Meet the Artist

In the beginning...

I fell in love with pottery during my first college ceramics class in the spring of 1993, but the desire to "play in the mud" must have exisited since childhood. There are pictures of me as a little girl covered from head to toe with mud after enjoying an afternoon of mud sliding on the mound of dirt in my backyard.

I graduated with a BA in studio art in 1996, and began taking the first small steps toward becoming a working artist. I created my first Celtic works in 1999 and have since focused my work on this unique style.

Artist Statement

I create mostly one-of-a-kind, functional pottery. I use interlacing knotwork and spiral patterns as a decorative element to my wheel-thrown porcelain vessels. The choice to make decorative, functional pottery is a reflection of my faith that God can shape us into beautiful and useful people.

Interlacing knotwork and spiral patterns are seen throughout many parts of the world and are common among many different cultures. Most of what we think of today as "Celtic" knotwork, is really an amalgamation of designs from various cultures created by medieval monks while illuminating manuscripts. We don't really know what the original designs may have meant, but today interlacing knotwork has come to symbolize the interconnectedness of life. This is one of the reasons why I am attracted to using these designs in my work. For me, the designs connect us to our past and to other cultures.

Education

1996 Bachelor of Arts in studio art;
Bethel College, St. Paul, MN

Exhibitions

2007 Empty Spaces: Bowls; juried exhibition
Carbondale Clay Center, Carbondale, CO
2006 1st Biennial Concordia Continental Ceramics Compeition; juried exhibition
Concordia Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2005 Salon 300: Minnesota State Fair Overflow Show
Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hopkins, MN
2004 Arts of the Holidays; juried show & sale
Laura H. Miles Gallery, Minnetonka Center for the Arts, Wayzata, MN
2004 Salon 500: Minnesota State Fair Overflow Show
Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hopkins, MN
2004 Juried Religious Art Show; juried exhibition
Grace United Methodist Church, Minneapolis, MN
2002 Strictly Functional Pottery National; juried exhibition
Southern Market Center, Lancaster, PA
2002 2002 Celtic Art Exhibition & Contest; juried exhibition; 1st place Traditional Category
Gallery O, Dallas, TX
2001 Winterfest 01; juried exhibition
Period Gallery, Omaha, NE
2001 Strictly Functional Pottery National; juried exhibition
Lancaster Museum of Art, Lancaster, PA
2001 Handcrafted; juried exhibition
Rocky Mount Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC
2000 Art Collective: Functional Art Show, juried exhibition
Art Collective, Minneapolis, MN
2000 Transformations; juried exhibition
Minnetonka Center for the Arts, Wayzata, MN
2000 The Foot in the Door Show 2000;
MAEP Gallery, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, MN
1996 Raspberry Monday; juried exhibition
Eugene Johnson Gallery, Bethel College, St. Paul, MN
1996 Sojourn; a senior thesis group exhibition
Eugene Johnson Gallery, Bethel College, St Paul, MN
1995 Raspberry Monday; juried exhibition
Eugene Johnson Gallery, Bethel College, St. Paul, MN

Professional Affiliations

There are numerous organizations for artists and potters that work toward promoting the arts. The following are organizations of which I am currently or have previously been a member. The years of my membership are in parenthesis.

Patty's Pottery
by Patty Rau
Minneapolis, MN
thropots@prrpots.com