"My goal is to make work in which each element is considered. I am tremendously concerned with how a piece functions. The heft of a lid should make sense with the perceived mass of a box, a teapot should pour, a cup provide a pleasant sensation to the lip, a handle fit naturally. In addition, I am interested in creating pieces that unfold over time. The carving on the bottom of a cup may be discovered in conversation, while facing another tea drinker, or while washing up. The pattern on the inside of a box may be discovered after taking the piece home.
I try to react to each stage of my work. While building or throwing a piece, my focus is making a solid form—one that has good bones. At leather-hard, each piece is transformed into a canvas. I draw on the surface, using studio plants as models. In carving, I refine the drawing and accentuate tensions in the pot’s form. I am interested in the way a leaf and stem can wrap around a form, the way a pattern can re-form an underlying carving.
Most recently, I have been focusing on my drawing—trying to really observe a plant, and take that focus to the carving on the pot. My goal is not to render a particular plant, but rather to take the sense of growth and infuse that into the pot—developing a surface that breathes.
I am driven by the promise of improvement through practice. I am continually adding and reducing elements in my work, focusing first on drawing, then carving, then color balance, then liquidity of glazed surfaces versus matte texture of slips. My goal is to find the satisfying edge of too much."

EDUCATION

1997 MFA Ceramics University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
1991-2 Resident Artist, Ceramics University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1989-90 Core Student, Ceramics Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
1988 BA History and Women’s Studies Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2003
Down and Dirty Sivertson Gallery, Duluth, MN.
Holiday Exhibition Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN.
2002
R.S.V.P.: The Dinnerware Invitational Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC.
Carnival Ferngully and Moss, Enfield, NH.
Pots Presented Baltimore Clay Works, Baltimore, MD.
Mastery in Clay: New Work The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA.
Organic Form: Sarah Heimann and Gary Erickson Owatanna Arts Center, Owatanna, MN.
Salad Days Watershed Center for Ceramic Art, Edgecomb, ME.
2001
2001: Six McKnight Artists Exhibition Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN.
A View of Contemporary Ceramics Chester Springs Studio, Chester Springs, PA.
Le Grand Buffet The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA.
Exchanging Views The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA.
DinnerWorks 2001 Louisville Visual Art Association, Louisville, KY.
2000
Cups 2000 Fifth Element Gallery, Portland, OR.
Holiday Exhibition Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN.
Impressions in Clay Chester Springs Studio, Chester Springs, PA.
Artworks 2000 The William Bremen Jewish Home, Atlanta, GA.
Penland Core Program Benefit Penland Gallery, Penland, NC.
Texture, Tone and Brilliance Bloomington Art Center, Bloomington, MN.
1999
Alida to Zack: 28 Years of Penland’s Core Program Penland Gallery, Penland, NC.
Porcelain Lill Street Gallery, Chicago, IL.
Holiday Exhibition Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN.
Three Jerome Artists Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN.
1998 Art as America’s Fingerprint Shepard Gallery, Saint Paul Academy, St. Paul, MN.
Eating Well Penland Gallery, Penland, NC.
Sarah Heimann Shepard Gallery, Saint Paul Academy, St. Paul, MN.
1997
55408 Intermedia Arts, Minneapolis, MN.
Heirloom Katherine Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN.
Thaw Katherine Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN.
1996
All-Purpose Art Exhibit Katherine Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN.
Department of Art Annual Scholarship Exhibition Katherine Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN.
1995
New Work International Market Square, Minneapolis, MN.
University of Minnesota Ceramic Faculty and Graduate Student Show Katherine Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN.
Annual Graduate Student Exhibition Katherine Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN.
1994 Watershed: The Historical Present Maine Coast Artists, Rockport, ME.
1993
Watershed Winter Residents Boothbay Regional Art Foundation, Boothbay, ME.
1992
Student Exhibition: Clay in Philadelphia 1992 University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA.
Counterware University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA.
1990
Works in Clay Ridgeway Gallery, Penland, NC.

AWARDS and RESIDENCIES

2000
McKnight Artist Fellowship, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN.
1999
Barry Thurman Endowed Residency Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, North Edgecomb, ME.
1998
Jerome Artist Project Grant Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN.
1997
Jason Leidahl Scholarship UM Department of Art, Minneapolis, MN.
1994-7
Dayton Hudson Partners in Learning Fellowship UM Department of Art, Minneapolis, MN.
1996
Katherine E. Nash Memorial Scholarship UM Department of Art, Minneapolis, MN.
1992-4
Artist-in-Residence Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, North Edgecomb, ME.

TEACHING

2004
Instructor New Hampshire League of Craftsmen, Hanover, NH.
2003
Instructor Lebanon College, Lebanon, NH.
2002
Instructor The Artpost, Orford, NH.
New Hampshire League of Craftsmen, Hanover, NH.
1998-2001
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Ceramics Hamline University, St. Paul, MN.
1998
Instructor Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN.
1994-7
Teaching Assistant University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
1992-3
Instructor Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, North Edgecomb, ME.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Present
Studio Potter 128 Stoney Brook Road, Lebanon, NH.
2001
Juror 2001 Jerome Emerging Artist Fellowships, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN.
1998-9
Assistant Studio Manager Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN.
1998
Mentor Saint Paul Academy, St. Paul, MN.
1994-7
Intern The Center For Arts Criticism, Minneapolis, MN.
1990
Summer Ceramic Shop Supervisor University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA.
Studio Assistant Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC.

WORKSHOPS

2004
Dartmouth College, Norwich, VT.
2003
New Hampshire League of Craftsmen, Hanover, NH.
2001
Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN.
2000
University of Wisconsin, Stout, Menomenie, WI.
Edina Arts Center, Edina, MN.
1999
Edina Arts Center, Edina, MN.
1997
Saint Paul Academy, St. Paul, MN.

PUBLICATIONS

2002
Ceramics Review, “Pots Presented”, Gallery, March/April, Issue #194, p.16.
2001
Northern Clay Center, “Sarah Heimann”, Six McKnight Artists.
2000
Ceramics Monthly, “Sarah Heimann”, Up Front, September, pp. 24-5.
1999
Minnesota Monthly, “Art in Releaf”, Showcase, January p94.
Contact: Ceramics A Canadian Perspective, “Jerome Artists”, News/Views, Spring no.116, pp. 46-8.
Ceramics Monthly, “Minnesota Annual”, Up Front, September, 12.

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