CONTACT: maurawrightstudio@gmail.com
EDUCATION
2018: Master of Fine Arts, New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, NY
2013: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Concentrations in Ceramics and Art History, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
SOLO & TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2023: Midwest Sweat (solo), Jane Hartsook Gallery, Greenwich House, New York, NY
2022: Overabundance (two person) Northcutt Steele Gallery, Montana State University, Billings, MT
2021: Afterimage (solo), Theorii Contemporary, Great Falls, MT
Maura Wright for the Tiny Pedestal Project (solo), Dream Clinic Project Space, Columbus, OH
2018: Not Another Muse (solo), Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, NY
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024: Bill and Jack and Other Friends, Alfred Ceramic Art Museum, Alfred, NY
Fellowship Artists Exhibition, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT
2023: Design Miami, AGO Projects, Miami, FL
Bray Resident Artists, Kolva-Sullivan Gallery, Spokane, WA
Summer Exhibition, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT
NCECA, Trish Martindell Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2022: Lit, Placed Projects at SAV/Medium Gallery, Bozeman, MT
GARDEN, LADIES’ ROOM, Los Angeles, CA
Cornucopia, Artstream Nomadic Gallery, Carbondale, CO
Bray Resident Artists, Kolva-Sullivan Gallery, Spokane, WA
Where You From?, Placed Projects, Tinworks Art, Bozeman, MT
2020: Sun Seeds, Theorii Contemporary, Great Falls, MT
Bray Days, Robert and Gennie DeWeese Gallery, Bozeman, MT
2019: Northwest ClayFest, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA
Teapot Invitational, Morgan Contemporary, Pittsburgh, PA
AMACO Thinking Outside the Jar: 100 Artists, 100 Years, Omni Hotel, Minneapolis, MN
2018: US Emerging Voices in Clay, District Clay Center, Washington D.C.
Small Scale Bake Shale, NCECA, Pittsburgh, PA
Expatriate Ceramics, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN
2017: 2016 Archie Bray Resident Artists, NCECA 2017, Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR
2016: Summer Invitational, Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO
Better Together, Belger Craneyard Gallery, Kansas City, MO
Alumni Gathering, Belger Craneyard Gallery, Kansas City, MO
Red Star Studios Resident Exhibition, Columbia College, MO
2015: Here & Now, Belger Craneyard Gallery, Kansas City, MO
Red Star Studios Resident Exhibition, Lightwell Gallery, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
2013: World Cup, Apple House Gallery, Guldagergaard, International Ceramic Research Center, Skaelskor, Denmark
HOTBOX Senior Thesis Exhibition, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
2013 Annual BFA Show, H&R Block Artspace, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
2012: 7th International Exhib. of Small Forms Porcelain, The Riga Porcelain Museum, Riga, Latvia
Flux, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
EXPO #82, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2018 - 2022: Gallery Program Manager, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT
- Oversaw the sales gallery, exhibitions program, annual benefit auction, and permanent collection at the Archie Bray Foundation. These programs required: maintaining artist and client correspondence; packing, shipping, photography, and installation of artworks; curation of artworks and artists for sales gallery, exhibition, and auction programs.
2022: Instructor, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT
- Instructor for an eight week, continuing education class for adults focused on the handbuilt vessel.
2018: Teaching Assistant for Linda Sormin & Dawn Franklin, Ox-Bow School of Art, Saugatuck, MI
-Assisted a two week intensive ceramics class, “Shaping the View”, focused on the study of the architectural folly. Students worked independently and collaboratively to create site specific narrative structures in clay.
2018: Teaching Assistant for Kelcy Chase Folsom, NYSCC at Alfred University, Alfred, NY
-Instructed a Freshman level, ceramics handbuilding course within the Foundations program of the School of Art & Design.
2017: Teaching Assistant for Linda Sormin, NYSCC at Alfred University, Alfred, NY
-Instructed a Sophomore level, Introduction to Handbuilding class in the School of Art & Design, focused on developing basic sculptural building methods using clay. Utilizing coil-building, slab construction, solid building, and extrusions, students learned to create multi-dimensional ceramic sculpture through varied forms and inspirations found in both historical and contemporary ceramic art while also learning the fundamental technical skills required to work in ceramics: loading and firing kilns, clay and glaze mixing.
2017: Teaching Assistant for Kelcy Chase Folsom, NYSCC at Alfred University, Alfred, NY
-Instructed a Junior level class in the School of Art & Design, focused on using literature as a source of inspiration in the making of sculptural works using clay and other materials.
2013-2016: Gallery Assistant, Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO
-Assisted with daily gallery needs including: writing press releases, design of promotional materials, HTML web coding, correspondence with artists and clients, packing, shipping and the installation of artwork.
2011-2016: Assistant to Professor (Emeritus as of 2015) George Timock, Kansas City, MO
-Assisted with itemized budgeting, correspondence with the International Ceramics Studio, and the production of promotional materials for the 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015 Kansas City Art Institute Study Abroad trips to Kecskemet, Hungary.
-Artist assistant including, design of personal promotional materials, web design, secretarial tasks, etc.
2015-2016: Instructor, Red Star Studios, Kansas City, MO
-Beginning wheel throwing for adults.
2014-2015: Instructor, School for Continuing and Professional Studies, Kansas City Art Institute, MO
-Drawing, sculpture, and painting instructor for children ages 6-8. Students explored a variety of tools and materials that allowed them to develop basic observational, constructing, sculpting, and compositional skills.
-Adult and high school ceramics instructor - introduction to handbuilding.
2011-2012: Intern to Dr. Catherine Futter, Uhlmann Senior Curator, Architecture, Design and Decorative Arts at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO
-Assisted in the research and writing of exhibition labels for Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs, 1851–1939, an exhibition at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
-Researched the work of Belgium artist, Ives Maes, in preparation for the installation of his work, The Future of Yesterday: Photographs of Architectural Remains of World’s Fairs at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
RESIDENCIES
2022-2024: Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT
2019: Red Lodge Clay Center, Red Lodge, MT
2016: Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT
2014-2016: Red Star Studios, Kansas City, MO
2013: Project Network Symposium, Guldagergaard- The International Ceramic Research Center, Skaelskor, Denmark
2012: International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemet, Hungary
2011: International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemet, Hungary
AWARDS & HONORS
2023: Quigley-Hiltner Fellowship, Archie Bray Foundation
Rudy Autio Grant, Archie Bray Foundation
2022: Lillian Fellowship, Archie Bray Foundation
2022: Strategic Investment Grant, Montana Arts Council
2021: Montana Arts Council Grant
2016-2018: Graduate Fellowship, NYSCC at Alfred University, NY
2013: Regina Brown Undergraduate Student Fellowship, NCECA
McKeown Special Project, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
2009-2013: Trustee’s Scholarship Recipient, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
VISITING ARTIST LECTURES
2023: Greenwich House Pottery, New York, NY
2020: New York University, New York, NY
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
2018: Alfred Ceramic Art Museum, Alfred, NY
2013: Collection of Contemporary Ceramic Art, The Riga Porcelain Museum, Latvia
PUBLICATIONS
2024: One to Watch: Artist Maura Wright sifts through the history of ceramics to upend conventions of bygone eras, Architectural Digest, February 2024
2023: Emerging art and reflection at Art Basel Miami Beach 2023, Vogue Mexico, December 2023
These are the best things we saw at the Miami Fairs this year, Dwell Magazine, December 2023
Discoveries, Sight Unseen, April 17, 2023 Newsletter
2014: 500 Figures in Clay, Volume 2, Lark Crafts, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
2013: Undergraduate Showcase, Ceramics Monthly, September 2013