About the Artist
-Artist's Statement
I am interested more in artistic exploration than expression;
my work is primarily motivated by curiosity about the nature of clay and
fire. My passion for ceramics is influenced by a background in mathematics,
chemistry, and astronomy. I find the scientific method of inquiry useful
when experimenting with materials and firings. But I also employ risk and
chance as allies in my creative process, an artistic balance that lies somewhere
between alchemy and science.
When firing in wood and vapor kilns, subtle changes in the shape of a piece
can influence how flames move over the clay and, consequently, how it is
colored and textured. I am particularly excited by the possibilities of combining
intentional marks with the serendipitous glaze effects from the fire. In
my recent work, I have been exploring the ceramic vessel as a kind of lens,
much like that of a telescope or microscope. By manipulating the two-dimensional
surfaces of a three-dimensional form, I hope to create an illusion of depth,
be it celestial or cellular, that goes beyond the piece itself.
-Scholastic Education
1999-2002 - Master of Fine Arts - studied with Kirk Mangus and Eva Kwong, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
1993-1997 - Bachelor of Arts, major in Studio Arts, minor in French Studies - Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
-Publications
2010 - Emerging Artist Award, Ceramics Monthly, May issue
2008 - "One Foot in the Past, One in the Future", essay in exhibition catalog for "Painting With Fire" exhibition, Lake Oswego Arts Center publication
2006 - “Up In Smoke: Challenges to Wood Firing in Today’s World”, 2006 NCECA Journal, review of conference panel discussion
2006 - “Raw Materials - Minerals - Clays”, 2006 NCECA Journal, review of conference panel discussion
2005 - “Clays, Slips, and Glazes for Wood Firing”, Ceramics Monthly June/July/August issue
2005 - “M.C. Richards: The Fire Within”, 2005 NCECA Journal, review of conference panel discussion
2003 - “Creating Large Plates and Platters”, Pottery Making Illustrated, Part 1 March/April issue; Part 2 May/June issue
-Professional Experience
2005-Present - Teaching position at Linn Benton Community College, ("Experimental Salt Firing" class), Corvallis, OR
2008 - Co-curator of wood firing festival "Painting With Fire", Arts Center of Lake Oswego, OR
2006 - Led kiln building workshop at Northwestern Missouri State College, construct and fire a large scale train kiln
2006 - Co -taught (with Hiroshi Ogawa & Nick Geankopolos) wood firing workshop at City of Boulder Pottery Lab, Boulder, CO
2005 - Kiln building workshop at Northwestern Missouri State College, design, build, and fire four different styles of wood kilns
2004 - Resident Artist (one month) at the Goshogowara International Woodfiring Residency, Kanayama studio, Japan
2003 - Guest lecturer at Youngstown State University, OH, "Woodfiring in Education: the Kent State Anagama"
2002 - Visiting Artist at the Aomori International Woodfiring Festival, Japan (seven pieces donated to Aomori city museum)
2002 - Teaching position at Massilon Museum (beginner/intermediate handbuilding and throwing), Massilon, OH
2002 - Visiting Artist at Amherst Elementary school (5 week mask making workshop, grades 1-4), Massilon, OH
1999 - Visiting Artist at The Kinkaid School, (7 day wheel-throwing workshop & exhibition) Houston, TX
1997-1999 - Apprenticeship at Hively Pottery (assist Doug Hively with high fired porcelain production), Monmouth, OR
-Exhibitions
2011 - “Atmospheric Firings”, group exhibition, curated by Diane Levinson, Triton Art Museum, Santa Clara, CA
2011 - “Contemporary Northwest Ceramics”, group exhibition, curated by Gina Fruen, Jundt Art Museum, Spokane, WA
2011 - “Yunomi Invitational”, group exhibition, curated by Jigna Jani, AKAR gallery, Iowa City, IA
2010 - “Northwest Woodfire”, group exhibition of wood fired ceramics, curated by Ben Waterman and Mike Peck, POTS gallery, Seattle, WA
2010 - “30+5”, group exhibition of wood fired ceramics, curated by Jigna Jani, AKAR gallery, Iowa City, IA
2010 - “The Vase and Beyond”, exhibition of Sidney Swidler’s ceramics collection, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
2010 - “Woodfiring Symposium”, group exhibition of wood fired ceramics, curated by Brad Schweiger, Ohio University, Athens, OH
2010 - “Dining In III”, group exhibition of table settings, curated by Karen Cruse, 18 Hands Gallery, Houston, TX
2010 - "Shino REDUX", invitational exhibition curated by Malcolm Davis, Clay Art Center Gallery, Port Chester, NY
2010 - "FILL-adelphia", Potter's Council juried exhibition, part of NCECA conference, Show of Hands Gallery, Philidelphia, PA
2009 - "Muddy's Woodfire Classic", group exhibition of wood fired ceramics, Myers Gallery, Santa Ana, CA
2009 - “A Path of Flame 2009”, group exhibition of wood fired ceramics, Madera Gallery, Tacoma, WA
2009 - “National Cup Show Invitational”, invitational group exhibition of ceramic cups, Kent State University art gallery, Kent, OH
2009 - “Spoon it, Fork it, Cut it Up!”, group exhibition of ceramic utensils, curated by Gail Brown, Baltimore Clay Works, Baltimore, MD
2008 - “Clouds Above, Mountains Below”, solo exhibition of wood fired ceramics, lecture and exhibition at Umqua Community College, Roseberg, OR
2008 - “A Path of Flame 2008”, group exhibition of wood fired ceramics, curated by Andy Lewis-Lechner, Madera Gallery, Tacoma, WA
2007 - “Wood-Fired Connections”, group exhibition of wood fired ceramics, curated by Ken Matsusawa, Art Object Gallery, San Jose, CA
2007 - "Contained", group exhibition curated by Scott Lykens, University of Arkansas, Monticello, AR
2006 - "Extravagence of Salt and Pepper", group exhibition curated by Gail Brown, Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD
2006 - "Decade: Ten Years of Hikarigama," group exhibition, part of the 2006 NCECA conference, Hillsboro Art Center, Hillsboro, OR
2006 - "Invited Woodfire Artists" International Woodfire Conference, group exhibition at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
2005 - "School's Out!" group exhibition curated by Gail Brown as part of 2005 NCECA conference, Baltimore, MD
2004 - "Out of the Fire", national juried show at Blue Trout Gallery, Newberg, OR
2003 - "Clearly Black and White", group exhibitionat Tierra Solida Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
2003 - Solo Exhibition at Chagrin Falls Library, part of the Local Art Series, Chagrin Falls, OH
2002 - "Recent Graduate Students", group exhibition, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI
2002 - "10th Annual Strictly Functional National" group exhibition, juried by Jack Troy, Market House Crafts Center, Lancaster, PA
2001 - "Kent State National Cup Show", juried by Kirk Mangus, Kent State University, Kent, OH
1999 - Solo Exhibition of wood fired, crystalline glazed, & raku fired ceramics, the Kinkaid School, Houston, TX
©2011 Sam Hoffman Pottery