ARTIST STATEMENT
I make animated ceramic vessels by drawing pottery on paper using quick, gestural curves that embody the life and energy of living things. The most dynamic of these drawings are developed into functional ceramic objects finished with layers of rich and colorful glazes that melt, flow, and run along the physical textures and curves of the lively shapes, enhancing surfaces and literally underlining the life of the original drawings.
SHANNON LONG
portfolio, CV, & relevant professional information
CONTACT
4161 Benton Street, Denver, Colorado 80212
(720) 210-3551
cshannonlong@comcast.net
Instagram: @shannonlongstudio
Portfolio
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Shannon Long began working with clay in high school, earned his BFA in Ceramic Art from Arizona State University in 1990, and his MFA in Ceramic Art and Photography from Texas Tech University in 1996.
He has taught at Texas Tech University, Metropolitan State University, and Front Range Community College.
His work has been exhibited in AZ, CA, CO, KS, LA, MS, NC, NM, OK, TX.
cv/RESUME
PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE
Studio Artist
1990-Present, Denver, CO
Functional pottery, sculpture, and photography. Galleries include In Tandem, Bakersville, NC; Mano in Santa Fe, NM; Two Potters in Littleton, CO; Whiteside Gallery in Lubbock, TX; Handmaiden Gallery in Santa Fe, NM; Johnson Building Gallery in Gunnison, CO; Trail Ridge Art Company in Winter Park, CO; and The Scottsdale Arts Center Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ.
Adjunct Instructor
Front Range Community College, January 2020 to present), Westminster, CO
Responsible for developing and implementing a curriculum for the instruction of Ceramic Art, Art Appreciation, 2D and 3D Design, and Drawing I. Ceramics instruction includes in-depth development of several hand-building, wheel throwing, and glazing techniques, art theory, and critical evaluation. Art Appreciation instruction includes history, perspective, and practical theory through a survey of various media.
Fine Arts Judge
Evergreen Fine Arts Festival (Prizes and Awards), Evergreen Colorado, August 2019 & 2021
Responsible for evaluating 108 artists, choosing the cash prize winners in each of 7 categories, and writing an evaluation of each to exemplify why they won.
Studio Coordinator
City of Westminster, October 2018 to present, Westminster, CO
Charged with maintaining, repairing, and firing 2 high-fire reduction kilns, 2 raku kilns, and 5 electric kilns; Organizing, maintaining, and remodeling a 3600sf pottery studio, which had fallen into disrepair in the previous 18 years. Tasked with planning, budgeting, buying, and implementing purchases through the Capital Improvement Program, a 2 year $325,000 studio improvement project for acquiring new equipment including potters wheels, pug mixers, storage systems, kilns, furniture, and infrastructure (gas and electric improvements); Mixing, testing, and maintaining a selection of over 60 studio-made glazes, slips, engobes, and stains; Managing a teaching staff of up to 10 ceramic arts instructors and as many as 6 volunteers.
Ceramic Art Instructor
City of Westminster, August 2017 to present, Westminster, CO
Responsible for developing and teaching adult and child ceramic arts classes embracing the concept of health and wellness through community arts programs; Creating, implementing, and teaching semi-monthly Raku Workshops and Ceramic Arts Classes for a variety of learners.
Art Instructor
City and County of Denver, 2017 to 2018, Denver, CO
Responsible for developing and teaching classes in Ceramic Art, Digital Photography, and Children’s Art Education for the community of Denver.
Instructor of Record (ART)
Metropolitan State University, January 1996-December 1996, Denver, CO
Responsible for developing and implementing an experimental curriculum for the instruction of Adobe Photoshop to Engineering students for use in the development and realization of industrial design projects. This is now a permanent part of the MSU Industrial Design degree curriculum. Developed the curriculum and taught a class in Adobe Photoshop to build the necessary Industrial Design portfolio for seniors graduating from the Industrial Design program. This course included educational blocks focused on using digital cameras (fundamentals of photography), lighting, backgrounds choices, and all aspects of basic Photoshop use.
Instructor of Record (FINE ART)
Texas Tech University, September 1994-December 1996, Lubbock, TX
Responsible for the development of a curriculum and instructional strategies for undergraduate fine arts students in the ceramic arts program. Designed the curriculum for and taught classes in Ceramic Arts Foundations. This course included educational blocks focused on hand-building using pinch, coil, and slab techniques, throwing, glaze experimentation and development, and kiln loading and firing. Students were evaluated on, among other points, creativity, comprehension of the basic concepts of ceramic art, critique participation, and skill development.
Instructor of Ceramic Arts & Program Director
Downtown Aurora Visual Arts (DAVA),1995-1997, Aurora, CO
Developed the facility, including all equipment, and designed the program for the instruction of visual and dimensional arts to “at-risk” youth. Taught all Ceramic Art Programs.
Artist in Residence & Instructor of Photography (ART)
Summer Mission Art Reaching Texas (SMART) Summer 1995, Lubbock, TX
Charged with instructing “at-risk” youth in fine art, black and white photography.
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts Degree
Texas Tech University - 1993-1996, Ceramics & Photography, Denver, CO
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree
Arizona State University - 1986-1990, Ceramics, Denver, CO
Attended both Universities as the recipient of full competitive fine arts scholarships.
AWARDS
Regent’s Scholarship for Excellence in Art
Arizona State University, Tempe AZ, 1989 & 1990
Graduate Research Grant Competition Winner
Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX, 1995
GALLERY REPRESENTATION
In Tandem Gallery at 20 North Ave. in Bakersville, NC 28705 - 2023 & ongoing.
GALLERY REPRESENTATION
If you would like to purchase work please contact In Tandem Gallery.
Statement of Teaching Philosophy
The importance of my students feeling capable and empowered by their classes holds tremendous value for me. To this end I foster preparedness in the creation of the works they feel are important in a way that will have the most impact on their audience and I help them understand the value of what they do and realize the ability they each have to achieve the rewards for that value.
I encourage students to build up to their bigger ideas by progressively learning and using simple foundation techniques, strategies, and skills that will allow them to fully realize their concepts. Practices such as idea sketches, preparatory maquettes, and scale or concept models, technique development, course-of-action outlines, and calendaring will all lead to more fully-realized, engaging, and well-developed final projects. I encourage students to keep sketchbooks and use them for both idea drawings and writing. Written notes are just as important as sketches as clues for successful outcomes. Assignments that require exposure to actual artwork from other artists will help maintain critical pathways to creative ideas and concepts. These should become part of their everyday process around making art. Assignments requiring discourse on subjects other than art that inspire or just interest the students will encourage broader thinking and will often lead to much needed breakthroughs. My goal is to teach these strategies in such a way that they become built-in to their individual processes.
I reinforce the idea that techniques, especially in throwing, are built up over time, through regular and consistent practice. Strategies are learned through experimentation, action, and reasonable failure; Subsequent evaluation, repetition, and recovery help students build new courses of action that will yield progressively better outcomes. When failure is encountered I want them to learn to isolate the problems and address improving on them. Success is achieved through logical and deliberate steps taken toward a goal. When concepts are short of content or too long on obvious cliches or tropes we must break down the concept and build it back up with an eye to more thoughtful final outcomes which will yield more meaningful results.