Artist: Brenda Quinn
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BIO
Brenda Quinn grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. She attended Tyler School of Art, Temple University, where she received a BFA (2000) and went on to earn her MFA from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (2003). She currently lives with her husband and two children in a suburb of New York City where she also maintains a studio. She teaches ceramics at a private high school in the Bronx. Though she attended undergraduate school to pursue her interests in painting, she quickly changed her focus after taking a ceramics class as a sophomore. Her fondness for functional and domestic objects goes back to her childhood.
Artist statement
I make functional objects meant for everyday use. My work is driven by process, function, and the challenge of capturing the beauty in duality. Since I was a child I have been enamored with plants and find the structures and patterns that exist in nature to be an unending source of inspiration. My current body of work explores the intersection of plants and architecture.
My work is made from porcelain that is fired in an electric kiln to cone 8. I utilize wheel throwing, simple molds, and handbuilding techniques. My surfaces are created using a labor intensive process of inlaying glaze into glaze as well as brush work with glazes and underglazes.
EDUCATION
MFA Ceramics: Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Carbondale, IL. August 2003
BFA Ceramics: Tyler School of Art, Temple University. Elkins Park, PA. December 1999.
Commercial Arts Certification: Center for Technical Studies, East Norriton, PA. 1995.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Instructor, Ceramics and Visual Arts. Grades Seven through Twelve. Ethical Culture Fieldston School. Bronx, NY. 2004 - Present.
Instructor: Teaching clay to children: Teaching Teachers. The Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY. Summer 2010
Instructor: Intermediate/Advanced Wheel Work Greenwich House Pottery. New York, NY. 2008-2009
Adjunct Instructor, Wheel-throwing Ceramics. Westchester Community College: Westchester Art Workshop, White Plains, NY. 2008
Instructor, Continuing Education. Cleveland Institute of Art. Cleveland, OH. 2003-2004.
Instructor, Intermediate ceramics. Graduate Assistantship, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL. 2001 - 2003.
Teaching Assistant, Spring Concentration taught by Neil Patterson and Sandi Pierantozzi. Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. 2000.
Instructor, Family Pottery class. Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA. 2000.
Co-Instructor with Keith Renner, Weekend Workshop in Ceramics. Tyler School of Art, Temple University. Elkins Park, PA. 1999 - 2000.
Teaching Assistant, Intermediate Ceramics. Tyler School of Art, Temple University. Elkins Park, PA, 1998.