View Kimberly Cook’s works featured on Ceramics Now Magazine
/ Featured in Ceramics Now Magazine – Issue Two
“Awkward primitive animal instincts lie unconsciously in our genetic make-up. Dominance, survival, reproduction, and group instinct feed our propensity to digress into our egos; cruelty, alpha status, fight or flight, sexual exploits, and pack mentality. In my body of work I create imagery that embodies tension and anxiety, while also reflecting animalistic traits and certain elements of human ritualistic thought and control that intrigue me. Using clay as my primary sculptural material allows me to explore these thoughts and questions using techniques that actually originated in human ritualistic practices. Figures, deities, and fetishes were modeled into both animal and human form for magical or religious practices long before clay was used for utilitarian ware. This harnessing of imagery deemed as powerful has survived for centuries, allowing humans to access manifestations of supernatural forces believed to improve their daily struggles in life.
Personally and intuitively driven, my work with imagery of animals is grounded in the exploration of the universal human condition, focusing on aspects of the ceremonial; serving as embodiments for the physical, spiritual, and psychological being.My preoccupation with human existence, alienation, fear and apathy, is what motivates me to express elements of autobiography, ritual, and the significance of life’s struggles. Working between narrative and abstract, revealing both the perception of power and powerlessness, the figures and symbols that I create are often purposely rendered disfigured and dysfunctional.” Kimberly Cook
Kimberly Cook’s C.V. (resume) – View her works
EDUCATION
– MFA 2008 Ceramics/Spatial Art – San Jose State University
– BFA 2004 Ceramics/Spatial Art – San Jose State University
– BA 2000 Psychology – Texas A&M/ San Jose State University
SELECTED GROUP, JURIED & INVITATIONAL EXHIBITIONS
– Southern Exposure Gallery, San Francisco, CA (2011)
– Ink & Clay 37 Exhibition, W. Keith & Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (2011)
– Dow Center for the Visual Arts, Interlochen, MI (2011)
– Gullkistan Art Studios, Laugarvatn, Iceland (2011)
– San Jose City Hall, Juried Exhibition, San Jose, CA (2010)
– Go Figure!, National Juried Exhibition, Curated by George Rivera/Triton Museum, Santa Cruz, CA (2010)
– Art Council Silicon Valley, Juried Exhibition, San Jose, CA (2010)
– Fruits of My Labor, Ceramic/mixed media installation,Herbert
– Sanders Gallery, San Jose, CA (2010)
– Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA (2010)
– Fruits of My Labor II, Ceramic/mixed media installation, Gallery IV, San Jose, CA (2009)
– 20th Annual California Clay Competition, The Artery, Davis, CA (2009)
– 17th San Angelo National Ceramic Competition, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX (2009)
– Institute for Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA (2009)
– Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, Snap to Grid, Los Angeles, CA (2009)
– The WORKS Gallery,San Jose, CA (2009)
– The Citadel/ICA C-3 group exhibition, San Jose/San Francisco, CA (2009)
– Anno DominiGallery/The Second Coming of Art & Design, Fresh ProduceShow, San Jose, CA (2009)
– Institute of Contemporary Art,It’s Not Us, It’s You, San Jose, CA (2009)
– California Conference for the Advancement of the Ceramic Arts,
– San Jose State University Student Show, Davis, CA (2008)
– San Jose Museum of Modern Art, San Jose, CA (2008)
– Selected MFA Group Exhibition, Linda Durnell Gallery,Los Gatos, CA (2008)
– Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, CA (2008)
– Cross Contamination, Herbert Sanders Gallery (2008)
– Richmond Center for the Arts, Richmond, CA (2008)
– California Conference for the Advancement of the Ceramic Arts,
– San Jose State University Student Show, Davis, CA (2007)
– San Jose State University Film Festival, juried/selected student films,
– San Jose State University Theatre (2007)
– The Banner Project, Textile and Sculpture Exhibit, Berlin, Germany (2007)
– 18th Annual California Clay Competition, The Artery, Davis, CA (2007)
– Tri-Lake Center for the Arts, Tri-Lakes, CO (2007)
WORKING/ TEACHING RESIDENCIES
– Interlochen Center for the Arts, Interlochen, MI (2011)
– Gullkistan Artist Residency, Laugarvatn, Iceland (2011)
EXPERIENCE
2008 – Present – Five years of experience teaching ceramic sculpture, hand-building, figure modeling, and wheel-throwing, at the university level. Proficient in all responsibilities required in supervising and maintaining a ceramic studio, including kiln loading and firing (electric, gas, raku), mixing clay and glazes, ordering supplies, and maintenance of clay studio and equipment.
PRESENTATION OF CURRENT WORK
– Gullkistan Artist Residency Studio,Laugarvatn, Iceland (2011)
– Interlochen Center for the Arts,Interlochen, MI (2011)
– Ceramic Figure Sculpture Workshop
– Interlochen Center for the Arts, Interlochen, MI (2011)
ART SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS
– Sandra Johnstone Scholarship, San Jose State University, 2007
– California State University Grant – Lifecast/Moldmaking 2007
– Elizabeth Heil Scholarship, San Jose State University, 2006
– John French Scholarship, San Jose State University, 2004
– Full Scholarship & Stipendoffered for MFA program from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2004
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
– W. Keith and Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery, Pomona/Los Angeles, CA
– Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, CA
– Private Collection of ElizabettaZanardi, Los Gatos, CA
– Private Collection of Virginia WestphalUhl, Palo Alto, CA
– Private Collection of Maggie Bludau, San Jose, CA
– Private Collection of the Lucas family, Los Gatos, CA
– Private Collection of Mark Chavis, San Diego, CA
– Private Collection of Dr. Alan LeFever, Ft. Worth, TX
Visit Kimberly Cook’s website.
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