About

CERAMICS RESUME

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Music Theory, minor Linguistics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1998

B.M. Piano Performance, summa cum laude, University of Arizona, Tucson, 1991

M.S. Astronomy, University of Arizona, Tucson, 1989

B.S. Physics, summa cum laude, University of Illinois, Urbana, 1987

Ceramics classes taken at the Durham Arts Council, Claymakers, and Penland School of Crafts. Workshops taken with Alan Bennett, John Britt, Leonora Coleman, Susan Feagin, Marty Fielding, Denny Gerwin, Jamie Kirkpatrick, Jim Lawton, Kent McLaughlin, Vince Pitelka, Deborah Schwartzkopf, Gay Smith, and Carolyn Wyland.

RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE

Independent Studio Artist, 2010-present

Instructor, Claymakers, Durham, NC, 2007-present

SOLO AND DUO EXHIBITS

Claymakers, Circle of Influence, two-person show, Durham NC, 2020

Carol Woods Community, solo 3D show, Chapel Hill NC, 2018

JURIED EXHIBITS

34th Strictly Functional Pottery National, Lancaster PA, 2026

North Carolina Botanical Garden, Sculpture in the Garden, Chapel Hill NC, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 (see Awards below), 2026 (see Awards below)

The Clay Studio, Small Favors, Philadelphia PA, 2021, 2023, 2025, 2026

2023 Joint Mathematics Meetings, Mathematical Art Exhibition, Boston MA, 2023

Good Earth Pottery, Winter Warmers Cup Show, Bellingham WA, 2023

30th Strictly Functional Pottery National, Lancaster PA, 2022 (see Awards below)

28th Strictly Functional Pottery National, online, 2020

2019 Joint Mathematics Meetings, Mathematical Art Exhibition, Baltimore MD, 2019 (see Awards below)

25th Strictly Functional Pottery National, Lancaster PA, 2017 (see Awards below)

Plough Gallery, Tea: The Ritual and the Art, Tifton GA, 2017

Charlie Cummings Gallery, Cup: The Intimate Object XII, online, 2016

24th Strictly Functional Pottery National, Lancaster PA, 2016 (see Awards below)

Claymakers, Claybody: The Human Form in Ceramic Art, Durham NC, 2016

Bridges 2015 international conference on math/art intersections, Art Exhibit, Baltimore MD, 2015

Towson University Center for the Fine Arts Gallery, Mathematical Art Exhibit, Towson MD, 2015

Bridges 2012 international conference on math/art intersections, Art Exhibit, Towson MD, 2012

Towson University Center for the Fine Arts Gallery, Bridges: Connections between Art and Mathematics, Towson MD, 2012

INVITED EXHIBITS

Claymakers Gallery, Indelible (collaborations between potters and tattoo artists), Durham NC, 2026 

Cedar Creek Gallery, National Teapot Show X, XI, XII, Creedmoor NC, 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026

Cedar Creek Gallery, CUPful, Creedmoor NC, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Featured Artist (April/May), Show of Hands Gallery, Pittsboro NC, 2025

Charlie Cummings Gallery, Birds! Birds!, Gainesville FL, 2023, 2024

Claymakers, Community Showcase, Durham NC, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026  

Charlie Cummings Gallery, Cup: The Intimate Object XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, Gainesville FL, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

ClayAKAR, Yunomi Invitational 2020, Iowa City IA, 2020

Charlie Cummings Gallery, Exquisite Forms I, II, Gainesville FL, 2018, 2020

Claymakers, Steinfest, Durham NC, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Greenhill Center for NC Art, Winter Show 2017, Greensboro NC, 2017

FRANK Gallery, Pots from the Piedmont, Chapel Hill NC, 2016

Perkinson Art Gallery, Millikin University, Just Use It, Decatur IL, 2015

Cinema Gallery, Use It: A Show of Functional Ceramics, Urbana IL, 2015

Mathematics of Science, Art, Industry, and Culture (MoSAIC), traveling exhibit, 2014-2016

Baltimore Clayworks, Southern Hospitality, Baltimore MD, 2014

Claymakers, Line and Rhythm, Durham NC, 2012

Cinema Gallery, All Steamed Up Invitational Teapot Show, Urbana IL, 2011

Claymakers, Season of Lights, Durham NC, 2011

COLLABORATIVE INSTALLATIONS

MATHEMALCHEMY – A collaborative, touring mixed-media art installation celebrating the joy, creativity, and beauty of mathematics. https://mathemalchemy.org

Contributing mathemalchemist, 2020-present

See https://mathemalchemy.org/events/ for current, upcoming, and past exhibit information

THE POTTERS’ PENGUIN PROJECT – A community art project to make the impacts of global warming on distant places more immediately tangible to makers and viewers. The Potters’ Penguin Project energized nearly 600 makers to create over 2,000 handmade clay penguins, and raised over $5,000 to support environmental advocacy non-profits.

Founder and curator, 2016-2019

https://geekpots.com/portfolio/the-potters-penguin-project/

Exhibits

Claymakers Gallery, Durham NC, January 10-February 11, 2017 (1,973 penguins)

North Carolina State University Crafts Center gallery, Raleigh NC, February 20-April 28, 2017 (600+ penguins)

Greensboro Science Center, Greensboro NC, April 25-May 20, 2017 (200+ penguins)

Maker Events

North Carolina Science Festival, lectures and public Make-a-Penguin events, North Carolina State University, sponsored by Research Triangle MRSEC (Materials Research Science and Engineering Center), April 8, 2017

Multiple public/independent school Make-a-Penguin workshops, Durham, NC, 2016-2017

Multiple public Make-a-Penguin events, Claymakers, Durham NC, 2016

Press

“From Our Supporters,” Earthjustice Quarterly Magazine, Spring 2019

“Potters’ Penguin Project,” INDY Week, January 9, 2017

AWARDS

North Carolina Botanical Garden, Sculpture in the Garden, “Aurora • Boris” Staff Pick Award, 2026

North Carolina Botanical Garden, Sculpture in the Garden, “Leonardo and Pingala” 2nd Place People’s Choice Award, 2024

30th Strictly Functional Pottery National, Jean Lehman Form and Function Award, 2022

Joint Mathematics Meetings, Mathematical Art Exhibition, Best Textile, Sculpture, or Other Medium, 2019

25th Strictly Functional Pottery National, Purchase Award sponsored by The John Ground Collection, 2017

24th Strictly Functional Pottery National, Purchase Award sponsored by The George School, 2016

Durham Arts Council, Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artist Grant, Durham, NC, 2014

PUBLICATIONS

“Ocarinas,” Pottery Making Illustrated (November/December 2024).

Susan Goldstine, Elizabeth Paley, and Henry Segerman, “Ars Mathemalchemica: From Math to Art and Back Again,” Notices of the American Mathematical Society 69/7 (August 2022).

“Round Peg, Square Hole: Designing Clay Critters for Mathemalchemy,” Mathemalchemy Chronicles 25 May 2021.

“Light and Shadow,” Pottery Making Illustrated (November/ December 2021).

“Raiding the Kitchen,” Pottery Making Illustrated (July/August 2021).

PROCEEDINGS

“Thinking like a Pianist/Mathematician/Potter-Designer: Strategies for Tuning Ocarinas.” Proceedings of Bridges 2015: Mathematics, Music, Art, Architecture, Culture (2015), 559–562.

PUBLISHED IMAGES

Cover photo, The Sun Magazine, September 2026

American Mathematical Society, 2024 Calendar of Mathematical Imagery (“Ada and Évariste on the Beach,” 2023 JMM Art Exhibition)

Pottery Making Illustrated, “Pattern Play,” September/October 2023

American Mathematical Society, 2020 Calendar of Mathematical Imagery, cover image and October (“DT/MSH Klein Bottle,” 2019 JMM Art Exhibition)

Ceramics Monthly, “Exposure” (Charlie Cummings Gallery Cup: The Intimate Object), November 2017

500 Teapots Volume 2, Lark Books, 2013

500 Vases, Lark Books, 2010

2019 Joint Mathematics Meetings Exhibition of Mathematical Art, 2019

Bridges 2015 Art Exhibition Catalog, 2015

Bridges 2012 Art Exhibition Catalog, 2012

SERVICE

Planning Committee, Durham Pottery Tour, November 2016-2025

Claymakers Arts Community Inc., Durham, NC:

– Board Member, 2019-2022

– Past-President, 2015

– President, Founding Board, 2011-2014; assisted with reorganization of Claymakers into 501(c)(3) nonprofit