Paul Anthony Dresang

Biography to Display:

1948Born Appleton, Wisconsin

EDUCATION

UnknownBFA University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Wisconsin

1974MFA Ceramics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1975Instructor, Advanced Ceramics, Wisconsin State University at Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin

1975-1977Instructor, The Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio

1977—Professor, Department of Art and Design, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois

2008Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Art and Design, Southern Illinois University

BIOGRAPHY

Paul Dresang has created two distinctly different bodies of work; functional wood fired stoneware and trompe l'oeil sculptures.

Dresang's functional, stoneware pieces are wood fired and display an easy comfort with clay and the potter’s wheel. This work is produced and fired in his kiln in Minnesota. The other body of work is hand-built porcelain trompe l’oeil sculptures, typically leather bags, suitcases, boxes, etc. Many of these sculptures serve as containers holding various smaller ceramic objects, such as teapots or collections of classic toys. At times Dresang has cast the smaller objects and used ceramic decals.

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Public Collections to Display:

Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, Malibu, California

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California

Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, East Logan, Utah

Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina

Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, Washington, D.C.

Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois

Taipei County Ceramics Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography to Display:

Brown, Glen R., Major Article, Ceramics Art and Perception 47.

Burgard, Timothy, Karin Breuer and Jill D'Alessandro. The Diane and Sandy Besser Collection: A Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. San Francisco, California: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, 2007.

Del Vecchio, Mark. Postmodern Ceramics. London, England: Thames & Hudson, 2001.

Lauria, Jo. Color and Fire, Defining Moments in Studio Ceramics, 1950-2000. Los Angeles, California: Los Angeles County Museum of Art in association with Rizzoli International Publications, 2000.

Osterman, Mathias. The Ceramic Narrative. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2006.

Tourtillott, Suzanne. Masters: Porcelain: Major Works by Leading Ceramists. New York, New York: Lark Books, Sterling Publishing, 2008.

Triplett, Kathy. 500 Teapots. Asheville, North Carolina: Lark Books, 2002.

CV or RESUME: Click Here to Download
Source: Artist

Artist's Studio: Dresang Ceramics

Typical Marks

Mark stamp with backwards P, A and forward D typically stamped on foot, near handles or on the lid of covered jars or butter dishes. On sculptures, usually stamped on the bottom or hidden in an obscure place. Occasionally Dresang signs or initials work or, does not mark at all.