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Born 1949
EDUCATION
BFA Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
1974 MFA Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas
PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE
1974 – present Full-time artist
2017 – present Executive Director, Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio
BIOGRAPHY
George Whitten is best known for large ceramic sculptures composed of drape-molded, slab-built and or wheel thrown elements. Surface techniques include stamping, carving, tearing, and thin glaze applications. Whitten formulates his clay body and glazes using commercially available components. Sculptures are up to four foot high abstracted vessel forms with built up glazed and raku fired surface.
An apprentice uses cardboard templates to cut out parts which are to be textured and slip is applied before the sculpture is reassembled. Whitten then alters and decorates each piece, applying colored terra sigillata, low-fired glazes, and a copper matt finish. First firing is in an electric kiln and then he raku fires each piece up to Cone 5 as many as 25 times.
Whitten’s sculptures are featured in the TV series Miami Vice. Whitten is also an abstract painter.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
American Museum of Ceramic Art , Pomona, California
Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio
Canton Museum of Art, Canton, Ohio
Memphis Academy of Arts, Memphis, Tennessee
Monroe Community College Art Collection, Monroe, Michigan
Ohio Arts Council Collection, Columbus, Ohio
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hasselle, Robert. “George Whitten.” Ceramics Monthly¸ 48, no. 4 (April 2000). ceramics-monthly-apr00-cei0400d.pdf (ceramicartsnetwork.org)
Hasselle, Bob. “George Whitten: Icons and Artifacts.” In Raku, Pit & Barrel. Firing Techniques. Ceramic Arts Handbook Series, edited by Anderson Turner. Westville: The American Ceramic Society, 2007.
Whitten, George. “Ohio Potters.” The Studio Potter, 11, no. 1, (December 1982): 60. Digital Issue: Woodfiring - Vol. 11 No. 1 | Studio Potter
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Citation: "The Marks Project." Last modified March 17, 2023. http://www.themarksproject.org:443/marks/whitten