About

Pottery Artist & Instructor

Olive B. Durant

Education:

  • Lee University, Cleveland, TN. Professor, Instructor, & Supervisor: Art Methods, Printmaking, and Student Art Teachers (2017-2021).
  • Shakerag Artist Workshop, Sewanee, TN. Session1: Nick Joerling-Clay: Pots & Possibilities,  June 9-15th, 2013
  • Post Graduate Studies in Ceramics and Art Education; University of  
  • Tennessee in Knoxville and the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga
  • Graduate: M.A. Studio Art and Education, New York University, NY
  •  B.A. Studio Art and Education, Converse College, Spartanburg, SC
  •  Tennessee Certification Professional License Visual Arts K-12

Work Experience:

  • Self- employed artist/ potter/ pottery class educator: Down & Under Studios
  • July 9 – 11, 2013: M.T.S.U., Tennessee Arts Commission, CREATE 2013: Creativity in Education Institute: Teaching artist and instructor for Authentic Marbling: A World of Color with Standards & Face Jugs Appalachian Folk Art with Common Core State Standards
  • June 17 – July 2013: Summer Art Camps for Montessori World, Mountain Arts Community Center, Jewish Cultural Center Philanthropy Camp, Ten Mile, Tennessee Foster Care Camp for Teenage Girls, Beersheba Art Camp for Community (grandmothers, youth, & teens) and Dalton Creative Arts Guild, Dalton, GA: Summer Clay Camp.
  • April 15-18, 2013: Tennessee Arts Commission Mini-grant with Mitchell Neilson Schools: “Empty Bowls & “Clay Artist at Work” residencies
  • March 16, 2013: Authentic Marbling Workshop at (MACC), Mountain Arts Community Center/ involves paper marbling & cloth application.
  • February 16, 2013: Authentic Marbling Workshop at (MACC), Mountain Arts Community Center/ involves paper marbling with exploration.
  • October 15-19, 2012: Tennessee Arts Commission Mini-grant with Signal Mtn. High School: Authentic Marbling with Research Unit on the Silk Road.
  •  July 2012       Create2012 presenter for Tennessee Arts Commission: Creativity in Education Institute July 15-18: “Authentic Marbling”
  • March 2012    Senior Arts Council “Empty Bowls”: Chattanooga Public Housing
  • 2011- 2013    Creative Arts Guild, Dalton, Georgia: Adults & Children Pottery
  • 2012-2013     Creative Arts Guild:  Summer Children Pottery Camp
  • 2004 -2012   “Empty Bowls In Tennessee” Southeast Coordinator with LifeWorks Foundation, Nashville, TN to alleviate hunger through interactive Fundraisers, “Hullabowloo” Chattanooga Area Food Bank; Tennessee Association of Craft Artist (TACA) Artist Spring and Fall Craft Fairs;
  • Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga, Mitzvah Meals
  • 2002 – 2009     Mountain Arts Community Center: Adult & Children Pottery
  • 2013 – 2014     Down & Under Studios: Adult, Teens & Children Pottery
  • 2000 – 2010      Mountain Arts Community Center (MACC):  Children Art Camp
  • June    2013     Mountain Arts Community Center: Children Art Camp
  • July 2007-2013 Beersheba Springs, TN: Children and Community Art Camp
  • 2004 – 2006      Chattanooga State Technical Community College, Adjunct Professor Art History, Drawing and Painting, and Continuing Education Chattanooga State:
  • 1997 -2004     Tyner Academy of Math, Science and Technology: Art Instructor (9-12) [Integrated, Cross-Curriculum mapped, art activities/ Art & Beta club Sponsor, Girls Softball Coach, recycle coordinator]
  • 1993 -1997      Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts (CSLA) Art Instructor (K-8)

Leadership Roles & Accomplishments

  • 2015 – 2018  Craft Artist of South TN Chapter, Treasurer
  • 2012 – 2014   Tennessee Association of Craft Artist, (TACA) Chairman of Membership Committee
  • 2012-2014     Craft Artist of Southern Tennessee, Chapter President
  • 2012-2013     Art and Cultural Alliance, Knoxville, TN, Member
  • 2012-2013     Regional Art Alliance, Chattanooga, TN, Member
  • 2010 – 2012   Tennessee Association of Craft Artist, Board member
  • 2004 – 2012   Craft Artist of Southern Tennessee, Repre. for TACA 
  • 2011 – 2012   Tennessee Arts Commission, Teaching Artist Roster
  • 2005 -2011    Craft Artist of Southern Tennessee (CAST) “Empty Bowls Project, Membership committee, Representative member to Tennessee Association of Craft Artist, (TACA) Board
  • 2005 -2006     Regional Kennedy Center Workshop: Artist as Educators Fellow Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga, Artists-in-residence
  • 1999 -2009     Mountain Arts Community Center, (MACC) Active Board member
  • 1983 -2004     Chattanooga Area Art Instructor member of (CAAI)
  • 1988 -1991     Association of Visual Artist (AVA) Active Board member

Exhibitions:

  • Fall/ Spring (2017-2021) Art Faculty Exhibit at Lee U., Cleveland, TN.
  • July 12- Aug.23, 2013: Miller Building Windows: Mixed media, paintings & prints
  • April- May, 2013:Regional Art Alliance: The Colonnade Spring Show, painting & prints
  • Spring 2013   Jewish Cultural Center: “Tree of Life” exhibit: Mixed media
  • March 1- April ’13 Knoxville, TN, Art & Cultural Alliance: gourd assemblages exhibit
  • Feb.1- March 1’13 Regional Art Alliance members show at Mountain Arts Community Center, Signal Mountain, Tennessee: marbled paper
  • January/Feb.’13 First Friday, AVA’s Gallery, Chattanooga, TN: “Water Lily Sailing”
  • January/Feb.’13 Creative Arts Guild, Dalton, GA. Retrospective “Lolly’s” Works
  • Dec. 2012  Knoxville Cultural Alliance Members Show, Knoxville,TN: gourds
  • Dec. 2012  Holiday Craft Fair/ Studio Tour, Sewanee/Monteagle, TN: variety
  • Dec. 2012 Full CAST Exhibit, St. Andrews, Sewanee TN: gourd assemblages
  • Nov. 2012  Henry Horton State Park, Chapel Hill, TN: gourd assemblages exhibit
  • October 2012  HodgePodge Exhibit, Mountain Arts Community Center, Signal Mtn.
  • Summer 2012  Museum Center 5ive Points, Cleveland, TN: pottery, gourds, Marbling
  • Summer 2012 Regional Art Alliance Exhibit in the Miller Brother Windows: gourds
  • Summer 2012 Dalton Creative Arts Guild Exhibition: gourd Assemblages
  • Spring    2012 TACA Spring Fair, Craft Artist of Southern Tennessee (CAST) Chapter booth, Nashville, TN: pottery, gourds, marbled papers & paintings
  • Spring 2012   Jewish Cultural Center: Jewels: Small Works Exhibition (pottery)
  • April   2012    Nexus 2012, UT Downtown Gallery, Knoxville, TN: (gourds)
  • Jan./ Feb., 2012 Museum Center at 5ive Points, Cleveland, TN:(child’s quilt)
  • April   2011     Renaissance Center: “Naturally Tennessee” (gourd assemblage)  
  • 2009 2010     Harris Art Center: Folk Art Show (gourd sculptures and pottery)
  • 2007 -2009      Talle Johnson Pottery Studio: pottery sale
  • 2008 -2009      Chattanooga Market: weekly pottery vendor Greenlife Grocery: local potter kiosk display in the store
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