Robert L. Wood

About the artist

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Exploring the relationships and connections between content, aesthetics, form and material, I seek to reveal the emotive power, mystery and felt experience that exists within this context. Referencing history, identity, technology, and how technology examines and records evidence of identity, of self, I often include fragments as bits of information to be mined for potential clues to identify its origins; to provide content and context; yet at the same time maintain the mystery and intrigue of incompleteness.

The articulation of these ideas evolve as I use clay in combination with glass and other mixed media elements. Glass provides depth, transparency and translucency, reflective and refractive qualities, and how light reveals that which is internal. In contrast, clay represents opaqueness, solidity, and mass; it captures and responds to how it was formed and manipulated, recording its history. Utilizing the contrasting aesthetic nature of these materials allows the opportunity to examine and explore, to exploit their properties to reveal content and expression.

biography

Robert L. Wood is Professor of Design and Coordinator of the Ceramics program at Buffalo State, State University of New York where he has been teaching for the past 34 years. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics from Indiana State University and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Dallas. Participating in over 200 juried and invitational art exhibitions at the international, national and regional levels, his work has received twelve national awards. His clay and mixed media sculptures have been included in numerous publications including 500 Ceramic Sculptures, The Spirit of Ceramic Design, Surface Design for Ceramics, 500 Plates and Chargers, The Ceramic Glaze Handbook, Making Ceramic Sculpture, The Ceramic Design Book, 500 Teapots, The Best of Pottery I (and II), Electric Kiln Ceramics, Ceramics: Mastering the Craft; Ceramics Monthly; American Craft; Studio Potter and over 100 exhibition catalogs. He has been listed in Who’s Who in American Art, Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and Who’s Who in the World and has juried national art exhibitions and given numerous lectures and workshop demonstrations on his work. His artwork is in numerous public and private collections throughout the country, including outdoor installations.

resume

EDUCATION

1987

M.F.A./Ceramics, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana

1983

Bachelor of Art in Fine Arts/Ceramics, University of Dallas, Irving, Texas

SELECTED RECENT EXHIBITIONS AND AWARDS

2015
Extraordinary Forms IV: The Ceramics Legacy of Robert Wood, Kenan House Gallery, Lockport, New York
One-person Exhibition, Invitational

2013

UDallas: Clay Nucleus, Winter Street Studios, NCECA Conference Exhibition, Houston, TX, Invitational National Group Exhibition

2012

Enlightened Earth: The Ceramics Invitational, Arts Center Gallery, Nazareth College, Rochester, New York, Invitational Regional Group Exhibition

2011

Art in Craft Media 2011, Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Buffalo, New York, Regional Invitational Exhibition

Summer Glass Invitational 2011, Exhibit A Contemporary Art Gallery, Corning, Invitational National Group Exhibition

2010

Extraordinary Forms II: 40 years of Craft Media, Kenan Center House Gallery, Lockport, New York, Invitational Group Exhibition

2009

Buffalo Artists, Center For Inquiry/Transnational, Amherst, NY, Group Invitational Exhibition

Clay, Fiber, Metal, Wood, Indigo Gallery, Buffalo, New York, Group Invitational Exhibition

2008

Artistry in Clay, Fiber, Glass, Metal, and Wood, Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Buffalo, New York, Regional Invitational

One Person Exhibition, Sisson Art Gallery, Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, Michigan, Invitational Exhibition

2007

Solo Exhibition, Arthur Butcher Gallery, Concord University, Athens, West Virginia

Clay Mechanics II, National Juried Group Exhibition, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Fort Wayne, Indiana

Extraordinary Forms: Bi-National Clay, International Invitational Exhibition, Kenan Center House Gallery, Lockport, New York

2006

Skin Deep: Ceramic Surfaces, National Juried Group Exhibition, Hyman Fine Arts Center Gallery, Francis Marion Univ., Florence, South Carolina

Materials: Hard and Soft, National Juried Exhibition, Meadows Gallery, Denton, Texas

2005

Art Exchange 4th Quarter Alternative Media Exhibition, On-line National Juried Art Exhibition

Materials: Hard and Soft, National Juried Group Exhibition, Meadows Gallery, Denton, Texas

2004

2004 Art on Axis Clay Exhibition, National Invitational Exhibition, Axis Architecture, Indianapolis, Indiana

3rd Annual Ceramic Sculpture Exhibition, National Juried, Celadon Clay Art Gallery, Watermill, New York

Creating Old and New Ceramics, National Invitational Exhibition, Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, Indiana

2003

Craftforms 2003, National Juried Group Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, Pennsylvania

First Place Award, Ceramics 2003, The Fourth Biennial Exhibit of North American Clay, National Juried Group Exhibition, Guilford Handcraft Center, Guilford, Connecticut

Ceramics USA 2003, National Juried Exhibition, University of North Texas Art Gallery, Denton, Texas

2002

Art Tech Mixed Media Award, Westmoreland Art Nationals 2002, National Juried Group Exhibition, Westmoreland County Community College, Youngwood, Pennsylvania

14th San Angelo National Ceramic Competition, National Juried Group Exhibition, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, Texas

Edinboro National Ceramics Invitational Exhibition, Bruce Gallery, Edinboro University, Edinboro, Pennsylvania

2001

Rendezvous 2001, National Invitational Exhibition, Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney, Nebraska

Craft Forms 2001, National Juried Group Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, Pennsylvania

Individual Artist 2001 Recognition Award for Exceptional Contributions, Esprit de Corps, Burchfield- Penney Art Center, Buffalo, New York

2000

Impressions in Clay, National Juried Group Exhibition, Chester Springs Studio Center for Visual Arts, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania

Sculpture in Clay: Richard Hirsch, Nancy Jurs, Bill Stewart, Robert L. Wood, Invitational Exhibition, Rockefeller Arts Center Gallery, State University College at Fredonia, Fredonia, New York

21st Century Award for Achievement, International Biographical Centre, 2000

1999

Crafts USA Today, National Juried Exhibition, Silvermine Guild Galleries, New Canaan, Connecticut

Two Person Exhibition, Robert Wood and Mark Lavatelli, Gallery 101 Bistro, Buffalo, New York

1998

The National Award of Excellence, Best of Both Exhibitions, Westmoreland Art Nationals, National Juried Group Exhibitions, Westmoreland County Community College, Youngwood, Pennsylvania

selected pubications included in

_____. 500 Ceramic Sculptures. Asheville: Lark Books. 2009. Photos, pp. 112, 194

Piepenburg, Robert. The Spirit of Ceramic Design, 2008. Photo, p. 149.

_____. 500 Platters, Plates, & Chargers. Asheville: Lark Books, 2008. Photo, pgs. 24, 210.

Mills, Maureen. Surface Design for Ceramics, Asheville: Lark Books, 2008. Photo, p. 129.

Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, 2006-07

Marquis Who's Who in American Education, 2006-2007, 2007-08

Marquis Who's Who in American Art, 1999, 2005-2006, 2007-08

"Ceramics 2003". Ceramics Monthly (October 2003): pp. 67-68

_____. 500 Teapots. Lark Books, 2002. Color photo, p. 99.

Zakin, Richard. Ceramics: Mastering the Craft. 2nd edition. Iola : Krause Publications, 2001. p. 74.

Burleson, Mark. The Ceramic Glaze Handbook: Materials, Techniques, Formulas. Asheville, NC: Lark Books, 2001. Three color photos, pp. 87, 96.

Acero, Raul. Making Ceramic Sculpture. Asheville, NC: Lark Books, 2000. Photo, p. 102.

_____. The Best of Pottery 2. Rockport, MA: Rockport Publishers, 1998. Color photo, p. 20.

_____. The Ceramic Design Book. Asheville, North Carolina: Lark Books, 1998. Photo, p. 170.

"Gallery". American Craft Magazine 56 (Dec. 1996/Jan. 1997): 72.

_____. The Best of Pottery. Rockport, MA: Rockport Publishers, 1996. Color photo of my work, p. 18.

"Alabama's Monarch National". Ceramics Monthly 44 (February 1996): 41.

"Rollerblading along the Erie Canal". Studio Potter Magazine Volume 24 Number 1 (December 1995): 60-80.

"Judgment Call: The 29th Ceramic National". American Craft Magazine 53 (October/November 1993): 1, 47.

"Gallery". American Craft Magazine 52 (June/July1992): 71.

"NCECA Member's Show". Ceramics Monthly 38 (October 1990): 77.

90 Exhibition catalogs and numerous newspaper articles.

workshops and lectures

2013

-Visiting Artist Lecture and graduate critiques for University of Dallas, Irving, TX

2009

-Faculty/Staff Research and Creativity Fall Forum, Faculty Exchange between Buffalo State and Kanazawa College of Art, Kanazawa, Japan, Buffalo State, SUNY.

-Glass Cold Working Techniques, Buffalo State, SUNY

-Workshop, artist demonstration and lecture for Kanazawa College of Art, Kanazawa, Japan

2008

-Artist demonstration and slide lecture for Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, Michigan

2007

-Artist slide lecture for Virginia Technical University, Montgomery, West Virginia -Artist demonstration and slide lecture for Concord University, Athens, West Virginia

-Artview Television interview in conjunction with the Extraordinary Forms: Binational Exhibition

-Lewiston Porter High School slide lecture on work, Lewiston, New York

2004

-Elected to Board of Directors for the Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo, New York

-Lewiston Porter High School Slide Lecture on work, Lewiston, New York

-Catholic Academy of Buffalo Workshop, Buffalo, New York

2002

-An Insiders View of Craft Art Western New York 2002, Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Buffalo, New York

-Ceramics talk for Leadership Buffalo First Impressions

2001

-Visiting Artist Workshop for Lewiston-Porter High School for the Empire State Partnership grant “Writing on the Wall” project. In conjunction with the Castellani Art Museum, Lewiston, New York.

2000

-Workshop for "Western New York Clay Symposium", Nazareth College, Pittsford, New York

-Slide lecture on work, SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia, New York

1999

-Book signing and slide lecture on work, Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Buffalo, NY

1998

-NYSATA Conference Workshop, Non-Traditional Ceramic Surface Treatments, Buffalo, NY

1998

-Hosted WNY Clay Symposium, Buffalo State College, Buffalo, New York

-Slide Lecture and Workshop, SUNY Brockport, Brockport, New York

-Slide Lecture on Work, Sylvia Rosen Endowment lecture, Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Buffalo, New York

1996

-Slide Lecture on Recent Work, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

-Slide Lecture on Recent Work, Appalachian Center for the Crafts Tennessee Technological University, Cookville, Tennessee

-Workshop for "Western New York Clay Symposium", SUNY College at Geneseo, Geneseo, New York

-Member of the Planning Committee and Coordinator of Volunteers for the 1996 national NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) conference

1995

-Artist in Residence, Artpark, Lewiston, New York 1994

-Workshop for "Western New York Clay Symposium", SUNY College at Fredonia, Fredonia, New York

-Included in slide collection of the Library of the Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague, Czech Republic

-Visiting Artist Slide Lecture on Recent Work, Niagara County Community College, Sanborn, New York

1993

-Slide Lecture on Recent Work, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo, New York -Visiting Artist Lecture: SUNY University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York

-Tile installation for the Cristel DeHann Fine Arts Center University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana

1992

-Invited and had work included in a lecture, "New Materials in Ceramics" at The Interaction in Ceramics: Art, Design and Research Conference held at the University of Industrial Arts Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. The lecture was given by Professor Richard Spiller, East Carolina University.

-Invited and had work included in a lecture, "American Ceramics of the 90's" at the Taipe Fine Arts Museum in China. This lecture was given by Professor Richard Hirsch, Rochester Institute of Technology.

-Visiting Artist Lecture and Workshop, SUNY College at Brockport, Brockport, New York

-Creativity Workshop for Fisher Price Art Department, Buffalo, New York

1991

-"Nonfunctional Functional" Lecture, Burchfield Art Center, Buffalo, New York

1990

-Slide Lecture on Recent Work, Burchfield Art Center, Buffalo, New York

1989

-Slide Lecture on Recent Work, Adam's Memorial Art Gallery, Dunkirk, New York

1988

-Visiting Artist Lectures: SUNY College at Fredonia, Fredonia, New York, SUNY College at Brockport, Brockport, New York

exhibitions juried

2015

Co-Juror, Naples National Art Festival, Naples, Florida

2013
Co-Juror, Art in Craft Media 2013, Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Buffalo, New York

Co-Juror, Allentown Arts Festival, Buffalo, New York

2010

Co-Juror, Westmoreland Art Nationals, Pennsylvania

2009

Co-Juror, Allentown Arts Festival, Buffalo, New York

2008

Co-Juror, 100 American Craftsman Exhibition, Lockport, New York

Juror, Edges 2008, Outdoor Sculpture Competition, Artpark, Lewiston, New York

2006

Co-Juror, Lewiston Art Festival, Lewiston, New York

2005

Judge for Awards, Tony Moeser Memorial Members Fall Art Show, Hamburg, New York

Co-Juror, Allentown Arts Festival, Buffalo, New York

2004

Co-Juror, Allentown Arts Festival, Buffalo, New York

2003

Co-Juror, Allentown Arts Festival, Buffalo, New York

1999

Co-Juror, Allentown Arts Festival, Buffalo, New York

1998

Co-Juror, 100 American Craftsman Exhibition, Lockport, New York

1997

Co-Judge for Awards, 23rd Annual Tarpon Springs Arts Festival, Tarpon Springs, Florida

1994

Made in Clay, Carnegie Cultural Center, Tonawanda, New York (Selected as juror)

1993

Co-Juror, Allentown Arts Festival, Buffalo, New York

ROBERT L. WOOD