John Balistreri
Encyclopedia
John Balistreri is an American ceramic
artist best known for his large scale sculptures. He is currently an associate Professor of Art and the head of the ceramic art program at Bowling Green State University
, Bowling Green, Ohio
, USA
.
, where his family grew cut flowers in greenhouses. He began to work with ceramics at Thornton High School
under Gail Matheson in 1978, graduating in 1980.
Balistreri earned an associate's degree in business from Colorado Mountain College
in 1982 and built a ceramic studio on his parents' property near Denver. He subsequently studied at Alfred University
with Wayne Higby
and at the Kansas City Art Institute
, where he earned BFA in 1986. Balistreri worked with Kirk Mangus at Kent State University
where he received his MFA in 1988.
. After graduate school, began to make large scale work that was wood-fired. He worked as a studio artist and occasionally taught ceramics at the University of Denver
and Front Range Community College. In 1996, he joined the faculty of Bowling Green University, where he remains today.
From 1998 to 2002, Balisteri worked with Peter Voulkos
, assisting in creating and firing his final sculptures. Later, Balistreri toured and studied ceramics in China, Japan and Korea.
In 2001 Balistreri began a body of work titled "Problems in Sailing" which includes airplane and boat forms. This body of work continued through his sabbatical in 2005, where he built large scale airplane forms at the Kaneko
Experimental Workspace in Omaha
, Nebraska
. His “Problems in Sailing” series continues today.
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
artist best known for his large scale sculptures. He is currently an associate Professor of Art and the head of the ceramic art program at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
, Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green is the county seat of Wood County in the U.S. state of Ohio. At the time of the 2010 census, the population of Bowling Green was 30,028. It is part of the Toledo, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bowling Green is the home of Bowling Green State University...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Early life and education
John Balistreri was raised in Thornton, ColoradoThornton, Colorado
The city of Thornton is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado and a suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thornton is northeast of the state's capital, Denver. The United States Census Bureau that the city population...
, where his family grew cut flowers in greenhouses. He began to work with ceramics at Thornton High School
Thornton High School (Colorado)
Thornton High School, in Thornton, Colorado, serves nearly 2,000 students with approximately 130 staff members.-History:Merritt Hutton Junior-Senior High School served the communities of Northglenn and Thornton until the early 1970s, when it was scaled back to a junior high program and high school...
under Gail Matheson in 1978, graduating in 1980.
Balistreri earned an associate's degree in business from Colorado Mountain College
Colorado Mountain College
Colorado Mountain College is a network of seven junior college campuses in western Colorado. Three of the campuses are residential campuses with student residence halls and cafeterias, and are located in Steamboat Springs, Leadville, Edwards and Glenwood Springs...
in 1982 and built a ceramic studio on his parents' property near Denver. He subsequently studied at Alfred University
Alfred University
Alfred University is a small, comprehensive university in the Village of Alfred in Western New York, USA, an hour and a half south of Rochester and two hours southeast of Buffalo. Alfred has an undergraduate population of around 2,000, and approximately 300 graduate students...
with Wayne Higby
Wayne Higby
D. Wayne Higby is an American artist working in ceramics.Born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Higby received a B.F.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder, in 1966, and anM.F.A. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1968...
and at the Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City Art Institute
The Kansas City Art Institute is a private, independent, four-year college of fine arts and design founded in 1885 in Kansas City, Missouri....
, where he earned BFA in 1986. Balistreri worked with Kirk Mangus at Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
where he received his MFA in 1988.
Career
During the summer of 1987, he returned to his studio in Denver and built a large Anagama kilnAnagama kiln
thumb|250px|right|Anagama kiln 1 Door about wide2 Firebox3 Stacking floor made of silica sand4 Dampers5 Flue6 Chimney7 Refractory archThe anagama kiln is an ancient type of pottery kiln brought to Japan from China via Korea in the 5th century.An anagama consists of a firing chamber with a...
. After graduate school, began to make large scale work that was wood-fired. He worked as a studio artist and occasionally taught ceramics at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
and Front Range Community College. In 1996, he joined the faculty of Bowling Green University, where he remains today.
From 1998 to 2002, Balisteri worked with Peter Voulkos
Peter Voulkos
Peter Voulkos popular name of Panagiotis Voulkos, was an American artist of Greek descent. He is known for his Abstract Expressionist ceramic sculptures, which crossed the traditional divide between ceramic crafts and fine art....
, assisting in creating and firing his final sculptures. Later, Balistreri toured and studied ceramics in China, Japan and Korea.
In 2001 Balistreri began a body of work titled "Problems in Sailing" which includes airplane and boat forms. This body of work continued through his sabbatical in 2005, where he built large scale airplane forms at the Kaneko
Jun Kaneko
is a Japanese ceramic artist living in Omaha, Nebraska, in the United States. In 1942 he was born in Nagoya, Japan, where he studied painting during his high school years. He came to the United States in 1963 to continue those studies at Chouinard Institute of Art when his focus was drawn to...
Experimental Workspace in Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. His “Problems in Sailing” series continues today.