Sam Scott Pottery
I was born and raised in Seattle, WA, and began working with clay in high school in 1968. I went to the University of Washington to work with Robert Sperry, Patti Warashina and Howard Kottler. Receiving my BFA in 1975, I proceeded to set up my studio in the Seattle area. Over the years I’ve taught at the University of Washington and Everett Community College and have given numerous workshops. I currently teach at Shoreline Community College.
I have worked predominately in porcelain on the potter’s wheel. My forms are defined by functional simplicity and the white surface of each piece is decorated with abstract brushwork in blues, browns and grays.
I also utilize the contrast of the white porcelain surface with a black matte glaze. The development of this glaze has allowed me to employ new forms of decoration on the clay surface, juxtaposing biomorphic poured shapes in contrast to the dense white porcelain. These drips create a graphic tension that is enhanced by orienting the directional flow of the glaze from both rim and foot of the piece. The shape of the pot informs the pouring process creating overlapping patterns which integrate the form, surface, and decoration, unifying the overall design.
More recently I have been exploring my interest in science and technology and their impact on society in a series of plates. Impressions of various objects are made in the soft clay, becoming contemporary fossils. The contents of each plate are meant to “serve up” commentaries or provoke observations of the ideas, decisions, and developments that impact our actions and leave an “impression” on our society.
My goal is to blend technique and intuition in both form and surface treatment, while working in the vessel format.
Sam Scott
Email: cheerspots@yahoo.com
Web site: www.samscottpottery.com
Education:
• Phi Beta Kappa Alpha of University of Washington, June 1975
• B.F.A. University of Washington, June 1975
• Awards - Lambda Rho Alumni Memorial Scholarship, 1974–1975
Memberships:
• ICAN
• Northwest Designer Craftsmen
• Washington Clay Artists Association
• NCECA- National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts
Teaching Positions:
• Shoreline Community College, 1999–Present
• University of Washington, Summer and Fall Qtrs. 1977
• Everett Community College, 1975–1998
Juried Shows and Exhibitions:
• Positive & Negative- Sam Scott & Susan Dewsnap, In Tandem Gallery, Bakersville, NC, Sept. 2018
• 2018 Ceramic Invitational, Radius Gallery, Missoula, MT, May 2018
• Small Favors Exhibition, Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA, April 2018
• Fahrenheit 2018 Biennial, American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, CA, March 2018
• ICAN Juried Exhibition, at NCECA, Pittsburgh, PA, March 2018
• Clay Fest NW Exhibition, Pottery NW, Seattle, Sept 2017
• ICAN Juried Exhibition, at NCECA, Portland, OR, March 2017
• 2016 AKAR Yunomi Invitational, AKAR Gallery, Iowa City, IA, May 2016
• 21st San Angelo Ceramic Competition, Museum of Fine Art, San Angelo, TX, April 2016
• All These Years Functional Ceramics Exhibition, Eastern Michigan University, March 2016
• ICAN Juried Exhibition, Something Old Something New, NCECA, Kansas City, MO, March 2016
• 1000 Cups, 100 Artists, The Clay Studio, NCECA Convention, Kansas City, MO, March 2016
• Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future: AMOCA’s 10th Anniversary, Pomona, CA, Feb-June 2015
• Clay Studio Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, Oct 2014
• Finalist in the Zanesville Prize for Contemporary Ceramics, OH, Sept 2014
• 22nd Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National, Purchase Award, Sept. 2014
• 20th San Angelo Ceramic Competition, at the San Angelo Museum of fine Arts, TX, April 2014
• 2013 Potters Council Juried Show: Green, at NCECA, Houston, TX, 2013
• 20th Strictly Functional Pottery National, 2012
• Drink Me: Use and Imagination in the Ceramic Vessel, Shoreline Community College, WA, March 8- April 17 2012
• Extreme, Extraordinary, Exquisite: Teapots on the Edge, Bellevue College Gallery, WA, March 5- April 5 2012
• Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue,WA, 2012 NCECA Invitational Exhibition: Push Play, Jan.- July 2012
• Galleries at Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA, “NCECA Invitational 2010”, March 2010
• American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, CA, “Let’s Table This” Exhibition from the museum’s collection, January 2010
• Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek, CA, “Objects of Virtue” Cash Award, January 2010
• Davenport Gallery, Wayne, PA , “Craft Forms 2008”, March-May 2009
• Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Louisville, KY, “2007 NCECA Clay National Biennial Exhibition” Shimpo Purchase Award, March 2007 • W. Keith and Janet Kellogg Univ. Art Gallery, Cal Poly, Pomona, CA, “Ink and Clay 33”, Jan 2007
• The Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek, CA, “By The Hand: A National Exhibition of Traditional and Innovative Craft”, July 2006
• Market House Craft Center, Lancaster, PA “The 14th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National”, Founders Award, April 2006
• Contemporary Crafts Gallery, Portland, OR, “Looking Forward Glancing Back: Northwest Designer Craftsmen at 50", 2005
• Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, WA, “Looking Forward, Glancing Back: Northwest Designer Craftsmen at 50”, Oct 2005
• Whatcom Museum of History and Art, Bellingham, WA, “Looking Forward, Glancing Back: Northwest Designer Craftsmen at 50”, Jun 2004 • Oregon College of Arts & Crafts, Craft Bi-Annual—“A Review of NW Arts & Crafts” Portland, OR, Aug 2003
• Smithsonian Institution Museum-Renwick Gallery, “NW Artists Show”, 1993
• NWCC Exhibition, Henry Gallery, Seattle, WA. Jury Accepted, 1973, 1977
Permanent Collections:
• HACC Ceramic Club Collection, PA, 2014
• Virginia Mason Medical Center Art Collection, Seattle, WA, 2012
• L&L Kiln Manufacturing Corporate Collection, 2010
• International Museum of Contemporary Ceramics, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2009
• California State Polytechnic University Dee Roy & Mary M. Jones Permanent Collection, Pomona, CA, 2009
• American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, CA, 2008
• Northwest Collection of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA, 2008
• City of Mountlake Terrace, WA. The Ripple, 2008
• Nidec-Shimpo Corporate Collection, Itasca IL, 2007
• Pottery Northwest Permanent Collection, Seattle, WA, 2006
• Bruno & Mary Moser Ceramic Collection, Indiana
• President Bill Clinton White House Collection, Washington DC, 1995
• Edmonds Collection to Hekinan, Japan for the Hekinan Cultural Association,Hekinan, Japan, 1991
• Edmonds Art Festival Purchase Award, Edmonds, WA, 1977
Publications & Reviews:
• Exposure Section, Ceramics Monthly (magazine), page 12, Sept. 2018
• Build Or Bust, Article, Ceramics Monthly (magazine), pages 38-44, Jan. 2018
• The Scott Collection, Article , Ceramics Monthly (magazine), pages 20-22, Oct. 2017
• Mary Douglas Drysdale Interior, Home & Design Magazine, pages 118-124, March, 2016
• Glazing Techniques (book), by the American Ceramic Society, 2015
• China Ceramics Illustrated (magazine), pages 114-119, September, 2015
• American iPottery (ebook), by Kevin Hluch, 2014
• 500 Teapots Volume 2, Lark Books (book), pgs.187 & 364, 2013
• 500 Prints on Clay, Lark Books (book, pg.25), 2013
• The Best of 500 Ceramics, Lark Books, (book, pg. 283), 2012
• Ceramics-Art and Perception, pages 108-111, June/August, 2012
• Surface, Glaze & Form (book), pg. 6, American Ceramic Society, 2012
• Pottery Making Illustrated (magazine), Jan/Feb, Cover Story, 2012
• Porcelain Artist Magazine, Vol 51 No.3 Article on pgs. 6-11, 2011
• Seattle Met Magazine, page 86, November, 2011
• 500 Raku, Lark Books (book) pgs. 95 & 316, 2011
• Ceramics Today by Jeffrey B. Snyder (book), pages 200-201, 2010
• Robert Sperry: Bright Abyss, AMOCA, (book), page 42, 2009
• 500 Plates and Chargers, Lark Books (book), 2008
• China Paint and Over Glaze, by Paul Lewing (book), 2007
• 500 Pitchers: Contemporary Expressions of a Classic Form,Editor Suzanne Tourtillott, Lark Books, (book), 2006
• 500 Cups: Ceramic Explorations of Utility and Grace, Editor: Suzanne Tourtillott, Lark Books, (book), 2005
• Making Marks, by Robin Hopper (book), 2004
• Ceramics Monthly, Upfront Section (magazine), June, 2003
• Clay Times Magazine, Cover Story (magazine), September, 2002
• Ceramics Monthly, Upfront Section (magazine), June, 1990
• Ceramics Monthly (magazine), December, 1973