Artist: Aaron Becker

Aaron Becker, ILLINOIS
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When looking at my ceramic artworks I offer you a glimpse into my mental Space. Pairing wheel thrown domestic pots with sculptural elements about idealized interiors, I try to distort scale and and pull the viewer into the reality of an “imagined space”.

Primarily a potter, I often daydream about the domesticated pot, our current material culture and how we select objects to fill our spaces.

Thinking of our mental space like a web, my current ceramic work is to serve as a visual metaphor of my Mental space . I use the vessel to bring the viewer into my thought process around internal energy holding physical form and I place them next to sculptures of an imagined interior. (physical or metaphysical)

My hope is to build analogies between people, spaces and the objects we fill them with.

My current portfolio consists primarily of cups,vases and pouring pots that question the ideas of containment and challenges the concept of form for utility versus form for aesthetic design. The pots are created around the ideas of these vessels functioning in a domestic space and how relationships with these objects are changing. I am interested in the interpersonal relationships that people form with the objects around them in today's material culture. As
humans we tend to project our own experiences onto the objects we see and get to know, so I like to think I make pots for all people.

. . .

I chase ideas, I chase the parts of the process I enjoy the most. A potter in the studio can look like many things. For myself, I am like a dancer on the dance floor never satisfied with my current partner. Like a doe c doe at the hoedown, there are moving clay pieces everywhere. The pots I make are about ceramics and its rich history as much as they are about painting. I try to break all the rules and do everything your not supposed to while letting the spirit of functional pottery live on.

EDUCATION:
June 2016 University of Minnesota, Bachelor of Fine Arts: Ceramics
June 2014 Anoka Ramsey Community College, Associates of Fine Arts: Ceramics

EXPERIENCE:
Resident Artist , September 2018 - Present
Lill Street Art Center, Chicago, Il
- Teaching up to five ceramic courses, to the adult ceramics community
- writing classroom curriculum
- maintaining a studio practice
- firing the studio kilns

Glaze Technician, May 2016 – 2018
North Prairie Tileworks, Minneapolis, MN
- Creatively and efficiently glazed numerous tiles to meet business and customer needs
- Delicately restored glaze colors to match custom tiles
- Consistently met strict deadlines to ensure complete customer satisfaction

Summer Ceramic Teacher, August 2016 – 2018
Central High School, St. Paul, MN
- Industriously teach students the art and skills of ceramics while connecting the lessons to real world situations
- Promote and advance art skills that challenge each individual learner through the use of differentiation
- Build strong, trusting relationships with students during class to help them succeed and grow
- Effectively oversee the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the program for a multi-age classroom consisting of 14 students

Summer Clay Camp Teacher, June 2014 –2018
Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN
- Engage students by using detailed lesson plans for camp sessions which entail wheel throwing, handbuilding, and student centered activities
- Successfully head all aspects of program planning implementation, within the guidelines of the philosophy of NCC’s Summer Camp program
- Easily adapted to teaching new classes weekly, ranging from 9-16 years of age

Assistant Ceramic Technician & Woodshop Attendant, August 2014 – June 2016
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- Effectively monitored the operation of ceramic, glaze, and woodshop studios
- Repaired and maintained studio equipment. Took initiative to repair equipment and notify supervisor of studio needs
- Cleaned and organized studio to impeccably maintain a safe and effective teaching and learning environment
- Positively supervised open studio hours, including work study and instructional assistants on duty

Assistant Ceramic Technician/Ceramic Tutor, January 2012 – June 2014
Anoka Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids, MN
- Actively chaired as an instructional resource by providing technical assistance and support to the academic program through gradual release
- Collaboratively maintained studio best practices with students and faculty
- Executed instruction by example in promoting a safe, professional, and nurturing learning environment for all faculty and students

Custodian, May 2013 - September 2013
University Elementary School, Blaine, MN
- Cleaned floors, sinks, bathrooms, and display surfaces on a regular schedule
- Removed classroom and office garbage on a daily basis
- Facilitated minor plumbing and electrical repairs

Studio Assistant with Steven Rolf, 2013-2014
River Falls, Wisconsin
- Packed and shipped work
- Mixed glazes and reclaimed clay
- Learned how to create patterns for multiple piece molds
- Loaded and unloaded the kiln

SELECTED GROUP SHOWS:
(2019) “In residence” A group resident exhibition at Lill street Art Gallery, Chicago, Il
(2019) “ In house” A group exhibition of in house works at Lill street Art Gallery, Chicago, Il
(2019) “Drip” A juried group show at The Morean Center for Clay, St.Petersburg, Florida
(2018) Art house group show, Art house gallery, River Falls, Wisconsin
(2016) “Manual Transmission” A group show At the Red Garage gallery, Minneapolis , MN
(2016) Bachelor in Fine Arts Group show at the University of Minnesota (Nash Gallery)
(2015) Anoka Ramsey Community College Alumni Show
(2015) Apprentice line exhibition at the annual NCECA conference held in Providence, Rhode
Island, curated by Mark Shapiro and coordinated by Steve Theberge
(2015) Group scholarship show at the University of Minnesota
(2014) 8th Annual All-For-Art Juried student Exhibition, Anoka Ramsey Community College
(2013) Associates in Fine Arts, end of the year exhibition
(2013) 7th Annual All-For-Art Juried student Exhibition, Anoka Ramsey Community College
(2012) 6th Annual All-For-Art Juried student Exhibition, Anoka Ramsey Community College

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
(2019) Solo exhibition at Lill Street art Center , Chicago IL, “Hand Held” a ceramic exhibition
(2019) Solo exhibition at The Porch Gallery, Minneapolis Mn, “ Mental Spaces” Nceca 2019
(2013) Solo exhibition at Krista Artista, Anoka MN, Anoka Ramsey art student of the month

AWARDS:
(2019) PowderHorn Park Art Fair, Invitational Clay Award
(2015) Brown Mackenzie art scholarship, University of Minnesota
(2013) Perpetual Clay Scholarship for Anoka Ramsey Community College
(2013) People’s Choice Award at the 7th Annual All-For-Art Juried Student Exhibition, Anoka Ramsey Community College
(2012) Honorable Mention at the 6th Annual All-For-Art Juried student Exhibition, Anoka