Skip to main content

Abstract

In conjunction with a UNG Presidential Award, I conducted creative research in ceramic art, craft, and design in relation to current trends and historical perspectives in China during summer 2017. I was chosen as an invited artist in residence at the Jingdezhen International Studio for a two-month period. This is a prestigious institution, in Jingdezhen, the porcelain capitol of the world, near where kaolin clay was first discovered. I was one of only three artists to be awarded this honor for the period.

Approximately thirty percent of my work remains in the permanent collection of Taoxichuan Ceramics Museum. This was in exchange for studio space, accommodations, and some firing and materials fees. Another portion was left for traveling shows. Currently this work is featured in Jingpiao Ceramic Art Exhibition, Jingpiao, China. More work was recently exhibited at the Yingge Ceramic Museum in Taipei, Taiwan and acquired as part of the museum’s permanent collection.

The works shipped home will be exhibited at the University of North Georgia in an upcoming faculty exhibition. These will also be displayed nationally in future exhibitions including but not limited to the Bertelsmann Gallery, Athens Academy, Athens, GA and Nasty Women artaxis.org sponsored exhibition, at the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference, 3rd Street Gallery, Carnegie, PA. I am currently contacting more establishments in order to show my new body of work.

I have shared and will continue to lecture on my experience with my classes and interested faculty members. I was also invited to send my PowerPoint lecture to the ceramics program at the University of Arizona. Students saw the extensive social media posts of my experience and works produced and asked me to share my experience. It was disseminated on my behalf to students in an upper division course.

During my trip, I visited ceramics and art museums in Hong Kong. I also went to a Buddhist brush painter museum in Nanchang, China where I also met a colleague at Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, to continue discussing a study abroad program between our institutions. I also took short trips while in Jingdezhen to an ancient kiln, Yaoli ceramics village, and other nearby cultural and historic sites. My Presidential Award Grant Project Report further details my experiences.

Files

File nameDate UploadedVisibilityFile size
auto_convert.pdf
19 Jul 2022
Public
351 kB

Metrics

Metadata

  • Subject

    • Visual Arts

  • Date submitted

    19 July 2022

  • Keywords
  • Additional information

    • Author Biography:

      Alex Kraft received her BFA and BSed from Northern Arizona University and MFA from the University of Montana. She exhibits her work in the states and internationally. Artist residencies include short term at the Archie Bray Foundation; Clay Studio of Missoula; Pentaculum/Arrowmont; Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts; Red Lodge Clay Center (x3); Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center; Jingdezhen International Studio; and year long at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and Roswell Artist in Residency Program. Her experience writing and curating includes the multi-faceted project 50 Women: A Celebration of Women’s Contribution to Ceramics. Previously at University of New Mexico-Gallup, she is an Assistant Professor and oversees the ceramics program at the University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, USA.