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James Makins

Biography to Display: 

1946 Born Johnstown, Pennsylvania

EDUCATION

1968 BFA University of the Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1973 MFA Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Illinois

APPRENCICESHIPS AND RESIDENCIES

Apprentice to Byron Temple

1993 Resident artist, Togei no Mori, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shigaraki, Japan

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1990-1997 Associate Professor of Art, Philadelphia College of Art and Design, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1997 Professor of Art, Philadelphia College of Art and Design, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

 BIOGRAPHY

James Makins work moved from porcelain dinnerware and serving pieces to sculptural work. The latter works can be monumental vessel forms or compositions of multiple functional forms placed on thrown trays in carefully arranged groupings. The pieces are either painted or airbrushed resulting in dense, deep colors that absorb rather than reflect light. These compositions range from monochromatic to multi colored. 

Makin's apprenticeship with Byron Temple gave him insights into the blending of eastern and western pottery traditions. This theme has guided his work throughout his career. Makins studied with Richard DeVore at Cranbrook and began to explore the characteristics of porcelain. He found it rigid, restrictive, and able to be pushed and pulled out of shape yet retain the extreme ridged surfaces of his throwing technique. These throwing rings are characteristic of his work.

 

Public Collections

Public Collections to Display: 

Alfred Ceramic Art Museum, Alfred University, Alfred, New York

Arizona State University Art Museum, Tempe, Arizona

Cranbrook Museum of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, New York

IWCAT Collection, Tokoname, Japan

Izushi City Porcelain Museum, Izushi, Japan

Jinro Corporation, Korea

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California

Museum Boymans-van Buenigen, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Museum of Arts and Design, New York, New York

Museum voor Hefendaagse Kunst, Het Kruithuis s’Hertogenbosh, the Netherlands

North China University of Technology Museum, Beijing, China

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island

Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Museum, Shigaraki, Japan

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, Washington, DC

Togei no Mori Museum, in Shigaraki, Japan

Bibliography

Bibliography to Display: 

Burns, Frimkess, Makins: Contrast and Continuum. Philadelphia, PA: University of the Arts Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery, Philadelphia College of Art and Design, Philadelphia Ceramic Consortium, and Clay Studio Gallery, 1992.

Carpenter, James, et al. Production Lines: Art/Craft/Design: an Exhibition of Production Ceramics, Glass and Jewelry by Seventeen Artists, Philadelphia College of Art. Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia College of Art, 1982.

Clark, Garth and Tony Cunha. The Artful Teapot. New York: Watson-Guptill, 2001.

Dowse Art Museum. Singular Views: the Ceramic Still Life. Wellington, NZ: Dowse Art Museum, 1998. 

Noble, Nigel, Dan Seeger, and Hilary Birmingham. Craft in America a Journey to the Origins, Artists and Techniques of American Craft. United States: Craft in America, 2007.

 

Website(s):

www.jamesmakins.yoworks.com

 

Typical Marks
Goblet
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze, Incised, Inlaid, Luster
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Dinnerware
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
Judith and Martin Schwartz Collection
Photo: John Polak
Judith and Martin Schwartz Collection
Photo: John Polak

Citation: "The Marks Project." Last modified July 23, 2023. http://www.themarksproject.org/marks/makins