I am interested in the connection to adult playing and art making, particularly the rules that guide both activities and the opportunity for improvisation inside those rules. My work has liminal characteristics that occupy ideas on either side of art/play, adult/child, and serious/non-serious thresholds. I choose imagery that overlaps my personal experiences as a child and as an adult. With these ideas in mind, I am currently attempting to create a dimensional version of what literary criticism and poets refer to as, The Objective Correlative. I play with my imagery by distorting or altering it and mixing, matching and experimenting with arrangements till I arrive at unforeseen interesting content.
Education
1991 Kent State University, Kent, OH MFA, Ceramics
1984 University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA BS, Industrial Design
Awards & Honors
1998 Hunt Art Futures Program Teaching Fellowship, Administered by The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
1993 Ohio Arts Council Individual Artists Fellowship, Columbus, OH
1990 Jerome Foundation Emerging Artists, Collegeville, MN
Residency, Saint Johns Pottery, Collegeville, MN
1985 - 1987 Artist in Residence, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
Bibliography
1999 Rice, Robin, “Members Only,” Philadelphia City Paper, Philadelphia, PA, December 16, 1999
Sozansky, Ed, "Three Avenues of instinct and imagination," The Philadelphia inquire, Philadelphia, PA, February 5, 1999
1998 Seay, Suzanne, “Local artists choose their favorites for gallery exhibit,” The Post Star, Glen Falls, NY, January 19, 1998
1997 Mangus, Kirk, "Installation of Ceramic Sculpture," Networks in Ceramics, published by the Helsiinki University of Art and Design, Edited by Tiina Verajankora and Annu Ahonen, January 1, 1997
1995 Rice, Robin, "High Contrast," Philadelphia City Paper, Philadelphia, PA, November 23, 1995
1994 Hilton, Dale, "Up Front: Matthew Courtney," Ceramics Monthly, volume 42, number 7, January 9, 1994
Lit, Steven, "Sprucing Up the City with Public Art: Display at Spaces Lively and Touching," The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, May 12, 1994
Hilton, Dale, "Formal Elements of 'Gist' Make Strong Statement," The Sculpture Center Quarterly News Letter, Cleveland, OH (Winter)
Cullinan, Helen, "Portrait: 'Courtney Makes Point With Exhibit of Ceramics'," The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, February 6, 1994
1992 Riguito, Randy, "Art Without Walls," The River Burns, Cleveland, OH, (Summer issue)
Shinn, Dorothy, "Invasion of Rubber City Decisive Victory for Art," Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, May 24, 1992
Cullinan, Helen, "Emerging Talent and Refreshing Perspective," The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, April 21, 1992
Rice, Robin, "Show Review," Philadelphia City Paper, Philadelphia, PA, March 27, 1992
Lit, Steven, "Works of young Artists throw Promising Sparks," The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, February 9, 1992
1991 Catalog American Wood Fire 91, published by the University of Iowa Museum of Art, October 19, 1991
1989 O’Hara, Kate, "fired with Enthusiasm," The Portico, Publication of the Taft Museum, Vol. 4 Issue. 3
Affiliation
1999 - 2001 Member, Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art, Philadelphia, PA
1991 - 1994 Member, Art Without Walls, Cleveland, OH
Professional Experience
2011 - present Adjunct, Temple University, Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Adjunct, Drexel University, Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, Philadelphia, PA
2009 Juror, Doris Weiss Memorial Scholarship for Art Majors, Philadelphia Community College, Philadelphia, PA
2004 - present Instructor, The University of Pennsylvania's Art and Architecture Summer Studios at Penn, High School Summer Program, Philadelphia, PA
2004 Adjunct, Drexel University, Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, Philadelphia, PA
2003 Instructor Pre-College Prep, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2000 - present Senior Lecturer, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1999 - 2003 Instructor Continuing Education Departments Summer High School Art Smart Program, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1999 Visiting Lecturer, Tyler School of Art, Elkins Park, PA
1998 - present Visiting Lecturer, The University of Pennsylvania, School of Design, Philadelphia, PA
1994 - 1998 Instructor, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
Studio Technician, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
1991 - 1994 Instructor Continuing Education, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
Studio Technician, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
1990 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Kent State University, Kent, OH
1988 - 1989 Product Designer, Juliana Design Group, Exton, PA
1987 Product Model Maker, Product Dynamics, Levittown, PA
1986 Product Model Maker, Sight Design, Lamont, PA
1985 Architectural Model Maker, 3XM, Philadelphia, PA
1983 - 1989 Architectural Model Maker, Scale, Philadelphia, PA
1982 - 1984 Illustrator, Seagull Lighting, Philadelphia, PA
1981 Apprentice, Bruno LaVerdiere, Hadley, NY
Lectures and Talks
2007 and 2010 Lecture and Critique of Graduate Ceramics, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1993 Panelist, “Narration and Metaphor,” Erie Museum of Art, Erie, PA
2002 Artists Lecture, Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, PA
Exhibitions
Solo
2012 In Collaboration: Matthew Courtney, Georgia Southwestern State University, Americus, GA
2010 Old City Windows, Artist and Craftsman Supply, part of Design Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
2002 Recent Work, HACC Gallery, Harrisburg, PA
2000 Recent Work, Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art, Philadelphia, PA
Challenge Exhibition, Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA Jurors: Darrel Sewell, Michael Olszewski
1996 Recent Work, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA Juror: Michael Lucero
Mineral Spirits, In Collaboration, Akron, OH
1995 Small Works, Borders Books, Philadelphia, PA
1994 Gist, The Sculpture Center, Cleveland, OH
1992 New Art From the Region, Spaces, Cleveland, OH Curator: Judith Saloman
Clay, Jessica Berwind Gallery, Philadelphia, PA In Participation with the National Conference on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA)
1987 Recent Work, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
Two Person
2012 In Collaboration: John Parris and Matthew Courtney, Georgia Southwestern State University, Americus, GA
Three Person
1992 Recent Work, The Boiler Room Gallery, Cleveland, OH
Group
2010 Clay @ Penn: Declarations, Fox Art Gallery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA In Participation with the National Conference on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) (catalogue)
Artist/Educator, Rowan University Art Gallery, Glassboro, NJ In Participation with the National Conference on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Curator: Heather Mae Erickson, (catalogue)
Mentors, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA In Participation with the National Conference on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Invitational Curators: Liz Beth Stewart and Jim Makins
2007 Clay @ Penn 2007: Invitational, Addams Hall Gallery, Philadelphia, PA (catalogue)
2004 Clay @ Penn: Artists Choose Artists, Addams Hall Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2002 Strength in Numbers, Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art, Greensboro, NC
2001 Precious, Nexus: Foundation for today’s Art, Philadelphia, PA
2000 Nexus Members, The Philadelphia Foundation, Philadelphia, PA
Current Nexus Members Show, Nexus: Foundation for Today’s Art, Philadelphia, PA
Duality, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
1999 SIX: New Members, Nexus: Foundation for today’s Art, Philadelphia, PA
1998 Clay on the Fringe: 16 Installations, The Clay Studio Annex, Philadelphia, PA Part of the 3rd Annual Philadelphia Fringe Festival Curator: Matthew Courtney
Clay @ Penn, University of Pennsylvania, Meyerson Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Artists Choose Artists, Lake George Arts Project, Lake George, NY Curator: Bruno La Verdiere
1997 Studio Days Invitational, Chester Springs Studio, Chester Springs, PA Curator: Kirk Mangus
Craft Forms, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA Jurors: Liz Beth Stewart and Sharon Church
Made at the Clay Studio, Cheltenham Art Center, Cheltenham, PA Curator: Jimmy Clark
1996 The Clay Studio at The Clay Space, The Clay Space, Miami, FL
1995 The Politics of Scale, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA Juror: Bruce Metcaf
Recent Acquisitions, In Collaboration, Akron, OH
1994 Mixed Bag, In Collaboration, Akron, OH
Neighborhood Destinations, Spaces, Cleveland, OH
Thing One, Akron Mill Works Gallery and Art Without Walls, Akron, OH
Recent Acquisitions, In Collaboration, Akron, OH
20th Anniversary, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
Final Show, Jessica Berwind Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Cleveland Marches East, Art Without Walls, Jersey City, NJ
Faculty show, Reinberge Galleries, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
Dish, William Busta Gallery, Cleveland, OH
Flight, Mill Works, Gallery, Akron, OH
1992 Faculty Show, Reinberge Galleries, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH 7th Annual San Angelo National Ceramics Competition, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX Juror: Wayne Higby
Souvenirs for the Twentieth Century, William Busta Gallery, Cleveland, OH
Art Without Walls, Three shows in Cleveland, OH, One in Pittsburgh, PA
Artists on their Own, Greenwich House Pottery, Jane Hartsook Gallery, New York, NY Juried Exhibition
1991 Faculty Show, Reinberge Galleries, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
Objects: 1991, Jessica Berwind Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Annual Art Show, Jewish Community Center, Cleveland Heights, OH Juror: Toshiko Takeazu
Art Without Walls, Three shows in Cleveland, OH
Feats of Clay, Lincoln Arts Center, Lincoln, CA Juror: Rudy Autio Awarded 2nd place
American Wood Fire, University of Iowa Museum of Art, Iowa City, IA Juror: Karen Karnes and David Shaner (catalogue)
1990 Clay Studio Residents, Lillstreet Gallery, Chicago, IL
Exhibitions Curated
1998 Clay on the Fringe: 16 Installations, The Clay Studio Annex, Philadelphia, PA Part of the 3rd Annual Philadelphia Fringe Festival
