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George McCauley

Biography to Display: 

1947 Born Savannah, Georgia

EDUCATION

1965 – 1966 Coursework in Architecture, Boston Architectural Center, Boston, Massachusetts

1968 Coursework in Fine Art, University of South Carolina Summer School of the Arts, Hilton Head, South Carolina

1970 BFA Ceramics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina

1971 Research in Salt Firing, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina

1978 MFA Ceramics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

APPRENCICESHIPS AND RESIDENCIES

1973 Artist in Residence Grant, National Endowment for the Arts

1974 Artist in Residence Grant, National Endowment for the Arts

1975 Artist in Residence Grant , National Endowment for the Arts, Craftsman in Residence, Easley High Schools, Easley, South Carolina

1993-1995 Artist in Residence, The Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana

1994 Artist in Residence, Capital High School, Helena, Montana

2000 Visiting Artist, The Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Alberta, Canada

2007 Visiting Artist, Zhugiagiao, China

2009 Visiting Artist, Woodfire Symposium, Estonian Ceramics Society, Kohila, Estonia

2009 Guest Artist, Oconee Cultural Arts Federation, Watkinsville, Georgia

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1969-1970 Director, Huntington Gallery, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina

1970-1973 Studio Potter, North Carolina

1973-1976 National Endowment for the Arts Grants, Visiting Artist, South Carolina

1976-1993 Studio Artist, Watkinsville, Georgia

1979-1981 Summer Ceramics Faculty, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

1993-Present Studio Potter, Helena, MT.

2001 Visiting Faculty, Ceramics Department, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho

2002 Recipient of the Roy Acuff Chair for Excellence in the Arts, Ceramics Faculty, Art Department, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, Tennessee

2007 Ceramics Faculty, Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, Tennessee

 BIOGRAPHY

George Metropoulos McCauley is primarily known for his signature “red neck majolica”, a wood-fired colorful functional pottery and sculpture. McCauley’s artistic practice also includes high temperature wood fired Japanese influenced wares. Interests in Asia, ritual, mysticism, folk art, and his Greek heritage influence his artistic practice.

McCauley identifies his approach to handling clay as casual and finds common ground with the Momoyama Period, Bizen and Iga Ware. Pots are typically decorated with a painterly approach using low fired decorative techniques characterized by non-literal floral designs developed by mixing/brushing color directly on the clay surface in addition to finger painting techniques. Along with his functional ware, McCauley makes narrative sculpture combining clay with wood, metal, and found objects.

He has made several films related to ceramics on potters and developments in the field of ceramics. A Wednesday Night Video Series titled "George’s House of Clay' rounds out his media endeavors, featuring insight into McCauley’s artistic practice – available on YouTube & Instagram.

McCauley developed an exchange program to bring Asian and American potters together to travel, work, and exhibit jointly.

Among the media exposure about McCauley and his work is Bridging the Pacific: a 2012 film by Nagamura Hisaaki, Director’s Work Films in Association with ASO TV in Kumamoto, Japan. The film details McCauley’s work and exhibitions in Japan. The link can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLmhaBezfAk.

Public Collections

Public Collections to Display: 

Ajo Museum of Asian Art, Seoul, Korea

Appalachian Center for Crafts, Smithville, Tennessee

Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana

Asuurkeraamika, Tallinn, Estonia

Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, Tennessee

City of Helena, Public Art Committee, Helena, Montana

Customs House Museum, Clarksville, Tennessee

Gunter Stamm Collection, Bonn, Germany

Holter Museum, Helena, Montana

Husqvarna Corporate Headquarters, Tallinn, Estonia

Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Kansas

Lewis and Clark Library, Helena, Montana

Macon Museum of the Arts and Sciences, Macon, Georgia

Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana

Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana

REM, Athens, Georgia

The Peter and Ann Voulkos Personal Collection, Oakland, California

The Shimada Museum, Kumamoto, Japan

Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Georgia

Shanghai Arts and Crafts Museum, Shanghai, China

University of Great Falls, Great Falls, Montana

University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho

University of Montana, Missoula, Montana

Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Alberta, Canada

Washington State University, Pullman, Washington

Oconee Cultural Arts Federation, Watkinsville, Georgia

Bibliography

Bibliography to Display: 

Held, Peter, “George McCauley.”  Ceramics Monthly (January 1997).

Hemachandra, Raymond. 500 Vases: Contemporary Explorations of a Timeless Form. New York, NY: Lark Crafts, 2010.

Henderson, Janet, “Neo Byzantine Redneck.” Ceramics: Art & Perception (September 2007).

Hunt, Bill. 21st Century Ceramics in the United States and Canada. Westerville, OH: The American Ceramic Society, 2003.

Newby, Rick, “A Folk Spirit: The Postmodern Punching Pots of George McCauley.” Ceramic Art & Perception (September 2000).

Peterson, Susan. Contemporary Ceramics. New York, NY: Watson-Guptill Publishing, 2000.

“Steeped in Clay.” Ceramics Monthly (March 1996).

Fina, Angela and Jonathan Fairbanks. The Best of Pottery. Beverly, MA: Quarry Books, 1996.

Gustin, Chris and Chris Staley. The Best of Pottery Volume 2. Beverly, MA: Quarry Books, 1998.

Tourtillott, Suzanne. 500 Platters, Plates, and Chargers: Innovative Expressions of Function and Style. New York, NY: Lark Crafts, 2008.

Turner, Anderson. Ceramic Sculpture: Inspiring Techniques. Westerville, OH: The American Ceramic Society, 2009.

Turner, Anderson. Glazes: Materials, Recipes and Techniques. Westerville, OH: The American Ceramic Society, 2004.

 

 

Website(s):

http://www.georgemccauley.com/

 

Typical Marks
Bowl
Materials: Earthenware
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Jar
Materials: Earthenware
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Basket
Materials: Earthenware
Method: Thrown and Altered
Surface Technique: Glaze
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Plate
Materials: Earthenware
Method: Slab-Built
Surface Technique: Glaze
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Still Life
Form: Sculpture
Materials: Mixed Media, Stoneware
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP

Citation: Kuratnick, Jeffrey. "The Marks Project." Last modified April 17, 2023. http://www.themarksproject.org/marks/mccauley