* Mimi Howard *

Mimi Howard Ceramics

Artist Statement

When clay is in its wet pliable state it can be stretched, stressed, pushed, and pulled to wonderful elastic limits. I hope I have allowed the viewer and all who see and/or touch these vessels to appreciate the fluid movement, the casual edges and turns, pressure points, and hidden crevices that grew from my interaction with the clay.
Since gardening is the other great activity in my life, I have found a wonderful symbiotic relationship in what I do in the studio with my other life in dirt. I usually have a particular plant in mind as I create each vessel, so as you are looking through my photo gallery of vessels and plants in place, I hope you see two sources of energy enjoying each others’ company.
Each vessel is one-of-a-kind, a combination of hand-built and wheel-through parts and multi-fired in an electric and/or gas kiln. I use a variety of earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain; and continue to delight in what I don’t know about clay. I am always ready to dig in and explore.

Education

• MFA – Ceramics, University of Cincinnati, Ohio
  
• MS – Art Education, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
  
• BA – Painting, University of Louisville, Kentucky
  

Professional Experience

• 1993 – 1996 – Assistant Professor of Art, Henderson State University
  
• 1992 – 1993 – Adjunct Lecturer of Fine Arts, Indiana University Southeast
  
• 1991 – Adjunct Lecturer, University of Cincinnati
  
• 1986 – 1990 – Founding Member of Zephyr Gallery, Louisville Artists Cooperative, Kentucky
  
• 1972 – 1989 – Studio Ceramist, Proprietor, Fire Song Pottery/Howard Studio, New Albany, Indiana
  
• 1972 – 1990 – Adjunct Lecturer of Art and Art Education, Indiana University Southeast
  
• 1971 – 1982 – Visual Arts Coordinator, Clarksville Community Schools, Indiana
  

Grants, Commissions, Public Collections

• 1994 – Grant: Ellis College Fund for Excellence, Curator of Exhibition of Mexican Art, Included a 3-day workshop for students, Arkansas
  
• 1993 – Artist in Residence, Mary Anderson Center for the Arts, Indiana
  
• 1993 – Grant: Ellis College Fund for Excellence Ceramics Workshop, Arkansas
  
• 1991 – 1992 – Individual Artist Fellowship, Indiana Arts Commission, funded by National Endowment for the Arts
  
• 1992 – Hughes/White Gross Award for Excellence, Indiana Directions “92, Indiana League, Indianapolis, Indiana
  
• Commission Grant: Artists in the Classroom, GRAVITY WAVE, Architectural Installation, Purdue University, Indiana
  
• Commission: CLOUD FORMATION, Central Bank of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
  
• Commission: FORMS IN SPACE, Nunnally Dentistry, Inc. Louisville, Kentucky
  
• Commission: REFLECTIONS: Silver Spoons Catering, Inc., Kentucky
  
• 1987 – Grant: Kentucky Artists in the Schools, Visiting Artist, Louisville, Kentucky
  
• Grant: Visiting Artist, Indiana Public Schools
  
• 1988 – 1996 – Numerous Private Architectural Commissions
  

Collections

• Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
  
• Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, Indiana
  
• Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana
  
• Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas
  
• Central Bank of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
  
• Stockyards Bank, Louisville, Kentucky
  
• Citizens Fidelity Bank, Louisville, Kentucky
  
• Evansville Museum of Art, Evansville, Indiana
  
• Floyd County Museum, New Albany, Indiana
  
• Nunnally Dentistry, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky
  
• CompDent, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky
  
• Silver Spoons Catering, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky
  
• Louisville Gas and Electric Co, Louisville, Kentucky
  
• Waterworks Visual Arts Association, Salisbury, North Carolina
  
• Numerous private collections