SARA SWINK
I make human and animal forms with a psychological stance, using form, surface, color and facial expression to investigate the imaginal realm of dreams, fantasies and feeling states. The receptivity of clay invites this kind of inner exploration and is the perfect medium to explore the human longing for symbolic understanding and personal regeneration. Most often I coil-build using a gritty, sculpture clay, adding color with layered oxides, underglazes and glazes, and fire to mid-range temperature.
Selected Shows & Awards
Oregon Potters Association Ceramic Showcase 2009, Best of Show New Members Award for Nest in Gallery exhibit
Progeny solo exhibit, Beet Gallery, Portland, March 2009
Museum of Contemporary Crafts Community Showcase, Portland, March 2009, March 2008
Solus (Alone) solo exhibit, Buckley Art Center, January 2009
Little Things 8 Group Show, Guardino Gallery, Portland, November - December, 2007
Dia de los Muertos, Guardino Gallery group show, October - November 2008
Onda Gallery group sculpture show, October 2008
Art for Change fundraiser for Pocket Change at Art Institute of Portland, group show, September 2008
Skylight Gallery, Clackamas County Artists for Art in Public Spaces, July - October 2008
Lake Oswego Chronicle Invitational, June 2008, group show
Mirth, 3-person show, Walters Cultural Center, Hillsboro, June 2008
Little Things 7 Group Show, Guardino Gallery, Portland, November - December, 2007
Pacific Northwest Sculptors juried group show at Gottlieb Gallery, November 2007
Featured Window Artist in Guardino Gallery, Portland, September - October 2007 show
Artists Repertory Theatre, group show, September - October 2007
Pacific Northwest Sculptors group show at Art in the Pearl, September 2007
Featured Artist in 2-person show at Guardino Gallery, Portland, May - June, 2007
Oregon Potters Association Ceramic Showcase 2007, Runner Up for Late in Gallery exhibit
Award of Merit for House of Blues in For the Birds exhibit benefitting Habitat for Humanity
Buckman Show & Sell, Portland, March 2007, group show and sale
Beaverton Showcase, February 2007, two entries in juried show; Awarded First Place, Sculpture
Exhibiting Artist, Portland Open Studios, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Little Things 6 Group Show, Guardino Gallery, Portland, November - December, 2006
CLAY (re)Emerge 2005, July - August 2005 juried show at Red Ink Gallery, San Francisco; Outstanding Mention Award for Juju Box
California Clay Competition, April - May 2005 juried show at The Artery in Davis, CA
CCACA/Bay Area Figurative Sculptors, April - May 2004, ClayBodies group show in Davis, CA
Maxtor Corporation (Milpitas, CA), August - October 2003 and November - December 2003, group shows
Visions in Clay 2003 juried show at University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA; 2003
Orchard Valley Ceramics Arts Guild Show at Hakone Gardens, Saratoga, CA, juried exhibit, 2003
Phantom Galleries group exhibit, Kaleidoscope in Clay, San Jose, 2002
San Jose Art League From Behind the Mask juried competition & exhibit, March - May 2002
Silicon Valley Open Studios 2001, 2002, 2003
Peninsula Open Studios 2001, 2002
Brainspace Art Studios, Fairfield, CA, 2001 Gallery Opening, two-person show
Galeria Tonantzin, San Juan Bautista, CA, The Canyon Arts Guild Spring Show 2000, group show
Teaching Experience
- Clay Circle Studio, West Linn: 2-day Creative Process Workshop (January 2009, July 2008, January 2008, January 2007), and ongoing studio classes focused on process-oriented ceramics (Sept 2006 to present)
- Instructor, Portland Community College Community Education, Creative Jumpstart, Jan. - Feb. 2007
- Workshops in my California studio 2000 - 2006: Collage/Visioning workshop; Creative Process
- Workshop; Cone 5 - 6 Glazing Workshop, Developing Personal Narrative in Clay; Ongoing weekly studio classes focused on process-oriented ceramics
- Workshop Leader, Orchard Valley Ceramics Arts Guild Clay Carnival, January 2006: Two segments of Creative Process: Improvisation for Life
- Teaching Assistant, UC Santa Cruz Extension, Summer 2005: Art & Spirit, Clay as a Way; Summer 2004: Clay as a Way, Summer 2003: Clay as a Way, Summer 2001: Art & Spirit, Clay as a Way
- Teaching Assistant, Foothill College Ceramics, Summer 2003
- Teacher, Palo Alto Art Center, 2001 - 2002: Artist's Vocabulary: A Creative Process Workshop
- Teacher, Orchard Valley Ceramics Arts Guild, February 2002: Creative Process Workshop
- Instructor, New College of California, Summer 2001, Fall 2001: Undergraduate Seminar: Exploring with Creative Process
- Teacher, Mendocino Art Center, Fall 2001: Creative Process Workshop
- Workshop Leader, Foothill College, Summer 2000: Exploring Creativity Workshop
Affiliations
- Member, Oregon Potters Association
- Member, Pacific Northwest Sculptors
- Representation
- Beet Gallery
- Guardino Gallery
- Hanson Howard Gallery
- Mary Lou Zeek Gallery
- 9th Street Gallery
- Oregon College of Art and Craft Retail Gallery
Education
San Francisco State University: graduate study in ceramics and art history, 2004 - 2005
San Jose State University: Two years Post-Baccalaureate study in Spatial Arts 2002 - 2004
In 2000, a Japan study trip included classes in ceramics, calligraphy and the art of tea
1997 - 2002 Foothill College, UC Santa Cruz Extension, and private classes in studio arts and art history
Art History Scholarship Award, Foothill College, June 2002
BA, Humanities with Art concentration, New College of California, August 2001; thesis "Understanding and Applying the Creative Process in Visual Arts"
Certificate in Graphic Design & Visual Communication, UC Santa Cruz Extension, 1994
1974 to 1977, University of California at Berkeley; major: Urban/Economic Geography