Artist Statement

My work throws light on issues experienced by most women—from becoming aware of the male gaze and self-objectifying, to harassment, abuse, marginalization and ageism. Simultaneously, women struggle to remain relevant, take care of their physical and mental health, and maintain financial stability. I've had firsthand experience with all of it; from finding my way as a young single mother to having spent a large chunk of my adult years in a male dominated corporate world, to navigating the art world later in life. My uncompromising figures are informed by these matters. I create deliberate parallels between my materials and how women are treated in society. I often use clay—a medium historically excluded from the fine art world—to illustrate how age is explicitly linked to failure for women. The pieces are hand built and sometimes include bits of fabric, found objects, metals and nature. I apply surface treatments like colored clay slips, pastels, stains, oxides and graphite to emphasize the textures and characteristics of living, breathing skin. I display my figures as solitary objects on plinths or hung on walls to create an intimate viewing experience, or as part of larger installations—interacting with paintings and other related works to foster an immersive environment. I am passionate about creating work that illuminates the contributions of women through a lens of strength and resilience.

Artist Biography

Constance McBride (b. Philadelphia, PA) delves into gender-based issues with ceramic sculpture, installations and mixed media. Recent awards include a position in the 2021 Chautauqua Visual Arts Summer Residency Program in Chautauqua, New York and grants from Philadelphia Sculptors, Phoenix Art Museum's Contemporary Forum and the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Her work is exhibited nationally in the USA and was recently in a traveling exhibition at venues in The Netherlands, Belgium and France. Other notable exhibitions include a solo at Tubbs Gallery (Rehoboth Beach, DE) a group show at Fowler-Kellogg Art Center (Chautauqua, NY), CraftForms at Wayne Art Center (Wayne, PA), a Contemporary Forum Grant Recipients show at Phoenix Art Museum (Phoenix, AZ), The Clay Studio National (Philadelphia, PA) and Beyond the Brickyard at Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts (Helena, MT). In 2018, McBride spent five weeks as a facilitator/art educator at Sias University in Xinzheng and villages in and around Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China via a World Academy for the Future of Women and US State Department grant. Her work has received attention from several publications including Yahoo News Cities Rising series, Philly Artblog, Cleaver Magazine and the international magazines Inspirational and Ceramics Now. Currently based in Chester Springs, PA she is actively involved with art communities in and around the Delaware Valley. McBride earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Arcadia University, Glenside, PA.

Education

Archie Bray Foundation | Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts | Chautauqua Visual Arts | Creative Capital | Oregon College of Art and Craft | Paradise Valley College | Scottsdale Artists’ School | netvvrk – Ceramics, Sculpture, Professional Development

Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Bachelor of Arts

Philadelphia College of Art, Philadelphia Community College, Philadelphia, PA
Foundation Courses

Awards & Honors

2022
CFEVA New Courtland Teaching Fellowship, Philadelphia, PA
Puffin Foundation Grant

2021
Chautauqua School of Art Residency, Chautauqua, NY (five weeks)

2020
P.S. We Love Our Members Grant, Philadelphia Sculptors
Arts Aid PHL Grant, Philadelphia, PA

2018
World Academy for Future of Women – Visiting Artist, via US State Dept. Grant, Sias University, Xinzheng, China (five weeks)

2017
Bombay Sapphire National Artisan Series Semifinalist
Contemporary Forum Artist Grant / Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ

2013
Emerging Artist Award, Statewide All AZ CLAY Exhibition - Juror, Kurt Weiser, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

2011
Arizona Commission on the Arts Professional Development Grant

Honorable Mention, Professional Artist Magazine Portrait Cover Contest

2009
League for Innovation Award, International Competition representing Paradise Valley College, Arizona

Bibliography

2022
Flickinger, Victoria, "Thriving Art in Chester County," Chadds Ford Live, January 20

2021
Moore, Kait, "New art league exhibits explore themes of memory, life and death," Cape Gazette, November 19

Potsic, Amie, "The Lonely Girls (revisited) Exhibition", Art Watch – WCHE radio interview, November 10

Hopper, John, Artist Interview Inspirational Magazine, p. 7-20, Issue no. 54, October

Cleaver, "Sensitive Skin," Philadelphia’s International Literary Magazine, Issue no. 33, March

2020
Featured artist profile, Ceramics Now, October 19

"Image, Memory Fragment (no. 6)", Philadelphia Stories, p. 17, Spring Issue, March

2019
Superstition Review, Arizona State University Online Literary Journal, Issue 23

Featured artist profile, Voyage Phoenix, January 15

2018
"From the Hearts of Stars", Snax Magazine, The Phoenix Issue; images, p. 45-50, October

Krieger, Deborah, "Sculptors probe the impossibility of 'Shelter' at Da Vinci Art Alliance", Artblog, September 24

Young, Amy, "Constance McBride Heads to Philly...", Java Magazine, p. 16, 17, Issue No. 266, March

2017
Kapsalis, Jim, "Artists Grant Winners", Art Collector World Magazine, Phoenix Art Museum 2016 Contemporary Forum, September 4

Foley, Kaye, "Phoenix’s Cultural Renaissance Heating Up", Yahoo News, Cities Rising with global anchor Katie Couric, August 28

2016
Kozinski, David, "Beauty in the Ephemeral – The Sculptures of Constance McBride", Schuylkill Valley Journal, October 14

Simcox, Shannon, "Making Sense of Alzheimer’s", Art of the Mind, July 13

Royse, Nicole, "Fresh/Art Series", North Valley Magazine, p. 26, 27, June 1

Trimble, Lynn, "Phoenix Art Museum’s 2016 Contemporary Forum Winners", Phoenix New Times, May 12

Young, Amy, "Art in Unusual Places", Java Magazine, p.19, January

2015
Trimble, Lynn, "The Best Art Shows in Metro Phoenix in 2015", Phoenix New Times, December 22

Ross, Deborah, Eye 2 Eye - Recommendation, Visual Art Source, July

Royse, Nicole, "Artist Spotlight", Arizona Foothills Magazine, January 19

2014
Bartkowski, Becky. "100 Creatives", Jackalope Ranch, July 21

Hirdo, Vasi. Online Featured Artist Profile, Ceramics Now, July

2013
"Paperclay: Art and Practice by Rosette Gault", University of Pennsylvania Press, Image: Will There Ever Be Peace, p. 83

2012
"Superstition" Review, Arizona State University Online Literary Journal, Issue 9

2011
Portrait Contest/Honorable Mention, Professional Artist Magazine, Image: Will There Ever Be Peace, February 17

Collections

Public Collections

Shemer Art Center and Museum, Phoenix, AZ
Artlink, Inc., Phoenix, AZ
Arizona Artists Guild, Phoenix, AZ

Private Collections

Arizona
Indiana
Michigan
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Texas
Washington State

Public Commissions

Launch Realty's Schmooze Cafe, Scottsdale, AZ

Professional Experience

Teaching

Current

Clay on Main, Oley, PA
Chester County Art Association, West Chester, PA

Past‍

Sunshine Memory Café, West Chester, PA
Clay Hand Building Workshops for Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers

Chester County Art Association, West Chester, PA
Clay Hand Building Classes and Workshops

The Art Alliance, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
Clay Hand Building Workshop

Benyuan Community Academy, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
Clay Hand Building Workshop

HIV Aids Village, Wenlou, Shangcai County, Henan Province, China – Clay Hand Building Workshop

Vision Gallery, Chandler, AZ
Clay Hand Building Workshops

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Visions Teen Program Clay Hand Building Workshop

Other Professional Experience

Current
Guest Host, Art Watch, WCHE Radio 1520 AM / 95.3 FM, West Chester, PA

Past
Writer, Art Live Column for Chadds Ford Live, Chadds Ford, PA

Writer, The Arts Beacon, Phoenix, AZ

‍

Lectures & Talks

2022
Sculptors Panel Discussion, The Plastic Club, Philadelphia, PA

2021
Artist Talk, The Lonely Girls, Rehoboth Art League, Rehoboth Beach, DE

Artist Talk, The Lonely Girls, Pottstown Area Artists Guild, Pottstown, PA

Curator Talk, Immersion Exhibition, The Art Trust, West Chester, PA

2020
Artist Talk, Figurative Exhibition, The Art Trust, West Chester, PA

2018
"Finding your Artistic Voice", City Lights Bookstore, Zhengzhou, Henan, China

Guest Artist Talk, The Art Alliance, Zhengzhou, Henan, China

Guest Artist Talk, Benyuan Community Academy, Zhengzhou, Henan, China

Elite Women Open Forums, Sias University, Xinzheng, Henan, China

2017
Creative City Symposium Panelist, Phoenix Community Alliance/Artlink, Art Works PHX, Phoenix, AZ

Women’s History Month Guest Artist Talk, Estrella Mountain Community College, Avondale, AZ

High School Art Instructors In-Service Day Presentation, Deer Valley Unified School District, Deer Valley, AZ

2016
Professional Practices for Artists and Designers Class, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ

Women in the Arts Series Presentation, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ

Selected Exhibitions

Solo‍

2021
The Lonely Girls (Revisited), Rehoboth Art League, Rehoboth Beach, DE

2020
Between Two Worlds, Clay on Main, Oley, PA

2018
From the Hearts of Stars, Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art (phICA), Phoenix, AZ

2017
It's Nature’s Way, Royse Contemporary Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ

Fragility and the Lonely Girls Club, Estrella Mountain Community College, Avondale, AZ

2016
The Presence of Absence, Eye Lounge Contemporary Art Space, Phoenix, AZ

A Show of Hands, monOrchid, Phoenix, AZ | Coe House, Phoenix, AZ

Reflections of Arizona Juror’s Exhibition, Shemer Art Center and Museum, Phoenix AZ

2015
Place out of Time, The Icehouse, Phoenix, AZ

2014
Timescapes, Eye Lounge Contemporary Art Space, Phoenix, AZ

Two and Three Person

‍2022
The Human Narrative with George Nista and Karen Bailor, curated by Roberta Gross, The Plastic Club, Philadelphia, Pa - Apr

2020
Figurative, with Diane Cirafesi, John Suplee, curated by Liz Ruff, The Art Trust, West Chester, PA

2017
Unmasking Identity, with Malena Barnhart, Karolina Sussland, curated by Faith Damm and Alexis Sheets, Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art (phICA), Phoenix, AZ

2016
PsychoPomp, with Dean Reynolds, curated by Tara Sharpe, {9} Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

2014
One, with Cheryl Brandon, Eye Lounge Project Room, Phoenix, AZ

Restory, with Cherie Buck-Hutchison, Madison Creech, Step Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

Silver Blue, with Eric Cox, curated by Robrt Pela, R. Pela Contemporary Art, Phoenix, AZ

Group Exhibitions‍

2022
Avant-Garde, curated by WCA Phila Chapter, The Henry Gallery, Malvern, PA

Tender Hearts Club, curated by Ray Lapinski, Clay on Main, Oley, PA

2021
Chautauqua Visual Arts Residency Show, curated by Sharon Louden and Judy Barie, Fowler-Kellogg Art Center, Chautauqua, NY

Get out of your Skull, curated by Ron Weijers, Zilverhof Art Space, Ghent, Belgium / Design Store by Branderhorst, Dordrecht, the Netherlands / La Providence Art Centre, Ille sur Tet, France

PSSST, Phila Sculptors & Tri State Sculptors, Wilma W. Daniels Gallery, Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, NC

County Studio Tour @ Scarlett Thicket Farm with Katee Boyle, Leah Wells and Lauren E. Peters, Kennett Square, PA

New Now IV, InLiquid Gallery, Crane Arts, Philadelphia, PA

InLiquid Benefit, Everyone is a Collector, InLiquid Gallery at Crane Arts, Philadelphia, PA

The Feminine Face of Dreams, Myths, and Terrors, curated by Mary Jo Fitz, Cecil College Galleries, North East, MD

Home, juried by Susanna Gold, Community Arts Center, Wallingford, PA

2020
20/20, 20 Years of Eye Lounge, Northlight Gallery at Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ

Remembering the Suffragists, 100 years of Women Voting in the US, juried by Patricia Moss-Vreeland, InLiquid online exhibition

Congruence, juried by Bridgette Mayer, I Like Your Work Podcast Summer Online Show

Small Favors, juried by Leila Cartier, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA

Subversion, juried by Alice Oh, presented by Phila Sculptors, Da Vinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA

CFEVA Annual Member Exhibition, juried by Laurence Salzmann, Felicity R. “Bebe” Benoliel Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

County Studio Tour @ Scarlett Thicket Farm with Katee Boyle, Roderick Hildago and Alex Griffin, Kennett Square, PA

Professional Artist Members’ Exhibition, juried by Sharon Ewing, Jeff Schaller, Robert Aibel – Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

Transformation, juried by Natalie Merritt, High 5 Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2019
Craft Forms, juried by Jane Milosch, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA

Crafting Narratives, juried by Bruce Hoffman, Art in City Hall Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Biggs Body, juried by Brittany Webb, Biggs Museum of American Art, Dover, DE

Art of the State, juried by Janet Koplos, Rachelle Mozman Solano, Marin R. Sullivan, The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA

Salon des Refusés Philadelphia, curated by Virginia Maksymowicz and Simone Spicer, Imperfect Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Arising, organized by Yoko Ono, Fondation Phi pour l’art contemporain, Montreal, QC / Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig, Germany

NOW!, Art in City Hall Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2018
Phoenix Issue, Snax Magazine Showcase Exhibition, hosted by Ashley Buttercup, Areté Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

Philadelphia Sculptors Present, juried by Amie Potsic, Art in City Hall Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Annual Juried Show, juried by Martha Gyllenhaal, Abington Art Center, Jenkintown, Pa

Opening Up, juried by Natalie Merritt, High 5 Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Shelter, juried by Elaine Crivelli, Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Artlink Art d’ Core Gala Exhibition, Warehouse 215, Phoenix, AZ

2017
Contemporary Forum Grant Recipient Show, curated by Gilbert Vicario, Saskia Jorda, Gabriela Muñoz, Phoenix Art Museum

Arizona Artists Guild Celebrates 90 Years, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Museum, Phoenix, AZ

Frankenstein in the 21st Century ...,curated by Wendy Raisanen – Gallery @ the Civic Center Library, Scottsdale, AZ

Exploring AZ Talent, Udinotti Museum of Figurative Art, Paradise Valley, AZ

Mudworks MMXVII, Shemer Art Center and Museum, Phoenix, AZ

Nasty Women: Phoenix Unite, Grand ArtHaus, Phoenix, AZ

2016
The Clay Studio National, juried by Elisabeth R. Argo, Jennfier Zwilling, Harrison, Reed + Smith Galleries, Philadelphia, PA

Beyond the Brickyard International, juried by Peter Beasecker, Archie Bray Foundation for Ceramic Arts, Helena, MT

21st San Angelo International, juried by Christy Johnson, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX

Juried Biennial: CLAY, juried by Garth Johnson, Patsy Cox, Peter Held, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, AZ

Clay: Body, Mind, + Soul | ClayHouston Biennial, juried by Garth Johnson, Jung Center, Houston, TX

9th Annual Human Form Show, Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

Arising, organized by Yoko Ono, Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík, Iceland

Intimate and Universal; the Figure Forward, curated by Robert Siracusa,
Manheim/Arc Gallery, Cottonwood, AZ

IN SIGHT, Eye Lounge Contemporary Art Space, Phoenix, AZ

Mud Works MMXVI, Harry Wood Gallery, Tempe, AZ

2015
6th Annual Visions in Clay, juried by Lisa Reinertson, LH Horton Jr. Gallery, Stockton, CA

America's ClayFest III, International, juried by Tip Toland and Peter Held, Blue Line Arts, Roseville, CA

Clay in the Garden, international exhibition juried by Sheila Menzies, Seedboat Center for the Arts, Silver City, NM

Who's Afraid of Feminism, juried by Catherine Morris, National Online Exhibition, Women’s Caucus for Art

Wish You Were Here, Annual Postcard Exhibition, A.I.R. Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

Exploring AZ Talent, juried by Agnese Udinotti, Jeff Bertoncino, Udinotti Museum of Figurative Art, Paradise Valley, AZ

Figure 50, Arizona Artist, National Showcase of Figurative Art, juried by Maureen Bloomfield

Women Do It, National Traveling Postcard Exhibition, Women’s Caucus for Art

Avant-Garde, Eye Lounge Contemporary Art Space, Phoenix, AZ

Self-Made, 15 Years of Eye Lounge, Vision Gallery, Chandler, AZ

Feminism Today, curated by Nicole Royse, Shade Gallery at the monOrchid, Phoenix, AZ

2014
Artlink’s 16th Annual Juried Exhibition, juried by Randy Slack, Louise Roman, James Ballinger, The Icehouse, Phoenix, AZ

Family Portraits: The Demography of Us, curated by Mimi Jardine, Eye Lounge Contemporary Art Space, Phoenix, AZ

Five Fifteen to the Fifth, Gallery 515, Phoenix, AZ

Consumerism, Frontal Lobe Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

2013
9th Annual Art Kudos International Online Exhibition, juried by Kara Rooney

All AZ CLAY, juried by Kurt Weiser, Peoria City Hall Gallery, Peoria, AZ

Artlink’s 15th Annual Exhibition, juried by Angela Ellsworth, Gordon Knox, Robrt Pela, A.E. England Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

All Art Arizona, juried by Carol Panaro-Smith, James Hajicek, Art Intersection, Gilbert, AZ

2012
Best of 2012, Women's Caucus for Art National Online Exhibition

Exploring AZ Talent, juried by Agnese Udinotti, Udinotti Museum of Figurative Art, Paradise Valley, AZ

Still Here: Aging in America, juried by Robrt Pela, Herberger Art Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix +, curated by Jeff Chabot, Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ.

2011
From the Ground up XXV, juried by Kurt Weiser, Las Cruces Museum of Art, Las Cruces, NM

All AZ CLAY, juried by Sam Chung, Chandler Center for the Arts, Chandler, AZ

2010
Cave Creek Film & Arts Festival, curated by Judy Bruce, Cave Creek, AZ

Resolutions & Articulations, curated by Ingrid Donaldson, Blink Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

2009
All AZ CLAY at NCECA (National Council for Education in Ceramic Arts), Phoenix, AZ

Emerging Artist Series Inaugural Exhibition, Paradise Valley Community College, Phoenix, AZ

2008
All AZ CLAY, juried by Aurore Chabot, Shemer Art Center & Museum, Phoenix, AZ

Launch Real Estate, Schmooze Café, Scottsdale, AZ

Curatorial Projects and Juries

2021
Immersion, The Art Trust, West Chester, PA
Curator

2020
Fresh Perspectives CCAA, Henry Gallery @ Penn State University Great Valley, Malvern, PA
Curator

2017
No Paint Required, Coe House, Phoenix, AZ
Curator

2016
SNOW, Coe House, Phoenix, AZ
Curator

2015
Avant-garde, Eye Lounge, Phoenix, AZ
Curator