MICHAEL CONNELLY
I VERMONT
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The physical rhythm of working gives life meaning. The material clay as well as its process and products are my focus. In the studio I strive for a sense of immediacy, to be attentive to the moment without a self-conscious awareness of making something good or important. During a satisfying day’s cycle I will achieve the immediacy I seek in one out of every ten pots. It is the search for immediacy - for direct connection, for instant truth - that keeps my production sharp. When I find it or sense it I attempt to hold on to it. It is anticipated, but not planned, and it is only through continued repetition that it surfaces again.
Physical and emotional energy distinctly informs my
work. I have become aware of this energy without losing what I enjoy most
about making, and have attempted to infuse a sense of immediacy into the
details of my work. There can be much vigor to lids that fit flawlessly.
To me, a flawless lid introduces a sense of completion to form.
Energy in my pots can be read in the balance of contradiction and extremes.
This balance is most easily accessible by studying the relation of throwing
to trimming or expressing to compressing. I use a technique of chattering
as part of the trimming process that provides a counterpoint to the gesture
of reduction or carving associated with cutting into the body of the pot.
Chattering creates a pattern of nervous energy held by a clear definition
of form. Together the two create a musical line of contrasting gesture
that intensifies the whole, making the pots more dynamic. There is a quality
of generosity that my pots must offer, a generosity backed by a feeling
of soundness or structure. Balanced elements of contrast in form and detail
provide structure and sureness that support the generosity of my work.
Repetition has a significance that goes beyond the idea of production.
It clearly grows out of the necessity to connect in the now and to create
pots of physical vigor, ease and accessibility. My pottery occupies a
sense of purpose, to create objects within myself and true to myself.
The examination of utility generates my sense of design and involves all
of my creativity. I focus on the directness of my work as an avenue of
expression. It is important that my pots present accessible openings of
understanding and offer clarity to function. To me, my pots are self-evident.
I wish my pots to express the same gratitude as I receive from the cycle
of making. I am a potter; the rhythm of labor is my focus.
CURRENT
Studio Potter, Shelburne, Vermont
Ceramics Program Director, Shelburne Craft School, Shelburne, Vermont
Adjunct Professor Graduate Education, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester,
Vermont
Adjunct Professor of Sculpture, Community College of Vermont, Burlington,
Vermont
EDUCATION
1999 MFA, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University,
School of Art and Design, Alfred, New York
Honors, National Dean’s List
1995 BFA, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University,
School of Art and Design, Alfred, New York
Honors, Divisional Honors
Post Baccalaureate Student, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri
RESIDENCIES
1999
Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana
May 1999 - May 2000
1997
Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana
August 1996 – August 1997
1996
Anderson Ranch Art Center, Snowmass Village, Colorado
September 1995 – May 1996
1994
Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino, California
September 1994 – December 1994
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2003
Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York
Summer-Six Faculty
Shelburne Craft School, Shelburne, Vermont
Ceramics Director/Instructor
Johnson State College, Johnson, Vermont
Teacher/Mentor, External Degree Program
Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, Vermont
Adjunct Professor
Community College of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
Adjunct Professor
2002
NYSCC Alfred University, Alfred, New York
Assistant Professor
Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, Vermont
Adjunct Professor
Shelburne Craft School, Shelburne, Vermont
Ceramics Director/Instructor
2000
Missoula Clay Studio, Missoula, Montana
Instructor
1999
Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana
Instructor
NYSCC Alfred University, Alfred, New York
Liberal Arts Pottery, Instructor
1998
NYSCC Alfred University, Alfred, New York
Sophomore Wheel Throwing, Instructor: Team-taught with Wayne Higby
NYSCC Alfred University, Alfred, New York
Junior Pottery, Assistant to Linda Sikora
1997
Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana
Instructor
1996
Colorado Mountain College, Aspen, Colorado
Visiting Artist
Anderson Ranch Art Center, Snowmass Village, Colorado
Instructor
1995
Peter’s Valley Craft Center, Layton, New Jersey
Instructor
Roeland Park Studio, Roeland Park, Kansas
Instructor
WORKSHOPS/LECTURES
2005
Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
2004
Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana
Odyssey Center for Crafts, Ashville, North Carolina
Seward Park Art Studio, Seattle, Washington
West Chester Community College, West Chester, New York
Hudson River Potters, Hartsdale, New York
Peter’s Valley Craft Center, Layton, New Jersey
2003
Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York
Haystack Mountain School for Crafts, Deer Isle, Maine
Brookfield Craft Center, Brookfield, Connecticut
Frog Hollow Craft Center, Manchester, Vermont
Castle Hill Center for the Arts, Truro, Massachusetts
Touchstone Center for Crafts, Farmington, Pennsylvania
Hartford Art School, Hartford, Connecticut
2001
Mudflat Studio, Somerville, Massachusetts
University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
Chester Springs Studio, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania
2000
Holter Museum of Art, Helena, Montana
Oregon School of Arts and Crafts, Portland, Oregon
1997
Holter Museum of Art, Helena, Montana
Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
Carroll College, Helena, Montana
1996
Colorado Mountain College, Aspen, Colorado
WORK-RELATED EXPERIENCE
1998
NYSCC Alfred University, Alfred, New York
Outdoor Kiln Technician
1997
Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana
Studio and kiln technician
1996
Robert Harrison, Helena, Montana
Installation Assistant, Fabrication of Magnetic Arch
1995
Peter’s Valley Craft Center, Layton, New Jersey Summer Studio Assistant
Bennett Bean, Belvedere, New Jersey
Studio Assistant
1994
Peter’s Valley Craft Center, Layton, New Jersey
Summer Studio Assistant
Peter Callas Studio, Belvedere, New Jersey
Peter Volkous’ Workshop Assistant
1993
NYSCC Alfred University, Alfred, New York
Technical Assistant
CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE
2004
“Utilitarian Clay” Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, Great
Falls, Montana
2001
“National Teapot Invitational” Helena, Montana
Clay Odyssey Conference, Archie Bray Foundation
“A Potter and a Collector: A Look at Contemporary Ceramics”
Chester Springs, Pennsylvania
“Studio Days Juried National” Chester Springs, Pennsylvania
EXHIBITIONS
2004
“Featured Gallery Artist” Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis,
Minnesota
2003
“Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show”, Philadelphia Convention
Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Catalog)
“2003 Wichita Clay National” Wichita Center for Crafts, Wichita,
Kansas
“Mastery in Clay” The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“Anderson Ranch Artists” S.O.F.A. Exhibition, Lillstreet Gallery,
Chicago, Illinois
“Tea For Two-Table For Two” The Clay Studio, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
“25 Potters x 5 Pots” AKAR ARchiTecture and Design Gallery,
Iowa City, Iowa
“Strictly Functional Pottery National” Market House Craft
Center, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
“For the House and Garden” Birmingham Community House, Birmingham,
Michigan
“Just Bowls” Artworks Gallery, Bozeman, Montana
“NCECA Clay National” R.B. Stevenson Gallery, San Diego, California
(Catalog)
2002
“Holiday Invitational” Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, Michigan
“2nd Annual Hopewell Ceramics Show” Ruth Morpeth Gallery,
Hopewell, New Jersey
“Winter Invitational” The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“North American Dish Makers” Art-Stream Nomadic Gallery, Traveling
Exhibition (9 cities)
“Seward Park Teapot Invitational” Seward Park Art Studio,
Seattle, Washington
“Summer Invitational” Lacoste Gallery of American Craft, Concord,
Massachusetts
“Yankee Clay: Ceramic Artists of the Northeast” The Slater
Museum of Art, Norwich, Connecticut
“The M.F.A Gloryhole: Selections from the Last Ten Years”
Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art, Alfred, New York
“Michael Connelly and Nicholas Seidner” The Sebastian Ward
Gallery, Berkeley, California
“New Work by Michael Connelly and Peter Scherzer” Fifth Element
Gallery, Portland, Oregon
2001
“New Works” Sebastian Ward Gallery, Berkeley, California
“Holiday Invitational” Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, Michigan
“Winterfest 2001 Holiday Invitational” Baltimore Clay Works,
Baltimore, Maryland
“Hopewell Ceramics Show” Ruth Morpeth Gallery, Hopewell, New
Jersey
“A Different Aesthetic” The Odyssey Gallery, Asheville, North
Carolina
“Reunion: Wayne Higby and Graduates of the Alfred University Ceramics
Program” The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“For the House and Garden” Birmingham Community House, Birmingham,
Michigan
“A Potter and A Collector: A Look at Contemporary Ceramics”
– Chester Springs Studio, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania (Catalog)
“Teapot Invitational” – Archie Bray Foundation 2001
Clay Odyssey conference, Helena, Montana2000 “Focus on Function”
– University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (Catalog)
“Holiday Invitational” – Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, Michigan
“Impressions in Clay” - Chester Springs Studio, Chester Springs,
Pennsylvania
“Rhythm, Labor, Form – A Conversation in the Search for Beauty”
Michael Connelly and Allegheny Meadows, Fifth Element Gallery, Portland,
Oregon
“Archie Bray Artists” - NCECA Conference, Littleton, Colorado
“Conestoga Ceramics: A Continuing Tradition” - Chester Springs
Studio, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania
1999
“Holiday Invitational” - Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, Michigan
“Graduate Thesis Show” - Fosdick Nelson Gallery, Alfred, New
York
“Habit to Ritual” - Chester Springs Studio, Chester Springs,
Pennsylvania
“China International Ceramic Invitational” - Yaoware Ceramic
Museum, Tongchuang, Xian, Peoples Republic of China
“Invitational Show” - The Academy of Notre Dame, De Namur,
Villanova, Pennsylvania
1998
“Focus on Function” - Chester Springs Studio, Chester Springs,
Pennsylvania
“Anderson Ranch Artists” - NCECA Conference, Evelyn Siegel
Gallery, Ft. Worth, Texas
1997
“Solo Show” - Warehouse Gallery, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena,
Montana
“Anything That Pours” - National Invitational Exhibition,
Smithville, Tennessee
“Summer Residents Show” - Warehouse Gallery, Archie Bray Foundation,
Helena, Montana
“Ceramic Forms” - National Invitational Exhibition, New Albany,
Indiana
“All Fired Up” - Juried National Exhibition, Boise, Idaho
“Emerging Artists of the United States” - Juried National
Exhibition, Montpelier, Vermont
“Archie Bray Resident Artist Exhibition” - NCECA Conference,
Las Vegas, Nevada
“3rd Annual Teapot Invitational” - Craft Alliance, Saint Louis,
Missouri
1996
“Container Containment” - Juried National Competition, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania
“Summer Invitational” - Nancy Margolis Gallery, Portland,
Maine
“Resident Exhibition” - Dows Gallery, Anderson Ranch Art Center,
Snowmass Village Colorado
“Colorado Clay” - Foothill Art Center, Golden, Colorado
“Cups” - Dows Gallery, Anderson Ranch Art Center, Snowmass
Village, Colorado
“Winter Residency Show” - Pitkin County Bank, Aspen, Colorado
“Gifts of Clay, Holiday Invitational” - Pewabic Pottery, Detroit,
Michigan
1995
“Holiday Studio Exhibit” - Dows Gallery, Anderson Ranch Art
Center, Snowmass Village, Colorado
“Peter's Valley Annual Summer Faculty Show” - Layton, New
Jersey
“Two Person Show” - The Loft Gallery, Kingston, New York
“Ceramics USA” - Juried National Competition, Denton, Texas
“Peter's Valley Summer Assistant Show” - Layton, New Jersey
1994
“Tempe Tea Party” - Juried National Competition, Tempe, Arizona
“Feats of Clay” - Juried National Competition, Lincoln, California
PERMANENT PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
The Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana
Gail Brown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
China Yaoware Ceramic Museum, Tonchuang, Xian, Peoples Republic of China
International Museum of Ceramic Art at Alfred University, Alfred, New
York
Silvia Kindig, York, Pennsylvania
Marge and Phillip Kolodner, Gladwyne, Pennsylvania
Peter’s Valley Craft Center, Layton, New Jersey
Pitzer College, Claremont, California
Robert L. Pfannebeker, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Michael Root, Minneapolis, Minnesota
PUBLICATIONS/CATALOGS
“2003 NCECA Clay National” Clay Times, March/April 2003
“2003 NCECA Clay National” R.B Stevenson Gallery, San Diego,
California
“Lacoste Gallery Exhibit” The Concorde Journal, July 2002
“Studio Days 2001: A View of Contemporary Ceramics” Chester
Springs Studio, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania
“A Visit to the Bray” Ceramics Monthly, January 2001
“Salt Fired Ceramics: an Exhibition by Michael Connelly and Allegheny
Meadows” Ceramics Monthly, February 2001
2000 “Focus on Function” University of Minnesota, Minneapolis,
Minnesota
AWARDS
Standard Ceramic “Best of Show” 2003 Strictly Functional Pottery
National, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Penn-Mo Firebrick Co. “Best Teapot” 2003 Strictly Functional
Pottery National, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Trax Gallery “Useful Pot Merit Award” 2003 NCECA Clay National,
San Diego, California
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