SXU Art Gallery presents Laurie Shaman's 'Drawn to Clay'
Saint Xavier University (SXU) is excited to announce the Art Gallery's latest exhibit, featuring the work of Chicago-based artist Laurie Shaman. This exhibition entitled, "Drawn to Clay" is a solo show featuring ceramics; works on paper; Wall tiles; vessels; watercolors; and drawings of animals and landscapes. It will be on display from February 14 through March 20, with the Gallery closing from March 5 through 9 for spring break. There will be a reception on Wednesday, February 14 at 3:30 p.m., followed by a presentation of Shaman's work.
Before making Chicago her home, she resided in southwest Wisconsin where her dedication to ceramics began as a studio potter in the town of Mineral Point. Shaman also spent four inspirational summers as an apprentice in the acting company at American Players Theater in nearby Spring Green. For a number of years, she served as the Program Coordinator of the Art in Public Places program, as well as the Visual Arts Coordinator for the Wisconsin Arts Board in Madison.
Eventually relocating to Chicago, Shaman quickly became a part of the local ceramics scene as a resident ceramic artist at Chicago's Lill Street Art Center, where she also held various directorial positions spanning from community outreach to educational programming for adults and children to gallery exhibitions and events. As director of Lill Street's gallery, Shaman curated dozens of group and solo exhibitions involving ceramic artists of local and national prominence. From there, she worked in the Department of Museum Education at the Art Institute of Chicago, where she participated in docent training, as well as teaching sketch classes during special exhibitions.
In 2009, Shaman created a six-panel ceramic mural "In the Swim," commissioned by the Public Art Program, City of Chicago, now installed and on view at the Hayes Park Natatorium in the Ashburn-Wrightwood community. Since 2006, her studio has been in the heart of the Ravenswood Corridor in Chicago. Her life is shared with husband and artist, Ed Hinkley, who creates oil paintings and works on paper.
The following is a statement from the artist which reflects his artwork for this exhibit:
"I make tabletop and wall pieces in porcelain or stoneware using primarily slab-built techniques, with an eye on developing shapes and contours that best provide the surface for my hand drawn imagery. These forms thus become a canvas for depicting scenes that combine my interests in travel, art history and the natural world. The vases, vessels and wall pieces I make today evolved naturally over time from a strong foundation producing utilitarian pottery, as well as having an ongoing practice of creating works on paper with a variety of drawing techniques. These once separate pursuits have been the basis of my ceramic work, and combined, produce for me the greatest satisfaction: merging the painted surface to three-dimensional form."
SXU's Art Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, please visit SXU's website.