Chris SingewaldMinneapolis, Minnesota

Artist Statement

My passion for clay and pottery is rooted in the exploration of materials, vessel structure, and firing – specifically wood kilns and soda kilns. The glaze firing atmosphere creates a final interaction between fire, glaze, and form, resulting in a varied, unique surfaces on each piece. I am inspired by objects that remain through time: brick buildings that reveal layers of painted advertisements from the middle of the century, ridges of land and stone that meet the ocean, or a barn placed on the horizon along the highway. The physical surfaces change and record each season, as years blend into decades, the colors, forms, and edges erode but remain. I want the form and surface of my pottery to be a record of my making process while also being an invitation for contemplation and curiosity with each use.

Biography

Chris Singewald received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Studio Ceramics from the University of Northern Iowa in 2006. After graduating, he accepted an apprenticeship with ceramic artist Chris Gustin in South Dartmouth, MA. Chris also received a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth in 2010.

From 2011–2017, Singewald worked at Northern Clay Center (NCC) in Minneapolis, MN in many capacities including: Resident Artist and Materials/Glaze Technician, Outreach and Studio Technician, and Outreach Manager. In March 2019, Chris curated Variations of Shino, an exhibition featuring 20 regional potters utilizing Shino glaze during the National Council on Education for the Ceramics Education (NCECA). He was awarded the 2019 Fogelberg Studio Fellowship at NCC. Chris traveled to Haystack Mountain School of Craft 2018, 2019, and 2022 participating as a workshop assistant, technician, and most recently a Ceramics instructor for Haystack’s Student Craft Institute.

Currently, Singewald is the Ceramics Director at Rum River Art Center in Anoka, MN, and maintains a home studio in Minneapolis, MN. Chris teaches classes throughout the Twin Cities for many non-profit arts organizations. He has extensive experience leading clay workshops with children and adults, and he is passionate about bringing positive clay experiences to students.