Josh DeWeese

1963 Born Bozeman, Montana

EDUCATION

1985 BFA Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri

1991 MFA  New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, New York

APPRENTICESHIPS AND RESIDENCIES

1985–1987 R.O.P. Program, Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino, California

1988 Resident Artist, Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1992–2006 Resident Artist Director, Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana

2007— Associate Professor of Ceramics, Ceramics Area Head, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana

BIOGRAPHY

Josh DeWeese is known for his wheel thrown and hand altered pottery. From smaller functional forms to large storage jars and baskets: DeWeese primarily fires his work in wood kilns and at times uses salt, soda, and local clays to enhance the finished surfaces.

DeWeese says about his process: “I have a passion for painting with ceramic materials on a three-dimensional form, and having the rhythm of the pattern unfold as it moves around the pot. I enjoy the phenomenon of the melt and the quality of color and depth that develops through the glaze. The loss of control is important, blurring the initial pattern made with the hand. The viscosity, depth, and movement of the glaze are important elements in the final surface.”

The son of the artists, DeWeese was raised in an artistic home, this upbringing laid the foundation for his life as a ceramic artist. Both during undergraduate and graduate studies, DeWeese was able to hone his craft under artists: Ken Ferguson, Victor Babu, George Timock, and Clary Illian (Kansas City Art Institute), and; Val Cushing, Wayne Higby, John and Andrea Gill, Anne Currier, Tony Hepburn, and Jeff Oestreich (Alfred University). A ceramic artist and educator, DeWeese has exhibited and taught workshops internationally.

Together with artist Dean Adams he has co-founded the International Wild Clay Research Project (http://art.montana.edu/areas-of-study/ceramics/wild-clay-project/) which led to study of indigenous ceramic materials and processes around the world, travelling to China, Korea, Chile, Italy, Japan and Thailand.