist, St. Edwards University, Austin TX, Spring 2018.
Artist Workshop, Alamo City Pottery, San Antonio, TX.
Visiting Artist, Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne, WY.
Visiting Artist Workshop, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI. (Upcoming)

RESIDENCIES AND INTERNSHIPS
2018 Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, 2018 Summer Windgate Scholar.
2014 Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Winter Internship.
2013-14 S.A.W. Studio for the Arts and Works. Carbondale, CO.

COLLECTIONS
Colorado State University Presidents Collection, Fort Collins, CO.
The Rosenfield Collection, Dallas TX.
Amsterdam Contemporary Art Collection, Amsterdam NL.
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo TX.
Kolva-Sullivan Gallery, Jim Kolva and Pat Sullivan, Spokane WA.