Susan Collett RCA IAC is a Canadian artist in printmaking and ceramics. In 1986, she graduated from the

Cleveland Institute of Art The Cleveland Institute of Art, previously Cleveland School of Art, is a private college focused on art and design and located in Cleveland, Ohio. History The college was founded in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women, at firs ...

, earning a B.F.A. in printmaking with a minor in ceramics.

Early life and career

Collett began formal arts education in 1980 at the

Central Technical School Central Technical School (CTS or Central Tech) is a Canadian composite high school in Toronto, Ontario. The school is run by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB); before 1998, it was run by the Toronto Board of Education (TBE). Central Tech ...

, graduating in 1982. She then began studies at the

, graduating with a B.F.A. in 1986, following with an apprenticeship as studio assistant to American ceramic artist Judith Salomon. Working professionally since 2003, Collett maintains a full-time production studio in downtown

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

where she creates large-scale clay sculpture and prints. Her ceramic work employs

paper clay Paper clay (sometimes referred to as fiberclay) is any clay body to which processed cellulose fiber (paper being the most common) has been added. Earthenware, terra cotta, stoneware, porcelain and bone china clay bodies can be made into paper c ...

and

nichrome wire Nichrome (also known as NiCr, nickel-chromium or chromium-nickel) is a family of alloys of nickel, chromium, and often iron (and possibly other elements) commonly used as resistance wire, heating elements in devices like toasters, electrical kettl ...

substrate. Her

monoprints Monoprinting is a type of printmaking where the intent is to make unique prints, that may explore an image serially. Other methods of printmaking create editioned multiples, the monoprint is editioned as 1 of 1. There are many techniques of mono-pr ...

are made from plates of stitched industrial-grade copper.

Career

Collett's work has been featured in the

Toronto International Art Fair Art Toronto, previously known as the Toronto International Art Fair, is an international contemporary art exhibition held each year in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre since 2000. Since its inception, it has grown t ...

, SOFA exhibitions in Miami, Chicago and New York, Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale 2009 Korea and the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale among others. In 2009, Collett was invited by the Ceramic Artists Association of Israel to conduct a master workshop in

Neot HaKikar Neot HaKikar ( he, נְאוֹת הַכִּכָּר) is a moshav in the northern Arava valley in Israel established in 1970. Located immediately south of the Dead Sea, at an elevation of ''below'' sea level, it falls under the jurisdiction of Tam ...

near the Dead Sea, as well as exhibiting at the

Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art The George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art (commonly shortened to the Gardiner Museum) is a ceramics museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum is situated within University of Toronto's St. George campus, in downtown Toronto. The museum bu ...

China Academy of Art China Academy of Art (), also translated as China National Academy of Fine Arts, was founded in Hangzhou in 1928 by the government of the Republic of China (1912–49), Republic of China and the renowned educator Cai Yuanpei. It was the first a ...

, and

Concordia University Concordia University ( French: ''Université Concordia'') is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1974 following the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University, Concordia is one of the t ...

. Her work has appeared in ''Ceramic Review'', ''Ceramic Art & Perception'', and

Canadian Art Canadian art refers to the visual (including painting, photography, and printmaking) as well as plastic arts (such as sculpture) originating from the geographical area of contemporary Canada. Art in Canada is marked by thousands of years of hab ...

. Collett is recognized as an important contributor to Canadian Studio Ceramic practice, as well as internationally recognized for her contributions to development in ceramic technique.

Awards

* 2019 Toronto Arts Council, Research Grant, Porcelain * 2019

Canada Council for the Arts The Canada Council for the Arts (french: Conseil des arts du Canada), commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown corporation established in 1957 as an arts council of the Government of Canada. It acts as the federal government's principal in ...

, Artist Abroad program - Werkschule, Oldenburg Germany * 2017

Ontario Arts Council The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is a publicly-funded Canadian organization in the province of Ontario whose purpose is to foster the creation and production of art for the benefit of all Ontarians. Based in Toronto, OAC was founded in 1963 by On ...

, Project Grant, Clay * 2015 Honorable Mention, 8th Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Korea, juried, International * 2009 Honorable Mention, 5th Cebiko Korean International Clay Biennale, Korea, juried, International * 2002 2nd Prize, Ernst & Young Great Canadian Printmaking Competition, juried, National * 2001 1st Prize, Winifred Shantz Award, Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, juried, National * 1997 Nick Novak Scholarship, Printmaking, Open Studio, Toronto * 1994 Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation Grant New Brunswick, clay, juried, National * 1986 1st Place, Agnes Gund Memorial Award, BFA Show,

, USA

Collections

Arizona State University Art Museum The Arizona State University Art Museum is an art museum operated by Arizona State University, located on its main campus in Tempe, Arizona. The Art Museum has some 12,000 objects in its permanent collection and describes its primary focuses as c ...

, USA (2021) * Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum, India (2016) * Canada House, Trafalgar Square London (2015) *

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA; french: Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, MBAM) is an art museum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the largest art museum in Canada by gallery space. The museum is located on the historic Golden Square ...

(2015) * The Four Seasons Hotel, Toronto (2012) *

Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery , image= File:C2G2.jpg , established= , location= Waterloo, Ontario, Canada , visitors = 20,000 , director= Denis Longchamps , map_type = Canada Ontario , map_caption = Location of the gallery in Waterloo ...

(various) * Sèvres Porcelain Museum, Paris, France * Trump Tower Hollywood, Miami (2010) * The Canadiana Collection of the Official Residencies of Ottawa, Rideau Hall (2009) * The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art (2008) * The Tom Thomson Art Gallery (2006)

Elected associations

She received her letters from the

International Academy of Ceramics The International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) or Académie Internationale de la Céramique (AIC) is an international professional association of ceramic artists. It is based in Geneva and operates worldwide. Since 1958 the IAC has been affiliated wi ...

in 2007, and from the RCA, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2008.

Exhibitions

Boise Art Museum The Boise Art Museum (BAM) is located at 670 Julia Davis Drive in Boise, Idaho, and is part of a series of public museums and cultural attractions in Julia Davis Park. It is the permanent home of a growing collection of contemporary realism, moder ...

, Idaho, USA, Summer 2021 opening *

Fuller Craft Museum Fuller Craft Museum is an arts and crafts museum in the city of Brockton, Massachusetts, 25 miles south of Boston. It receives 20,000 visitors a year. It contains contemporary craft-based art of many different genres and origins. It is the only ...

, Boston, Massachusetts USA, January 7-May 30, 2021 * Brennpunkt Keramik II, curated from the Hannelore Sieffert Collection, Neunkirchen Kultur-Gesellschaft, Germany, Summer 2020 *

Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art The Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art (NEHMA) is an accredited academic art museum focused on modern and contemporary art at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. NEHMA was founded in 1982 with the ceramic collection of philanthropist and namesake ...

2020, Utah State University, International Exhibition: Particle & Wave - Paper Clay Illuminated, January 24-May 2, 2020 *

, Tempe Arizona, USA June 22- September 21, 2019 *

Daum Museum of Contemporary Art State Fair Community College is a public community college in Sedalia, Missouri, adjacent to the Missouri State Fairgrounds. In addition to the Sedalia campus, there are extended campus locations in Boonville, Lake of the Ozarks, Clinton, Wars ...

, Sedalia Missouri, USA October 12-December 15, 2019 * Internationale Keramiktage Oldenburg Ceramic Fair, Germany, Guest Artist Solo Exhibition, August 1-5, 2019 * Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, ''Concurrents'', solo, clay & prints (2017) * Karl & Helen Burger Gallery,

Kean University Kean University () is a public university in Union Township, Union County, New Jersey, Union and Hillside, New Jersey. It is part of New Jersey's public system of higher education. Kean University was founded in 1855 in Newark, New Jersey, as th ...

, ''Three Canadian Artists Reflect on the Natural World'', NJ, U.S.A.(2016) * Master Ceramists, Galerie Elena Lee, Montreal, 3-person invitational, clay & prints (2016) * Belger Art Center, Kansas City, Mo. U.S.A., NCECA group invitational, Linda Lighton curator (2016) * SOFA Chicago, Barbara Silverberg, Montreal, group, clay (2015) *

, Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, gallery artists feature (2015) * Gyeonggi 5th International Ceramic Biennale, Korea, international juried, honorable mention (2015) * Naked Craft, International touring, Art Gallery Burlington, On, Materia, Quebec City, Art Gallery Nova Scotia, Scotland (2015) *

, Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, Gallery Artists Feature (2014) *

Gardiner Museum The George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art (commonly shortened to the Gardiner Museum) is a ceramics museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum is situated within University of Toronto's St. George campus, in downtown Toronto. The museum b ...

, Why Make in China? Invitational, clay (2012) * Taiwan International Ceramics Biennale, Taipei, Yingge Museum, international juried (2012) *

New Mexico Museum of Art The New Mexico Museum of Art is an art museum in Santa Fe governed by the state of New Mexico. It is one of four state-run museums in Santa Fe that are part of the Museum of New Mexico. It is located at 107 West Palace Avenue, one block off the ...

, Santa Fe, New Mexico, “New World: Timeless Visions”, international juried (2012) * International Triennale of Silica Arts, Kecskemet, Hungary, international juried (2011) * Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, Ontario, Invitational, Terra Firma “Groundbreakers in Canadian Clay”(2011) * Sèvres Porcelain Museum, Paris, France, International Academy of Ceramics, group, clay (2010) * Cebiko, 5th World Ceramic Biennale, Korea, international, juried (2009) * Tom Thomson Memorial Gallery, Ontario, Canada “Traverse” Solo, clay & prints (2008) * Palm Beach 3, International Art Fair, Palm Beach Florida, Galerie Elena Lee, clay (2006) * Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, New Zealand, international juried, clay (2000)

Publications

* Louisa Taylor, UK, 2011, The Ceramics Bible, USA Edition, Chronicle Books, page 74 * Emmanuel Cooper, UK, 2009, Contemporary Ceramics, Thames & Hudson page 89 * Guy Lavigueur, QC. 2016, Ateliers/Studios of Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, Marquis Imprimer, Quebec, page 122, 123 * Ed Phillips, Canada, 2005, Ernst & Young Great Canadian Printmaking Collection, Ernst & Young LLP, page 37, 48

Exhibition catalogues

* Brennpunkt Keramik II, 2020 catalogue, cover image & page 20 * Desire, Feb-May 2016, Kansas City, Missouri, Belger Art Centre, pages 8, 13, 28, 29 * Three Canadians Reflect on the Natural World, November 2016-January 2017, Kean University Art Galleries, pages 5, 6, 10-31, 68, 69 * Naked Craft Canada/Scotland, June 2015/ April 2016, Art Gallery of Burlington, Centre Materia, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Scotland (various) pages 42, 43 * Canadian Art Installation 2015, Aimia Canada, May 2015, pages 24, 45, 109, 171 * Canada House Trafalgar Square, Canadian High Commission to the UK, February 2015, Trafalgar Square, London UK, page 90 * GICB 2015, 8th Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, 2015, Icheon World Ceramic Centre, Korea, pages 96, 97 * Caméléon, October 2015, McClure Gallery, Montreal, pages 14–27 * Toronto International Art Fair, October 2013, Toronto Convention Centre, Canada, pages 44, 45 * Taiwan International Ceramics Biennale, 2012, New Taipei City, Yingge Ceramics Museum page 97 * Circuit Ceramique a Sèvres, September 2010, Sèvres Porcelain Museum, page 146 * Ceramic Visions, April 2009, International, 5th World Ceramic Biennale, Gyeonggi Province, Korea, pages 111, 241

Articles

Brennpunkt Keramik II
2020 catalogue, Introduction Essay by Monika Gass, Curator: Nicole Nix-Hauck- Stadtische Galerie, Neunkirchen, Germany * Hannelore Sieffert, Winter 2019, New Ceramics: The European Ceramics Magazine, Germany, Volume #3, page 54 * Nathalie Roy, winter 2014-2015, “La Ceramique d’art Contemporaine: Le contre-pied des idees recues, Vies Des Arts, issue 237, pages 72, 73 * Heidi McKenzie, April 2013, “Go East” Canadians Create in China, Ceramics Monthly, USA, volume 61 #4, pages 45–47 * Barry Morrison, June 2014, Studio Ceramics Canada, Online * Adina Balint-Babos July–August 2011, “Figuration & Abstraction” Ceramic Review UK, Issue 250, pages 60–63 * Kristen den Hartog, November 2008 – April 2009, “Canadians in China”, Ceramics Technical, Australia, Issue 27, pages 83–88 * Kristen den Hartog, March- May 2007 “Impluvium”, Ceramics Art & Perception, Australia, Spring Issue 67, pages 52–54 * Virginia Eichhorn, Spring 2007, Impluvium, Espace Sculpture, QC Spring Issue 79, pages 37, 38 * Kristen den Hartog, August 2006, “Air & Grace”, Ceramic Review, UK, Issue 220, pages 28–29