About the Artist
Professional Ceramist
Sandy Blain is Professor Emeritus - Ceramics, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Director Emeritus - Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN. Her background includes a B.S. in Art Education from Northern Illinois University, and a M.F.A. in Ceramics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Having worked in teaching and administration since 1964, she has a diverse background related to educational programming - classes/ conferences/seminars; gallery programming/installations; fund raising; public relations and personnel development. Her public service work includes involvement with national/regional/state/local craft organizations, often serving as a board member, consultant, conference coordinator, grant reviewer, exhibition juror, or presenter/workshop leader. As a practicing artist, her clay pieces have been seen in juried and invitational exhibitions throughout the country with reviews and photographs in media publications and catalogs.
After moving to Arizona in 2004, Sandy set-up a ceramic studio working with mid-range stoneware and emphasizing functional vessel forms. Her work is inspired by nature as well as architecture and industrial objects. Utilizing handbuilt slab-construction techniques for the simplified forms, and heavily marked / texture impressed surfaces, the combination is enhanced with multiple layers of sprayed glazes. Surface depth with subtle color variation help to convey a timeless expressive personal statement.
Sandy recently retired from her position as an adjunct faculty member at the Mesa Arts Center, in Mesa, Arizona.
She continues to serve on the Advisory Council of the Shemer Art Center, in Phoenix, and serves as a consultant to various national regional arts organizations. Her studio practice continues to be of utmost importance and she hosts 1 - 2 sales a year at her home studio.
EDUCATION:
1972 M.F.A. in Ceramics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
1967 M.S. in Art, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
1964 B.S. in Education, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
PROFESSION:
2006 - 2023 Adjunct Faculty Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ
2005 Professor Emeritus, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
1969 - 2004 Faculty, University of Tennessee, School of Art, Knoxville, TN (professor since 1984)
2001 Director Emeritus, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
1980 - 2001 Director, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
PUBLICATIONS:
2018 Trent Berning, A Ceramic Guide: The Art of Creating and Teaching Wheel-Thrown Ceramics, Photographs, Digital, Cognella Academic Publishing
2017 Potters Council Calendar, Ceramic Arts Daily, "Pots with Flowers"
2014 Potters Council Calendar, Ceramic Arts Daily, "Vases with Flowers", May and July
2013 Potters Council Calendar, Ceramic Arts Daily, "Vases with Flowers", August
2012 Kopp, Linda, The Best of 500 Ceramics, Lark Crafts, p. 285
Potters Council Calendar, Ceramics Arts Daily, April - General Collection
2011 Potters Council Calendars, Ceramic Arts Daily: September Mug Collection - October General
Collection II
2010 Angelica Pozo, Ceramics for Beginners: Surfaces, Glazing and Firing, Lark Books, p. 52
2009 Anders, K.T., "A Paean to Process: Sandy Blain's Textures and Glaze Layering",
Clay Times, #80 - vo. 15,
cover-pp. 32 - 38
2008 Toourtillott, Suzanne J. E., 500 Platters, Plates & Chargers, Lark Books, p. 401
2004 Zakin, Richard, Electric Kiln Ceramics - Third Edition, Krause Publications, pp. 102, 146
2000 Fariello, Anna, Sandra Blain: Markings and the Urge to Record, Ceramics Art & Perception,
#42, pp. 57 - 59
1999 Arkansas Art Center, Living with Form: The Horn Collection of Contemporary Crafts, Bradley Publishing,
pp. 120-121
1998 Cushing, Val, The Ceramic Design Book, Lark Books, p. 14
CONSULTANT:
National, Regional, Local - Arts/ Media/ Educational/ Organizations
EXHIBITION JURYING:
Juror for student and professional mixed media, theme and/ or clay exhibitions at the national, regional, state, and local levels. (Several local shows are not listed.)
2016 "Young at Art", Mesa Public Schools, Mesa, AZ
2015 Arizona Arts Commission - Festival Grants Panelist
2013 Arizona Arts Commission - Community Investment Grants Panelist
"Artists of Promise", Maricopa Community Colleges - Phoenix, AZ
2008 National Society of Arts and Letters - Small Sculpture Exhibition, Paradise Valley, AZ
2007 American Craft Council - Southeast Regional Exhibition, Arrowmont School, Gatlinburg, TN
Arizona Designer Craftsmen Exhibition, Arizona State University - Gallery 100, Tempe, AZ
2006 Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Denver, CO
"Changing the World One Thread at a Time", Tubac Center for the Arts, Tubac, AZ
2005 Arizona Designer Craftsmen Exhibition, Tubac Center for the Arts, Tubac, AZ
Out of the Blues Festival, Harborview Center, Clearwater, FL
2004 Regional Scholastic Art Competition, Arts and Cultural Alliance of Greater Knoxville, Knoxville, TN
Long-term Operating Support - Organizations, South Carolina Arts Commission, Columbia, SC
Biennial National Juried Exhibition of Fine Contemporary Crafts, Artspace, Raleigh, NC
2003 Images: A Festival of the Arts, New Smyrna Beach, FL
Scholastic Art Exhibition, Arts and Culture Alliance of Greater Konxville, Knoxville, TN
SOFA - Chicago, curate exhibition for Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA
Tennessee Association of Craft Artists - Nashville and Chattanooga Fall Fairs - site and awards juror
2002 Lakefront Festival of the Arts, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
Plain Arts IV, International Juried Exhibition, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS
Niche Awards, Baltimore, MD
Regional Scholastic Art Competition, Arts Council of Greater Knoxville, Knoxville, TN
Nature Takes a Turn: Woodturning Inspired from the Natural World,
Minneapolis Museum of American Art, Minneapolis, MN
Spring Arts Festival, Santa Fe Community College, Gainesville, FL
Sculpture and Fine Crafts, St. Louis Artists Guild, St. Louis, MO
2001 Ohio State Art Fair, Fine Arts Exhibition, Columbus, OH
Kentuck Festival, Tuscaloosa, AL
2000 Quill and Kiln: Ohr Juried Exhibition 2000, Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, Biloxi, MS
Arts in the Park: Fine Arts Festival, Memphis, TN
Toledo Federation of Art Societies, Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH
Regional Art Market, Knoxville Arts Council, Knoxville, TN
Handweavers Guild of America Convergence Exhibition - Celebrating the Spirit, Cincinnati, OH
Spring Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Winter Park, FL
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS/ MEMBERSHIPS:
American Craft Council - Trustee Emeritus - Honorary Fellow
The Marks Project, Advisor, 2016-2017
Sustaining Trustee - 2005
Education Committee Member, 1998-2004
Chairman of Awards Committee, 1998-2004, Member 2005
Search Committee - CEO, 2001-2002
Trustee, 1997-2004
Chairman/ Co-chairman for S.E. Conferences, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1993, 1998
Program Consultant for Annual S.E. Conferences/ Exhibitions, 1980-2002
Arizona State University Ceramic Research Center Artists Advisory Committee, 2005-2010, 2015 -
Vice-president, 2006-2008, 2018, Chairman, 2008-2010, 2018-2020
Arizona State University Art Museum
Craft Emergency Relief Fund - Board Member, 1993-1998
Loan Fund Committee Chair, 1996-1998
Foothills Craft Guild - Honorary Member
Gatlinburg Gateway Foundation Member, 1999-2001
Kappa Pi International Honorary Art Fraternity, Honorary Member
Knoxville Museum of Art
National Art Education Association
National Council for Education of Ceramic Artists
Shemer Art Center and Museum
Advisory Council Member - 2015 -
Southern Highland Craft Guild -Life Member
Standards Committee Member, 2001-2004
Nominating Committee Member, 1988
Chair/ Co-chair Membership Meetings/ Workshops, 1996, 1998, 2000
Archives Objectives Committee, 1998
Future Planning Committee, 1996-2001
Tennessee Artist Craftsmen's Association - Honorary Member
Year of American Craft Celebration, Advisor,1993-1996