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About

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Born in Detroit, MI

Lives & works in Lafayette, LA

 

John Gargano is a ceramic artist and professor in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He has consistently exhibited his work at museums and galleries for over 31 years and received awards, grants and multiple Artist Fellowships in Ohio and Louisiana. Primarily a ceramics sculptor, John engages in atmospheric firing processes, particularly wood, soda and reduction cooling techniques with his pottery. Professor Gargano earned a B.F.A. with Honors from The Center for Creative Studies in 1992 and an M.F.A. From The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.  

 

In 2021 Mr. Gargano’s ceramic sculpture was juried into the Korean International Ceramic Biennale 2021 at the Gyeonggi Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art(G-MoCCA),  Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. John has participated in an international residency at The Historic Medalta Potteries in Medicine Hat, Alberta in 2015 and at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, New Castle, Maine in 2011. He has given numerous Workshops/Lectures at regional universities and at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, Hartwick College in Onenonta, New York and The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. John spends his free time playing music with his band, Cones of Uncertainty, and is often surfing or riding motocross bikes.

CV abbreviated

 

Education

1995-97 MFA, Magna cum laude, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 

1989-92 BFA with Honors, Center for Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan 

Grants & Awards 

2021 Honorable Mention, Korean International Ceramic Biennale 2021, Gyeonggi Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Korea Ceramic Foundation,       

         Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Rep.of Korea 

2020 Second Prize, 10th Annual Clay International Juried Exhibition, Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton, VA 

2017 Honorable Mention Award, Craft Forms 2017, 23rd International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Craft, Wayne Art Center, Wayne PA

2015 LEDA and Acadiana Center for the Arts ArtSpark Artist Stipend 

         Louisiana Division of the Arts Artist Career Advancement Grant

2014 First Prize, 4th Biennial Central Time Ceramics, Bradley University Galleries, Peoria, IL

 

Exhibitions

International

 

 

2023 Off Center: An International Ceramic Competition, Blue Line Arts, Roseville, CA, Juried

2021 Korean International Ceramic Biennale 2021, Gyeonggi Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art(G-MoCCA), Korea Ceramic Foundation, Icheon-si,   

         Gyeonggi- do, Rep.of Korea 

         Materials: Hard + Soft International Contemporary Craft Competition and Exhibition, Patterson-Appleton Arts Center, Denton, TX, Juried

         Off Center: An International Ceramics Competition, Blue Line Arts, Roseville, CA, Juried

 

2020 10th Annual Clay International Juried Exhibition, Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton, VA 

 

2019 Off Center: 3rd Annual International Ceramic Art Show, Blue Line Arts, Roseville, CA, Juried 

         Materials: Hard + Soft International Contemporary Craft Competition and Exhibition, Patterson-Appleton Arts Center, Denton, TX, Juried 

 

2017 Craft Forms 2017, 23rd International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Craft, Wayne Art Center, Wayne PA 

         7th Annual Workhouse Clay International, Lorton, VA, Juried 

         Ceramic Innovations, International Juried Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne PA 

         Off Center, An International Ceramic Art Competition, Blue Line Arts, Roseville, CA 

 

2015 America's Clayfest III, Blue Line Arts, Roseville, CA, Juried 

National

 

2024 Southern Miss Ceramics National, University of Southern Mississippi Museum of Art, Hattiesburg, MS, Juried

         Lush 3: Contemporary Ceramics Biennale Exhibition, Lighthouse Arts Center, Tequesta, FL, Juried

 

2023 Shapes of Influence, Springfield Art Association, Springfield, IL, Juried

 

2022 Lush 2: A Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition, Lighthouse Arts Center, Tequesta, FL, Juried 

 

2020 7th Central Time Ceramics, Bradley University Galleries, Peoria, IL, Juried 

         23rd San Angelo National Ceramic Competition, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX, Juried 

 

2019 Sculpture National, Clay Center of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, Juried 

 

2018 Shapes of Influence Biennial Ceramics Exhibition, Springfield Art Association, Springfield, IL, Juried 

         22nd San Angelo National Ceramic Competition, Juror Peter Held, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX, Juried 

 

2017 Intersection from Highway 90, Gadsden Museum of Art, Gadsden, AL, Invitational 

         Off the Table: Clay for the Wall National Ceramics Exhibition 2017, Missouri Western State University, Potter Fine Arts Gallery, Saint Joseph, MO, Juried 

 

2016 Jagged Fragments-Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture, Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, Biloxi, MS, Invitational

         5th Biennial Central Time Ceramics, Bradley University Galleries, Peoria, IL, Juried 

 

2015 Group Dynamic, New Bedford Museum of Art, New Bedford, MA, Invitational 

 

2014 4th Biennial Central Time Ceramics, Bradley University Galleries, Peoria, IL 

 

2013 Fall Into Art, Next Step Studio & Gallery, Ferndale, Michigan 

         Bodies, Bombs & Fragments, NCECA Conference CIE, Houston, TX 

 

Regional

2024 Ceramics Now, Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, LA 

 

2022 Art of the Cup 2022, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA, Juried Invitational 

 

2019 Louisiana Contemporary, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA, Juried 

         Branching Out, Roundhouse Gallery, Jacksonville State University, in conjunction with Alabama Clay Conference 2019, Invitational 

         Faculty Miniatures, Hilliard Art Museum, University of Louisiana Lafayette, LA 

 

2018 Celebrating American Craft – Southern Style, Sarratt Gallery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, Juried 

         Clay: A Southern Census, Clay Center of New Orleans, LA, Juried 

 

2017 One Work, One Text, Fletcher Hall Gallery, University of Louisiana at Lafayette 

 

2016 Art of the Cup and Teapot, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA, Invitational 

         Louisiana Contemporary, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA, Juried 

 

2015 Selections from UL College of the Arts Faculty, Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum, Lafayette, LA 

         Clay Heads of Louisiana Higher Education, Ameen Art Gallery, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA 

 

2014 Hand Crafted Treasures from the Louisiana Crafts Guild, Wedell-Williams and Cypress Sawmill Museum, Patterson, LA 

         Art of the Cup 2014, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA, Invitational 

2013 Louisiana Contemporary, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA, Juried 

         University of Dallas Regional Ceramic Juried Competition, Dallas, TX, Juried

Solo

2024    Denver to Tengai, Solo Exhibition, River Campus Expansion Gallery, Southeastern Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO

2021 John Gargano: Le Détroit In Dust Ree, Hilliard Art Museum, UL Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 

 

2016 From the Hat, Solo Exhibition, Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, LA 

 

2012 Armamenta, Solo Exhibition, Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, LA 

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