Compônere - Clinton L. Berry


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Works	Clinton L. Berry
Media	ceramics
Artist's Statement	My goal is to create forms that have both artistic and functional value. Using the fluid, dynamic medium of clay and the interaction between clay, fire, and glaze my work combines traditional forms with elements of sculpture and painting. I am particularly interested in the formal aspects of creating, in getting each piece to work aesthetically. Balance, gesture and rhythm all must function within the structure of the work. The best explanations I have of the things I make are the things themselves. But, enough of that, as Warren MacKenzie has said, "Let the pots speak."
Bio	The seventh of eight children Clinton was born in a car on the way to the closest hospital. Closest is relative when you grew up in the Missouri Ozarks on a farm that was almost thirty miles from the nearest town. After going to graduate school at Illinois State University; Clinton lived for nine years in New York City working in a gallery, studying and perusing a career as an artist. They say if you live in New York City for ten years you will never live anywhere else. Not willing to make that kind of a commitment, Clinton accepted a position with a Norwegian shipping company working for one of their passenger lines; Royal Viking. For the next six years the schedule was six months on the ships three months off three months at the corporate offices in Oslo Norway. During those six years Clinton visited every continent, most many times. He likes to say that if a country has a coast he has been there and because his duties included shore excursions he was fortunate to see the interior of most. Including crossing South America from Lima Peru to Machu Picchu, cross the Andes, down the Amazon, ending up touring Patagonia before flying from Buenos Aires with passengers back to Miami. Family obligations required some rethinking and after returning, yet again, to graduate school at the University of Missouri-Columbia for one more degree, Clinton accepted a position at the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 1996. After living and traveling all over the world Clinton is proud to call St. Louis his home. The city is close enough to the old farm he grew up on to spend weekends helping with cattle and hay while offering access to world class cultural institutions, beautiful neighborhoods with some amazing architecture and, most importantly some of the best restaurants anywhere and Clinton has vowed to try them all (some many times over and over).
Training	BFA, MA, MA, MA, MLIS
Clay Apprenticeship/ Studio Assistant	Margaret Simmons, Studio Potter, New York City 1979-1981 Jane Arnold, Studio Potter, New York City 1981-1987 Woody Hughes, Studio Potter, New York City 1987-1988 Peter's Valley Craft Community, Layton, N J Clay Studio Assistant 1985 Clay Studio Assistant 1986 Clay Studio Assistant 1986 Clay Studio Assistant Craft Alliance, St. Louis, Missouri Classes/Studio Access 1997
Gallery Representation	Compônere Gallery, St. Louis, MO 2000 - present Earthworks, New York, NY 1988 A Show of Hands, New York, NY 1988 Clinton also has gallery representation in Illinois and Kentucky.
Shows/Exhibitions	Workhouse Clay National 2011; Confinement. Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton Arts Foundation, Lorton, VA 2011 Contained Spaces; Functional Ceramics. Componere Gallery, St. Louis MO 2011 Drawing the Line: Utilitarian Pots. Fine arts Center Gallery, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 2011 Liquid Measure. Main Street Art Gallery, Edwardsville, IL 2010 Setting the Mood: The Artful Table. Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO 2010 From the Studio Compônere Gallery, St. Louis, MO A solo exhibition of functional work. 2009 Infusion 10 X 10, 11th Biennial Teapot Exhibition Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO. Fong Choo, Juror. “Bamboo Tea #2 with two tea bowls” Stoneware, soda fired, multiple glazes with brushwork. 2008 2008 International Orton Cone Box Show Jurors: John Neely, Bede Clark and Inge Balach 2008-2010 “Material Attraction: Diverse Reactions II”, an invitational ceramics exhibition. Jacoby Arts Center, Alton IL. 2007 15th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National Market House Craft Center, Lancaster PA and, Wane Art Center, Philadelphia PA. Juror: Malcolm Davis 2007 Muddy River Arts Group Show Main Street Gallery Edwardsville, IL. 2006 Traditions Compônere Gallery, St. Louis, MO, A solo exhibition of functional work. 2006 14th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National Market House Craft Center, Lancaster PA. Juror: Tom Coleman 2006 2006 International Orton Cone Box Show Jurors: Steven Hill, Don Reitz and Inge Balch 2006-2008 Current Works David and Jacqueline Charak Gallery at Craft Alliance, St. Louis MO. A solo exhibition of stoneware work. 2005 On the road again Componere Gallery, St. Louis, MO. A solo exhibition of functional stoneware work. 2004 Convergence Muddy River Arts Group Show. Bonsack Gallery, John Burroughs School, St. Louis, MO. 2004 Emerging Artists Works from the Studios (Group Show) Craft Alliance Gallery, St. Louis, MO. “Fish Jar” 2004 2004 International Orton Cone Box Show Jurors: Janet Mansfield, Phil Rogers and Inge Balach. 2004-2006 The Vessel - Art with Function Componere Gallery, St. Louis, MO. A solo exhibition of functional, soda fired, stoneware and porcelain work. 2003 2002 International Orton Cone Box Show Jurors: Willfredo Torres, Cuba, Mitsuro Shoji, Japan, Patti Warashina United States. 2002-2004
Publications	500 Vases: contemporary Explorations of a Timeless form. October 2010, Lark Books. 500 Animals in Clay: Contemporary Expressions of the Animal Form. November 2006, Lark Books.
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