Michelle Summers
Akron, OH
michellesummersstudios@gmail.com
Born: Portland, Oregon, USA 1981
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Education
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● 2014: MFA, Ceramics, University of Minnesota, MN
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● 2005: BFA, Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, NY
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● 2001: Coursework, Portland Community College, Portland, OR
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Academic Employment
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2025–Present · Adjunct Instructor of Ceramic Arts
University of Akron & Cuyahoga Community College (East Campus) -
● 2024 -25: Tri-C Community College, 3-D Art Lecturer, Highland Hills, OH
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● 2019-2023: Assistant Professor of Art, Kent State, Kent, OH
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● 2019: Travelling Art Instructor, Art Mobile Montana, Helena, MT
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● 2014-2020: Freelance Community Educator
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○ Lillstreet Art Center
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○ Northern Clay Center
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○ Archie Bray Foundation
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○ Holter Museum
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○ Crow Reservation High School
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● 2014-15: Instructor of Ceramics and Art Appreciation, Concordia University, St. Paul, MN
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● 2014: Instructor of Intermediate Ceramics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
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● 2011-14: Teaching Assistant, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
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● 2007-11: Community Education Instructor, Portland Community College, Portland, OR
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● 2006-11: Ceramic Lab Tech, Portland Community College, Portland, OR
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● 2006: Ceramic Coordinator and Arts Educator, Bucks Rock Arts Camp, New Milford, CT
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● 2005: Ceramic Arts Educator, Bucks Rock Arts Camp, New Milford, CT
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Artist Residencies
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● 2020: Pentaculum, Arrowmont School of Art and Craft, Gatlinburg, TN
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● 2017-18: Artist in Residence, Holter Museum, Helena, MT
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● 2015-17: Long-Term Resident, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT
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● 2014-15: Anonymous Potter, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN
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Solo Exhibitions:
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● 2016: Digital Debut, Belger Crane Yard Gallery, Kansas City, MO
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● 2007: Curious Cabinet, Feed Gallery, Bloomington, IN Group Exhibitions
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Group Exhibitions
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● 2025: Simple Cup, KOBO Gallery, Seattle, WA
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● 2025: 10th Annual Ceramics Invitational, Radius Gallery, Missoula
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● 2025: Sip: A Ceramic Cup Show, Savannah Clay Community, Savannah, GA
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● 2024: NCECA: Ashtrays Class or Trash, Abode Gallery, Richmond, Va
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● 2023: Transference: Amelia Center Gallery, Gulf Coast State College, FL
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● 2023: NCECA: Western Reserve Currents, Curated Storefront, Cincinnati, OH
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● 2023: Now & Then: Seven Decades of Kent State Ceramics, Kent, OH
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● 2022: Other Lands, Monument Gallery, Hudson, NY
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● 2021: Kindred Object, The Artists Archives of the Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH
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● 2021: Biennial Faculty Show, CVA Gallery, Kent, OH
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● 2020: The Cup The Mug, Main Street Arts, Clifton Springs, NY
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● 2020: Sip: A Ceramic Cup Show, Savannah Clay Community, Savannah, GA
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● 2020: 5th Annual Ceramics Invitational, Radius Gallery, Missoula, MT
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● 2019: Art Mobile: Traveling Art Exhibition, MT
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● 2019: Art of Repetition, Gallery One Visual Arts Center, Ellensburg, WA
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● 2019: Montana Clay Tour, Mel Grin and David Peters Studio, Helena, MT
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● 2018: Pipe Dream, Now Space, Los Angeles, CA
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● 2018: Handmade For Your Valentine, Clay Akar Gallery, Iowa City, IA
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● 2017: Archie Bray at the Kolva-Sullivan Gallery, Spokane, WA
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● 2017: Second Year Archie Bray Fellowship Show, Holter Museum, Helena, MT
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● 2017: NCECA Bray Resident Artist Show, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR
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● 2016: Archie Bray at the Kolva-Sullivan Gallery, Spokane, WA
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● 2016: First Year Archie Bray Fellowship Show, Holter Museum, Helena, MT
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● 2016: NCECA Bray Resident Artist Show, Belger Crane Yard Gallery, Kansas City, MO
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● 2015: Closer, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
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● 2015: The Fogelberg, Red Wing, and APS Artists exhibition, Minneapolis, MN
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● 2015: Winter Ware, Circa Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
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● 2015: Plate, Mudfire Gallery, Decatur, GA
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● 2014: Brown Study, UMN MFA Group Thesis Show, Minneapolis, MN
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● 2014: Immersive Stages, NCECA, Milwaukee, WI
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● 2014: Drink This, The Workhouse International Ceramic Cup Show, Lorton, VA
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● 2014: Laundry Fresh, Quarter Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
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● 2014: Winter Ware, Circa Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
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● 2013: Minty Fresh, Quarter Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
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● 2012: Friends with Benefits, Quarter Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
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● 2012: Cups of Fire, National Competition, Clay Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI
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● 2011: One and Only, John Michael Kohler, Sheboygan, WI
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● 2011: Drink This, The Workhouse, Lorton, VA
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● 2011: Fresh Works, Quarter Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
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● 2007: Impressions, Angie Newman Johnson Gallery, Alexandria, VA
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Honors and Awards
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2020: Best of Show, Sip a Ceramic Cup Show, Savannah Clay Community, Savannah, GA
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2016: Lillstreet Art Center Fellow, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT
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2015: Joan Lincoln Fellow, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT
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2014: Anonymous Potter Studio Fellow, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, MN
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2013: Graduate Travel Research Grant, University of Minnesota, MN
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2011: Best of Show: Drink This, The Workhouse, Lorton, VA
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Artist Lectures
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● 2025: Hot Dog Day Visiting Artist and Brat Off Juror, Ohio University, Athens, OH
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● 2024: Visiting Artist Talk and Demonstration, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
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● 2023: Visiting Artist Talk, Portland Community College, Portland, OR
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● 2023: Artist Talk, Carleton College, Northfield, MN
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● 2018: Ceramics and Community: Panel Talk, Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT
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● 2016: Visiting Artist Series, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA
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● 2015: UM Bray Days; Annual Artist Lecture Series, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
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● 2015: Visiting Artist Talk and Demonstrator, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
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● 2013: Guest Artist Talk, Tokyo University, Tokyo Japan
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● 2013: Artist Talk, Carleton College, Northfield, MN
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Curated Exhibitions
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● 2020: Kent State National Ceramics Invitational; Drawing the Line, Downtown Art Gallery, Kent, OH
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Collections
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● The Rosenfield Collection: Contemporary Functional Ceramic Art Collection, TX
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Publications
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● 2016: Ceramics: Contemporary Artists Working In Clay, by Kate Singleton
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● 2013: Michelle Summers Interview, DPI Magazine, March 2013, Vol 167
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● 2013: Exposure, Ceramics Monthly, February 2013, Vol 61, Number 2
