Artist Statement
The theme of my work is about woman’s struggle to find emotional balance. Each one of us is born with strength, compassion, and the incalculable ability to endure, fulfilling complex roles as mother, daughter, sister, friend, lover or wife, where we are called upon continually to put others before ourselves. Add to that society’s expectations, calling for poise and grace, the women I create openly reveal themselves, showing depth, emotion, and even scars from past experiences.
Using texture, expression, attitude and gesture, I primarily sculpt in clay, a.k.a. Mother Earth. I employ a variety of deliberate techniques to further enhance a sense of earthiness and antiquity. Random yet controlled applications of colored slips, glazes, and various firings including soda reduction, further enhance these textures, as if you could suddenly unearth them from history.
Biography
Nancy Pirri was born in Brooklyn, New York and currently lives in Chicago, IL. She has dabbled in every art form since childhood, discovering clay to be her true passion in 1991. She just finished a solo show titled ‘Reflection,’ in Lafayette, IN followed by a 3-person show at the Beverly Arts Center Chicago, IL with Pop Artist, Peter Mars and urban artist Erik DeBat. For the seventh year in a row, she is represented at Studio b in Three Oaks, MI and received an Honorable Mention award from the Rockford Art Museum in 2010 for her printmaking on clay work. She exhibits at many different venues including galleries, charity auctions, private homes, and group shows.
Education:
Lillstreet Art Center, Chicago, IL ~ 1991-Present
Gesture in Wax ~ Jack Kreutzer ~ Brookgreen Gardens ~ Murrels Inlet, SC
~ May, 2009
The Richard MacDonald Workshop Series ~ Monterey, CA ~ October, 2002
American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL ~ 1985-1987
BA, University of Iowa, Studio Art, Iowa City, IA ~ 1985 Graduate
Gallery
Representation:
Edenside Gallery ~ Louisville, KY ~ August, 2010 ~ Present
Studio b Gallery
~ Three Oaks, MI (seasonal) ~ April, 2005 ~ Present
Awards:
Best
in Show ~ 'Form and Unfunction' ~ Juried National Ceramics Exhibition
~ LaLa Gallery ~ Lafayette, IN ~ July, 2010
Honorable Mention Award ~ "Arabella" ~ Rockford Midwestern ~
Biennial Juried Competition ~ Rockford Art Museum ~ Rockford, IL ~ January-April,
2010
'Contributions
to the Art Community of Chicago' Award ~ Friends of the Arts ~ April,
2006
Solo
Exhibitions:
'Reflection' ~ LaLa Gallery ~ Lafayette, IN ~ July,
2011
Juvenesse Spa ~ Grand Opening ~ Chicago, IL ~ September-October, 2008
The Bottle Shop ~ Wilmette, IL ~ January-February, 2008
'Art Straight Up' ~ Chicago, IL ~ September, 2005
Giostra for the Home ~ Chicago, IL ~ September, 2002
Group
Exhibitions:
‘Art of Human Rights’ ~ Heartland Alliance ~ Hand-Selected for Exhibition/Event ~ Coalition Gallery ~ March, 2012
'Holiday Show' ~ Private Home ~ Chicago, IL ~ December, 2011
'Lillstreet Annual Member Show' ~ Juried ~ Lillstreet Gallery ~ Chicago,
IL ~ October, 2011
Beverly
Arts Center ~ Blast: Where Pop, Fine and Street Art Meet ~ Erik Debat/Peter Mars/Nancy Pirri ~ Chicago, IL ~ September,
2011
'Season Opening' ~ Studio b Gallery ~ Season 7 ~ Three Oaks, Michigan
~ April-December 2011
'Holiday Show' ~ Private Home ~ Chicago, IL ~ December, 2010
'Lillstreet Annual Member Show' ~ Juried ~ Lillstreet Gallery ~ Chicago,
IL ~ October, 2010
Evanston Lake Shore Art Festival ~ Juried ~ Evanston, IL ~ August, 2010
'Form and Unfunction' ~ Juried National Ceramics Exhibition ~ LaLa Gallery
~ Lafayette, IN ~ July, 2010
'Take Flight' ~ Studio b Gallery ~ Season 6 ~ Three Oaks, Michigan ~ April-December
2010
'One Inspired Evening' ~ Juried Auction/Charity event ~ Chicago, IL ~
March, 2010
'Coffee Shop Show' ~ Lincoln Perk ~ Chicago, IL ~ February, 2010
'Rockford Midwestern' ~ Biennial Competition ~ Rockford Art Museum ~ Rockford,
IL ~ January-April, 2010
'Holiday Show' ~ Private Home ~ Chicago, IL ~ December, 2009
'Women and their Relationship to Hair' ~ Juried ~ Oakton Community College,
Koehnline Museum ~ Des Plaines, IL ~ October, 2009
'Collective Conversations in Clay: Merging Media' ~ Collaborative ~ Chicago,
IL ~ October 2009
'Annual Member Show' ~ Juried ~ Lillstreet Gallery ~ Chicago, IL ~ August,
2009
'Into the Vines' ~ Lambda Legal ~ Studio b Gallery ~ Three Oaks, MI ~
June, 2009
'Serene La Femme' ~ Palette & Chisel ~ Chicago, IL ~ May-June, 2009
'Spring for Green' ~ Studio b Gallery ~ Three Oaks, MI ~ Season 5 ~ April-December
2009
Grand Opening ~ Curly Tale Fine Art ~ Chicago, IL ~ April 2009
'The Ceramic Print' ~ Invitational ~ Lillstreet Gallery ~ Chicago, IL
~ March 2009
'Studio b CHICAGO Holiday Show' ~ Private Home ~ Chicago, IL ~ December
2008
'Collective Conversations in Clay' ~ Invitational ~ Lillstreet Gallery
~ Chicago, IL ~ October 2008
'Annual Member Show' ~ Juried ~ Lillstreet Gallery ~ Chicago, IL ~ August,
2008
'Annual Member Show' ~ Juried ~ Woman Made Gallery ~ Chicago, IL ~ August,
2008
'Tre Femme' ~ Palette & Chisel ~ Chicago, IL ~ May-June, 2008
'Water Works' ~ Studio b Gallery ~ Season 4 ~ Three Oaks, MI ~ April-December
2008
'Clay and Fiber' ~ Woman Made Gallery ~ Juried ~ Chicago, IL ~ April-May,
2008
'The Commercial Woman' ~ Woman Made Gallery ~ Juried ~ January-February,
2008
'Studio b CHICAGO Holiday Show' ~ Private Home ~ Chicago, IL ~ December,
2007
Fall Exhibition ~ Takohl Designs Ltd ~ Chicago, IL ~ October, 2007
'Annual Member Show' ~ Juried ~ Lillstreet Gallery ~ Chicago, IL ~ August
4, 2007
'Highland Park Art Walk' ~ Juried Exhibition ~ artwork displayed in merchant
windows, May-June, 2007
Grand Opening ~ Studio b Gallery ~ Season 3 ~Three Oaks, MI ~ April-December,
2005
Gallery 57 ~ Highwood, IL ~ March-April 2007
'Studio b CHICAGO Holiday Show' ~ Private Home ~ Chicago, IL ~ December
2006
'Mud & Water' ~ Private Home, Lincolnshire, IL ~ October, 2006
'Ravenswood Art Walk' ~ Cornelia Arts Center/Morpho Gallery, Chicago,
IL ~ October, 2006
Grand Opening ~ Studio b Gallery ~ Season 2 ~ Three Oaks, MI ~ April-December,
2006
'Annual Member Show' ~ Friends of the Arts ~ Chicago, IL ~ April, 2006
'Manipulated Mud' ~ Group Show ~ Gallery 203, Chicago, IL ~ March, 2006
'Studio b CHICAGO Holiday Show' ~ Private Home ~ Chicago, IL ~ December,
2005
Grand Opening ~ Studio b Gallery ~ Season 1 ~Three Oaks, MI ~ April-December,
2005
'Annual Member Show' ~ Friends of the Arts ~ Chicago, IL ~ March, 2005
Gallery 203 Art Show ~ Chicago, IL ~ March, 2005
Art Show 2004 ~ Private Home, Lincolnshire, IL ~ October, 2004
'Women Equals Strength' ~ Soul Café ~ Chicago, IL ~ September,
2004
'Rejectamenta' ~ 4th Annual Gross Park Sculpture Invitational ~ May, 2004
'Advanced Student Show' ~ Lillstreet Gallery ~ Chicago, IL ~ May, 2004
'Garden of Eden' ~ Takohl Designs Gallery ~ Chicago, IL ~ February, 2004
Grand Opening ~ Salon 1800 ~ Chicago, IL ~ January, 2004
'Tasteful Art' (Art Walk) ~ Celeste Turner ~ Chicago, IL ~ September,
2003
'The World Needs a Good Superhero These Days' ~ 4th Annual Gross Park
Sculpture Invitational ~ May, 2003
Art Show ~ Home of Steve and Nicole ~ Chicago, IL ~ July 2003
'Artistically Armitage' (Art Walk) ~ Celeste Turner ~ Chicago, IL ~ October,
2002
'Postcard Show' ~ Juried ~ Wood Street Gallery and Sculpture Garden ~
Chicago, IL ~ June, 2002
'Strictly Sculpture' ~ Mars Gallery ~ Chicago, IL (Curator) ~ March, 2002
'Annual Member Show' ~ Friends of the Arts ~ Chicago, IL ~ January, 2002
Kalas/Pirri Art ~ Private Home ~ Lincolnshire, IL ~ November, 2001
Pulcheria Arte, Piacenza, Italy ~ Juried ~ September, 2001
'8th Annual Member Show' ~ Juried ~ Woman Made Gallery ~ Chicago, IL ~
August, 2001
'Annual Member Show' ~ Friends of the Arts ~ Chicago, IL ~ January, 2001
Dix Art Mix ~ Chicago, IL ~ April, 2000
'Annual Figure Show' ~ Juried ~ Friends of the Arts ~ Chicago, IL October,
2000
'Annual Figure Show' ~ Juried ~ Friends of the Arts ~ Chicago, IL ~ October,
1999
'Annual Member Show' ~ Friends of the Arts ~ Chicago, IL ~ January, 1999
'Annual Member Show' ~ Friends of the Arts ~ Chicago, IL ~ January, 1998
Charity
Events ~ Sculpture Donations:
Art of Human Rights ~ Coaltion Gallery ~ Charity event ~ Chicago,
IL ~ March 2011
Art of Human Rights ~ Gruen Galleries ~ Charity event ~ Chicago,
IL ~ February 2011
'One Inspired Evening' ~ Juried Auction/Charity event ~ Inspiration Corporation
~ Chicago, IL ~ March, 2010
The Art of Human Rights ~ Heartland Alliance ~ Juried Auction/Charity
event ~ River East Art Center ~ Chicago, IL ~ February 2010
Gallery 180 ~ The Art of Human Rights Juried Group Show ~ Chicago, IL
~ February 2010
The Final Feliz Foundation ~ A foundation inspired by the desire to stimulate
inter-continental awareness through the light and shadows of artistic
expression ~ Chicago, IL ~ November 2009
Medical Research Junior Board Foundation (MRJBF) ~ Art Benefiting Children
Event ~ April 2009
Art Against Aids ~ River East Art Center ~ Chicago, IL ~ February 2009
Blue Sky Inn Fundraiser ~ Chicago, IL ~ October 2008
Obama Fundraiser ~ Perfect Pear Gallery ~ Chicago, IL
Artists for Harmony ~ Suite Lounge ~ Chicago, IL ~ August 2008
Art Against Aids ~ River East Art Center ~ Chicago, IL ~ February 2008
Art Against Aids Preview Exhibition ~ Juried ~ Gallery 180 ~ Chicago,
IL ~ January-February, 2008
Empty Bowls Project ~ Lillstreet Art center ~ Chicago, IL ~ December 2007
Make-a-Wish Foundation ~ Sage Restaurant ~ Chicago, IL ~ October 2007
Columbia College ~ Scholarship Benefit ~ Chicago, IL ~ July 2007
Rock For Kids ~ Chicago, IL ~ April 2005/April 2006
Hurricane Katrina Benefit for Relief Efforts ~ Studio b Gallery ~ Three
Oaks, MI ~ October 2005
Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization ~ May 2005
Art Against Aids ~ Chicago, IL ~ February 2005
Member:
Friends of the Arts, Chicago, IL www.FOTA.com
218ac - Pulcheria Arte, Piacenza, Italy www.218ac.it
Babele Art World Artists ~ Italy www.babelearte.net
Saatchi Gallery, London, England www.saatchigallery.com
www.myartspace.com
www.artanddesignonline.com
www.fineartamerica.com
www.artworldchicago.com
Techniques I
use:
Soda Firing: Soda
Firing constantly intrigues me, specifically because of its random, uncontrollable
flashes of color and orange peel surface. The finish is formed from the
chemical reactions with the elements of the clay body itself. Soda Firing
uses a mixture of baking soda, soda ash, woodchips, and whiting. This
solution is added to the kiln at the hottest point of reduction (2,300
degrees!) and then vaporized producing atmospheric effects such as flashes
of color, a characteristic orange peel surface, and glaze-like finishes.
It is uncontrollable and random, which enhances the creative process for
me.
Image Transfer Process: A photocopy is made with a copier - usually the copiers that work best are the older ones. The ink is created using a specific formula... oil-based transparent ink mixed with mason stains, and loosened with easy wipe compound. Gum Arabic is flooded onto the photocopy which adheres to the toner. This is followed by four or five steps, interchanging with water -- which is sponged off -- then inked (rolled on with a brayer) interchanging each action four or five times. (we have coined the phrase 'spongeworthy' when you finally achieve the aeroplane-like, forearm action). The water removes the ink that does not adhere to the toner. The image is then burnished onto the clay at the greenware stage, usually with a wooden spoon but a porcelein door knob works even better.
Slip to Slip Technique: A true printmaker I have become! and have recently learned that images are 'crisper' using this technique. First you expose your images onto a silkscreen. I try to get as many images on one screen as possible. Using water-based ink mixed with mason stains, images are silkscreened onto paper... usually newsprint works or photocopy paper. Cut out the image, slip it with white porcelain or colored slips and/or underglazes...Then slip the section of your piece either with the same slip you used on your image or if you don't want a background, you would use clay slip (water mixed with clay body). Then burnish, blow dry until paper is completely dry, dab with wet sponge and peel off the paper.
