Julie Cunningham's Projects

Faculty & Staff

Artist Statement:

Clay is the medium that, to me, best expresses elements of nature and my ideas about the environment. Through it, I am able to create three dimensional pieces which have a dialogue with organic forms. By using earthenware clay, terra sigillata, and layered glazes, I seek to recreate the depth of color and texture present in the environment. The organic elements in my work are not only connected to each other, but are also connected to my daily life – time spent outdoors observing the changing hues, textures, and arrangements of nature. I also consider how shapes in nature are similar to the contours of our body, and have tried to make references to these in my work. It is important to me that while viewers are engaged with my pieces, they discover elements of the natural world around them.

Biography:

Julie Cunningham is an artist and ceramics teacher living in Portland. She has a BFA in Ceramics from Maine College of Art and a BA from the University of New Hampshire. She has taught ceramics at the University of New England, is an adjunct faculty at MECA and Southern Maine Community College, and has taught children and adults through community and adult education programs. She is an instructor at Portland Pottery, where she also sells her work. Julie's work can be found at Markings Gallery in Bath, Maine, and at Maine Craft Portland, Portland, Maine.