MCGOWAN, ALLISON
NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH CAROLINA
I create my clay pieces through the combination of Nature, Art Nouveau Architecture, and Sewing. I find the tactile quality of the patterns on the porcelain sensuous, and unrestrained by the material. I am able to tailor my forms to maximize the volume while keeping their structure relatively simple. I want my pieces to be handled used and enjoyed. My desire is not only to create a form which pleases the eye, but one that incorporates the elements of volume, texture, and structure to please the hand, the mouth, and the table.
BIOGRAPHY
Allison is a studio ceramist in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. She received her MFA from NYSCC at Alfred University. She was a resident artist at The Philadelphia Clay Studio, a Sage Scholar at the Archie Bray Foundation, and taught a spring concentration at Penland School of Crafts. She has presented lectures and workshops to communities such as Bowling Green University, The Clay Art Center, and Illinois State University. Allison has shown nationally in various solo and group exhibitions such as, Santa Fe Clay; Worcester Center for Crafts; Northern Clay Center; Harvey/Meadows gallery and the Artstream, a nomadic gallery.
EXHIBITIONS
“Generations: Impending Lineage”, The Art and Industry Gallery, 2003 NCECA, San Diego, California.
“Dinner is Served”, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA.
2002 “CUP: The Intimate Object”, juror Dick Lehman, Charlie Cummings Clay Studio, Ft. Wayne, IN.
“4 Potters”, Eastern Kentucky University: Giles Gallery, invited by Julia Galloway,
Richmond, KY.
“Mastery in Clay: New Works”, Auction Benefit, The Philadelphia Clay Studio, PA.
“Exhibicion Internacional de Ceramica: Un Mundo de Barro”, Galaria de la Escuela de Artes Plasticas Viejo San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Philadelphia Clay Studio Residents Show”, Wheaton Village, NJ.
“Chester Springs Faculty Exhibition”, Chester Springs Studio, PA.
“Summer Residence Show”, Warehouse Gallery, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT.
“Tenth Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National”, Market House Craft Center juror Jack Troy, Lancaster, PA.
“The Clay Studio, Associate and Resident Artists”, La Galeria de Arte Universidad de
Puerto Rico,
SOLO “In the Niche”, TCS, Philadelphia, PA.
“The MFA Gloryhole Collection: Selections from the Last Ten Years”, Schein-Joseph
International Museum of Ceramic Art, NYSCC, Alfred University, NY.
2001 “Craft Forms 2001”, Juror, Michael W. Monroe, Wayne Arts Center, Wayne, PA.
“Le Grand Buffet.” TCS. Philadelphia, PA.
“Transitions”, TCS, (2nd Floor Gallery), Philadelphia, PA.
MFA Thesis Exhibition, Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred, NY.
“2001: American Craft Odyssey Student Competition”, chosen by Alfred faculty to represent Alfred’s MFA program, James Renwick Alliance, Arlington, VA.
“Porcelain 2001", juror Kent Swanson at Esmay Art Gallery, Rochester, NY.
2000 “MFA at Alfred”, St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, NY.
“Student Show” Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred, NY.
Whitewares Research Center Conference, Alfred University, Alfred, NY.
1999 “19th Annual July 4th Exhibition, juror Leah Leitson, Franklin Square Gallery, Southport, NC.
“10th Annual California Clay Competition”, juror John Toki, The Artery, Davis, CA.
“Emerging From the Bay”, Hiersoux Gallery, Berkeley, CA.
1998 “New Pots”, TRAX Gallery, Berkeley, CA.
“Grand Opening Show”, Gwinnett Council for the Arts Gallery, Gwinnett, GA.
1997 “Eight on Haight”, Soft Touch Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
1995 “Senior Show”, Cary Street Gallery, Richmond, VA.
AWARDS
2004 Kiln God Scholarship, Watershed Center For the Ceramic Arts, Newcastle, ME.
2003 “Eleventh Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National”, Market House Craft Center Award for Innovation, awarded by juror Wayne Higby.
2002 Bill and Stirling Sage Scholarship, The Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT.
AWARDS ( cont.)
Juror’s Choice Award, juror Jack Troy, Strictly Functional, Market House Craft Center, Lancaster, PA.
2001 Third in Show, juror Kent Swanson, Esmay Gallery, “Porcelain 2001", Rochester, NY.
1999 First in Show, juror Leah Leitson, Franklin Square Gallery, “Southport’s July 4th National Show”, Southport, NC.
Jurors Award, juror John Toki, The Artery, “California Clay Competition”, Davis, CA.
1995 Alice Cabell Horsley Parker Scholarship, awarded to a junior ceramic student for excellence in ceramics. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
PUBLICATIONS
2004 Ceramics Monthly, Utilitarian lay IV: Celebrate the Object, December 2004, Volume 52, Number 10
Philadelphia Style Magazine, “She’s Crafty”, page 70.
Studio Potter, June 2004, Volume 32 Number 2, page 38.
2002 Kerameiki Techni, The New Generation of Ceramic Artists, volume 41.
Clay Times, “Strictly Functional Pottery National 2002” article, volume 8, no.5.
Clay Times, “Craft 2002” article, May/June volume 8, no.3.
The Independent Record, Helena, MT, Friday June 21, 2002.
2001 Main Line Journal, Wayne, PA, November 28, 2001
1999 Clay Times, Gallery, March/April volume 5, no.2.
COLLECTIONS
Akio Takamori, Seattle, WA.
Alfred University President’s Collection, Alfred, N Y.
Alfred University Glory Hole Collection, Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art, NYSCC, Alfred, NY.
Archie Bray Foundation Collection, Helena, MT.
Kate Braverman, Alfred, N Y.
Gail Brown, Philadelphia, PA.
Dr. William Carty, Alfred, N Y.
John and Andrea Gill, Alfred, N Y.
Philip and Margaret Klodoner, Gladwyn, PA.
L&L Kiln Mfg. Inc, Boothwyn, PA.
Bob Pfannebecker, Lancaster, PA.
Mark Pharis, Minneapolis, MN.
Evelyn Sage, Cheney, WA.
Stanley Shapiro and Bunny Glick, Philadelphia, PA
Sandy Simon and Bob Brady, Berkeley, CA
Judith Schwartz, New York, NY.
BIOGRAPHY
Allison is a studio ceramist in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. She received her MFA from NYSCC at Alfred University. She was a resident artist at The Philadelphia Clay Studio, a Sage Scholar at the Archie Bray Foundation, and taught a spring concentration at Penland School of Crafts. She has presented lectures and workshops to communities such as Bowling Green University, The Clay Art Center, and Illinois State University. Allison has shown nationally in various solo and group exhibitions such as, Santa Fe Clay; Worcester Center for Crafts; Northern Clay Center; Harvey/Meadows gallery and the Artstream, a nomadic gallery.
EXHIBITIONS
“Generations: Impending Lineage”, The Art and Industry Gallery, 2003 NCECA, San Diego, California.
“Dinner is Served”, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA.
2002 “CUP: The Intimate Object”, juror Dick Lehman, Charlie Cummings Clay Studio, Ft. Wayne, IN.
“4 Potters”, Eastern Kentucky University: Giles Gallery, invited by Julia Galloway,
Richmond, KY.
“Mastery in Clay: New Works”, Auction Benefit, The Philadelphia Clay Studio, PA.
“Exhibicion Internacional de Ceramica: Un Mundo de Barro”, Galaria de la Escuela de Artes Plasticas Viejo San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Philadelphia Clay Studio Residents Show”, Wheaton Village, NJ.
“Chester Springs Faculty Exhibition”, Chester Springs Studio, PA.
“Summer Residence Show”, Warehouse Gallery, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT.
“Tenth Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National”, Market House Craft Center juror Jack Troy, Lancaster, PA.
“The Clay Studio, Associate and Resident Artists”, La Galeria de Arte Universidad de
Puerto Rico,
SOLO “In the Niche”, TCS, Philadelphia, PA.
“The MFA Gloryhole Collection: Selections from the Last Ten Years”, Schein-Joseph
International Museum of Ceramic Art, NYSCC, Alfred University, NY.
2001 “Craft Forms 2001”, Juror, Michael W. Monroe, Wayne Arts Center, Wayne, PA.
“Le Grand Buffet.” TCS. Philadelphia, PA.
“Transitions”, TCS, (2nd Floor Gallery), Philadelphia, PA.
MFA Thesis Exhibition, Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred, NY.
“2001: American Craft Odyssey Student Competition”, chosen by Alfred faculty to represent Alfred’s MFA program, James Renwick Alliance, Arlington, VA.
“Porcelain 2001", juror Kent Swanson at Esmay Art Gallery, Rochester, NY.
2000 “MFA at Alfred”, St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, NY.
“Student Show” Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred, NY.
Whitewares Research Center Conference, Alfred University, Alfred, NY.
1999 “19th Annual July 4th Exhibition, juror Leah Leitson, Franklin Square Gallery, Southport, NC.
“10th Annual California Clay Competition”, juror John Toki, The Artery, Davis, CA.
“Emerging From the Bay”, Hiersoux Gallery, Berkeley, CA.
1998 “New Pots”, TRAX Gallery, Berkeley, CA.
“Grand Opening Show”, Gwinnett Council for the Arts Gallery, Gwinnett, GA.
1997 “Eight on Haight”, Soft Touch Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
1995 “Senior Show”, Cary Street Gallery, Richmond, VA.
AWARDS
2004 Kiln God Scholarship, Watershed Center For the Ceramic Arts, Newcastle, ME.
2003 “Eleventh Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National”, Market House Craft Center Award for Innovation, awarded by juror Wayne Higby.
2002 Bill and Stirling Sage Scholarship, The Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT.
AWARDS ( cont.)
Juror’s Choice Award, juror Jack Troy, Strictly Functional, Market House Craft Center, Lancaster, PA.
2001 Third in Show, juror Kent Swanson, Esmay Gallery, “Porcelain 2001", Rochester, NY.
1999 First in Show, juror Leah Leitson, Franklin Square Gallery, “Southport’s July 4th National Show”, Southport, NC.
Jurors Award, juror John Toki, The Artery, “California Clay Competition”, Davis, CA.
1995 Alice Cabell Horsley Parker Scholarship, awarded to a junior ceramic student for excellence in ceramics. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
PUBLICATIONS
2004 Ceramics Monthly, Utilitarian lay IV: Celebrate the Object, December 2004, Volume 52, Number 10
Philadelphia Style Magazine, “She’s Crafty”, page 70.
Studio Potter, June 2004, Volume 32 Number 2, page 38.
2002 Kerameiki Techni, The New Generation of Ceramic Artists, volume 41.
Clay Times, “Strictly Functional Pottery National 2002” article, volume 8, no.5.
Clay Times, “Craft 2002” article, May/June volume 8, no.3.
The Independent Record, Helena, MT, Friday June 21, 2002.
2001 Main Line Journal, Wayne, PA, November 28, 2001
1999 Clay Times, Gallery, March/April volume 5, no.2.
COLLECTIONS
Akio Takamori, Seattle, WA.
Alfred University President’s Collection, Alfred, N Y.
Alfred University Glory Hole Collection, Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art, NYSCC, Alfred, NY.
Archie Bray Foundation Collection, Helena, MT.
Kate Braverman, Alfred, N Y.
Gail Brown, Philadelphia, PA.
Dr. William Carty, Alfred, N Y.
John and Andrea Gill, Alfred, N Y.
Philip and Margaret Klodoner, Gladwyn, PA.
L&L Kiln Mfg. Inc, Boothwyn, PA.
Bob Pfannebecker, Lancaster, PA.
Mark Pharis, Minneapolis, MN.
Evelyn Sage, Cheney, WA.
Stanley Shapiro and Bunny Glick, Philadelphia, PA
Sandy Simon and Bob Brady, Berkeley, CA
Judith Schwartz, New York, NY.
