Nationality American Name James Watkins | Role Artist | |
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Born May 28, 1951 (age 73) ( 1951-05-28 ) Books Alternative Kilns & Firing Techniques: Raku, Saggar, Pit, Barrel | ||
James C. Watkins (1951 - ) born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1951 and raised in a farming family in Athens, Alabama. He is a ceramic artist living in Lubbock, Texas and is known for his large scale double-walled ceramic vessels and laser cut porcelain substrate tiles. He is recognized for his textured surfaces, created by using alternative firing techniques. His porcelain substrate tiles are fumed with stannous chloride and multi-fired using ferric chloride, gold and platinum luster to achieve colorful surfaces.
Contents
- Academic and instructional position
- Personal background
- Awards
- Education
- Publications by James C Watkins
- Publications about James C Watkins life and art
- References
Watkins gained recognition through his inclusion in the 1993 White House Collection of American Crafts, which was curated by Michael Monroe, who was then the director of the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. Watkins' work is included in the permanent collections of major museums, including the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Shigaraki, Japan and the Eiteljorg Museum of Art, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Academic and instructional position
Watkins is a Paul Whitfield Horn Professor in the College of Architecture at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas where he teaches Architectural Ceramics and Architectural Drawing. The Horn Professorship is the highest honor that Texas Tech University bestows on members of its faculty.
Personal background
Watkins uses his experience of growing up in the rural south during the 1950s and 60s as a source of inspiration for his signature work. His mother and father were farmers. Watkins is the oldest of six children - three boys and three girls. He grew up in a time when large cast-iron pots were still used as an essential farming utensil. His mother made soap, hominy and souse in the large black cast-iron pots. Watkins creates large double-walled ceramics forms that are inspired by the memory of helping his mother keep the fire burning hot around the cast-iron pots.
Awards
Watkins has been honored for his contributions to the arts and teaching.