The Dictionary of American Ceramics, 1945 onward
Dictionary of American Ceramics, 1945 onward
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Donna L. McGee
1952 Born Chicago, Illinois
EDUCATION
1974 BS Re-creation, Art and Society, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
1977 Jacob Cramer Centre for the Arts, Leeds, Yorkshire, England
PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE
1978—present Studio Potter
2011-2014 Assistant to the Editor, Studio Potter
2015-2020 Research Consultant, The Marks Project
2020 -present Research Manager, The Marks Project
BIOGRAPHY
Donna McGee works in wheel-thrown or slab-built, low-fire, red earthenware clay. The surfaces are decorated with slips, underglaze pens, pencils, stains, and chalks. Surface decoration begins by applying a layer of slip, then scratching through layers of slip using the sgraffito technique.
The drawing forms the base she uses to structure the rest of the surface work. These spontaneous drawings are based on her sketchbook drawings of the human figure, fields, farm, and domestic scenes. McGee fires her work in an electric kiln in an oxidation firing. Drawings and motifs on her pieces are inspired by constant sketches of people, places, domesticity.
McGee also experiments with her first clay, stoneware, fired in wood or gas with soda or salt.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Butler, Ruth (Ed.). Ceramics Monthly International Competition. The American Ceramic Society, Columbus OH: 1999.
Fairbanks, Jonathan and Angela Fina. Best of Pottery. Boston, MA: Rockport Publishers, 1996.
George, Phyllis. Crafts in America. Fort Worth, TX: The Summer Group, 1993.
Fina, Angela and Christopher Gustin. Best of Pottery, Volume 2. Rockport, MA: Rockport Publishers, 1998.
CV or RESUME: Click Here to Download
WEBSITE(S):
Artist's Studio: Donna McGee
 | Center For Craft |
 | AMOCA American Museum of Ceramic Art |
Signature (last name only) incised into raw clay, sometimes through contrasting slip. Locations: On bottom of thrown pots, on back of slab work.
Method: Thrown (Engobe brushed on, ceramic pencil and underglazes, transparent glaze, oxidation fired. Grapevine handle hand-crafted by artist.)
Dimensions: 7.3 x 1.5 x 10.8 inchesSurface Technique: Underglaze
Method: Mixed Methods
Surface Technique: Engobe, Matt Glaze, Oxidation Fired, Sgraffito
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Brushwork, Engobe, Glaze, Sgraffito, Slip, Underglaze
Three wheel-thrown tumblers with painted slips, underglaze paints, pen, chalk and crayon.
Materials: Earthenware
Method: Slab-Built
Dimensions: 23 x 9 x 1.5 inches.Surface Technique: Slip, Underglaze
Materials: Earthenware
Method: Thrown
Dimensions: 5 in high x 4 in diameterSurface Technique: Ceramic Pencil, Chalk, Clear Glaze, Engobe, Slip
Citation: "The Marks Project." Last modified May 5, 2023. http://www.themarksproject.org/marks/mcgee
