George McCauley

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.