artist's statement
My ceramic work is part of the functional pottery tradition. The ideas in the work draw from ceramic and art precedents from a wide and diverse range of cultural aesthetics, regions, and periods. The historic cultural traditions of China, Japan, Europe, Native American along with 19th and 20th Century American art are all strong influences. More specifically the ceramic techniques and aesthetics of Song Dynasty Chinese, Oribe and Contemporary Japanese, Medieval and Contemporary English, Southwest Native American pottery and weaving, and Mission Style from the late 19th & early 20th Century Arts & Crafts Movement are of great interest. Without a doubt modern ceramics, sculpture and painting have also been a great influence and an inspiration.
Along with these artistic references is the inescapable influence of the human form and that of landscape and environment. Pottery at its heart refers to the human scale through utilitarian form. However, the influences of landscape are often reflected in forms, colors and surfaces selected for use in the ceramics. My work reflects the experience of two very different environments, the Appalachian Mountains and the desert and mountains of the American Southwest.
My goal is to create finely crafted, functional pottery that is well designed and dynamic. The aim of these designs is to create contrasting color and surface elements that work in harmony with the form. It is intended that this strong relationship of form and surface will lead to ceramic works that communicate a forthright confidence. For me, successful finished pots will be objects that are enjoyable to use and handle while being pleasing to look at and of lasting interest. Ultimately, works of this quality will enrich the users life.
The work is either wheel thrown, thrown and altered or slab built using stoneware clay. After a initial bisque firing, glazes and designs are applied to the surface. It is then fired in a large high temperature salt kiln to 2,340 degrees. The salt firing process produces distinctive and lively surfaces and textures.
resume
education
1978Master of Fine Arts - Ceramics, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois
1976Bachelor of Fine Arts - Ceramics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona
professional employment and experience
1980
- now |
Professor, Dept. of Art & Art History, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia |
| 1995 - 00 | Chairman, Dept. of Art & Art History, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia |
| 1990 - 93 | Director, Armory Art Gallery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia |
| 1978 - 79 | Artist-in-Residence, Ford Foundation, Univ. of Georgia, Athens, Georgia |
honors awards and fellowships
| 1997 | Distinguished Alumni Award, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona |
| 1992 | Virginia Museum Arts Fellowship, Honorable Mention, Richmond, Virginia |
| 1989 | Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fellowship Award, Richmond, Virginia |
| 1988 | Virginia Commission for the Arts, Honorable Mention, Richmond, Virginia |
| 1985 | SECCA-Seven Artist Fellowship Award, SECCA, Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
articles, monographs & book contributions
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exhibitions: solor dual, and small group
| 2006 | Masters of the Art, Celadon Gallery, Water Mill, NY |
| 2005 | Niewald & Crane, Over the Moon Gallery, Floyd, VA |
| 2004 | The Potters of 16 Hands, Santa Fe Clay Gallery, Santa Fe, NM |
| 2003 | Sense
Of Place, Art Museum of Western Virginia, Roanoke, Virginia Crane & Shankin, Akar Gallery, Iowa City, Iowa David Crane - Recent Work, Lill Street Gallery, Chicago, Illinois |
| 1999 | Piedmont Craftsman Gallery, Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
| 1998 | Niewald & Crane, Reynolds Homestead, Critz, Virginia |
| 1995 | Vessel and Wall, Perspective Gallery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia |
| 1993 | Niewald & Crane, Longwood College, Farmville, Virginia |
| 1991 | Schneider, Loeb, Blume Gallery, Chicago, Illinois |
| 1989 | Martha Schneider Gallery, Highland Park, Illinois |
| 1988 | Running Ridge Gallery, Santa Fe , New Mexico |
| 1987 | Martha Schneider Gallery, Highland Park, Illinois |
| 1986 | The Signature Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia |
| 1985 | Martha Schneider Gallery, Highland Park, Illinois |
| 1984 | Elements Gallery, New York, New York |
exhibitions: group & invitational
200630/30, Lill Street Art Center, Chicago, ILLa Mesa, NCECA Portland, Santa Fe Clay, Santa Fe, NM Summer Workshop Preview, Santa Fe Clay, Santa Fe, NM 100 Teapots, Signature Shop & Gallery, Atlanta, GA |
2005Old School Art Center Pottery Invitational, Demarest, NJMid-Atlantic Potters, White Hall Gallery, Annapolis, MD GAS IT UP: Salt,Soda,Slip, The Baltimore Potters Guild, Baltimore, MD Southern Highlands Crafts Guild 75th Anniversary Exhibit, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN La Mesa, Santa Fe Clay Gallery, NCECA Conference, Baltimore, MD For the Love of Flowers, Kentucky Museum of Art & Design Louisville, KY Clay Times Anniversary Exhibit, Baltimore Convention Center Bottled Spirits, Kentucky Museum of Art & Design, Louisville, KY National Teapot Invitational 6, Cedar Creek Gallery, Creedmore, NC The Box, Santa Fe Clay Gallery, Santa Fe , NM The NarrativeVessel, AKAR Gallery, Iowa City, IA (w/ Janet Niewald) |
2004For The Table Top, Santa Fe Clay Gallery, Santa Fe, NMArea Artists - Recent Works, Gallery 11, Lexington, VA 16 Hands, Piedmont Arts Center, Martinsville, VA Splendid Table, Kentucky Museum of Arts + Design, Louisville, KY Duets, Kentucky Museum of Arts + Design, Louisville, KY !6 Hands, Gallery 108, Roanoke, VA New Artists, Icon Fine Arts, Highlands, NC The Potters of 16 Hands, Santa Fe Clay Gallery, Santa Fe, NM |
200316 Hands, Perspective Gallery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VACups, Santa Fe Clay Gallery, Santa Fe , NM Summer Artists Exhibit, Odyssey Gallery, Asheville, NC CLAY: A Comprehensive Exhibition of Major Ceramic Masters, The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, Atlanta, GA |
2002HOT / ICE III: Teapots & Pitchers, Blue Spiral 1, Asheville, NCNational Teapot Show 5, Cedar Creek Gallery, Creedmore, NC Strength In Numbers, Green Hill Art Center, Greensboro, NC For the Tabletop, Santa Fe Clay Gallery, Santa Fe, NM Plates & Platters, Odyssey Gallery, Asheville, NC 16 Hands, Virginia Artisans Center, Waynesboro, VA |
2001From Shoulder to Foot, Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, GA16 Hands, Lill Street Gallery, Chicago, IL To Have and To Hold, Blue Pony Gallery, Charlotte, NC Warehouse Pottery Exhibit, Santa Fe Clay, Santa Fe, NM National Clay Invitational, Blue Spiral Gallery, Asheville, NC Clay/Wood/Fire/Salt, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, OH Functional Ceramics 2001, Wayne Center for the Arts, Wooster, OH |
2000Bistro 1615, Santa Fe Clay, Santa Fe, NM16 Hands, North Cross School, Roanoke, VA Clay/Wood/Fire/Salt, Southern Highland Craft Guild Gallery, Asheville, NC CUP Exhibition 2000, Lill Street Gallery, Chicago, IL Handles & Spouts: Teapots by Contemporary Southern Artists, Swan Coach House Gallery, Atlanta, GA Utilitarian Ceramics III: Celebrate the Object, Arrow Craft Gallery, Gatlinburg, TN Cups, Cupboards & Cabinets, Signature Shop & Gallery, Atlanta, GA |
collections
| Arizona
State University, Tempe, AZ Illinois State University, Normal, IL Art Museum of Western Virginia, Roanoke, VA Fort Howard Paper, Green Bay, WI Neville Public Museum, Green Bay, WI IBM Corporation, Charlotte, NC Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ Southern Progress Corp., Birmingham, AL Marer Collection of American Ceramics, LA, CA Sovran Bank, New York, NY WTTW Television Corporate Collection, Chicago, IL Numerous works in Private Collections |
juried memberships
| 2002 - present | Present Exhibiting Member Artisans Center of Virginia |
| 1998 - present | Present Exhibiting Member - Southern Highlands Crafts Guild |
| 1996 - present | Present Member of 16 HANDS, an association of craftsman working in wood and clay |
| 1988 - present | Present Exhibiting Member - Piedmont Crafts Guild |