Stephanie Lanter, Catron Professor

Art Building 105
stephanie.lanter@washburn.edu
785-670-2209

Stephanie Lanter is a mixed media artist working primarily at integrating ceramic, fiber, found objects and photography to create sculptures. She is the Catron Professor, and along with teaching design and special topics courses in the Art Department, she works with the Mulvane, area schools, and various local service organizations to increase creative opportunities for Topekans.

Summary:

Prior to moving to Topeka to begin her position as Visiting Catron Professor, Stephanie spent two years as one of the founding resident artists at the Red Lodge Clay Center in Montana. She was a Visiting Artist and Adjunct Instructor of Ceramics for three years at Wichita State University, and in 2004, she was the first participant in the joint residency program, “Jentel Critic at the Bray,” a writing residency sponsored by the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena and the Jentel Foundation of Wyoming. She has also completed residencies at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center (Colorado) and the Mendocino Art Center (California). She received an MFA from Ohio University in Athens in 2002 and a BA from Xavier University in Cincinnati in 1998. She has exhibited her ceramic, fiber, and mixed media sculpture nationally and published articles in journals such as Ceramics Monthly, Kerameiki Techni and Ceramics, Art and Perception.

Education:

Courses Taught:

Fall 2008
• Design 1
Spring 2008
• TBA

Past courses taught:
• Beginning-Advanced Handbuilding with Clay
• Figurative Ceramics
• Mixed Media With Clay
• 3-D Design
• Drawing 1

Links:
www.stephanielanter.com
www.redlodgeclaycenter.com

Statement:

I am compelled by common homonyms: words, objects, and processes that are ambiguous, that circle between form and function. Words like “sucker.”

Defined as habitual action out of context, misplaced energy, neurosis usually involves a symbolic substitute. Driven by anxiety, by need, it is a falsity, seductive and empty and manifesting as some absurd hybrid of comfort and/or escape. Both reward and punishment perpetuate behavior. Struggle keeps despair at bay. Tension makes the best foreplay.

How do we create and destroy ourselves? When she was three my twin sister dreamt that she pulled on her big toenail, which was snagged, and then, to her horror, she unraveled. Spiders often eat parts of their own webs to regain proteins spent while spinning.

To varying degrees, all our lives revolve around dysfunctionalities. Tenuous and delicate are the threads between the real and the conceived, between the codependent forces of self construction and self destruction. The tendency to pacify rather than gratify spirals into our relationships with others as well. My sculptural media, which currently include clay and fiber, are inherently contradictory. My forms symbolize, celebrate and satirize the pursuit of pleasure, security and stimulation. Obsessively crocheted out of nebulous materials such as fishing line, bibs, blankets and bonnets allude to the imaginary owners and users of these “suckers” and contextualize them as props for inter and intra personal relationships.

With critical humor rather than cynicism, I intend to portray the perceived inelegancies of the human psyche for what they truly are: elegant and powerful adaptive techniques for survival.

	1SLtriple.jpg “Triple Nipple.” Earthenware, Glaze, Crocheted Nylon Monofilament. 16” x 10” x 8.” 2008.
	2SLdblwbonnet.jpg “DoubleSucker with Bonnet.” Earthenware, Terra Sigillata, Crocheted Nylon Monofilament. 5.5” x11” x 13.” 2008.
	3SLinnie.jpg “Innie.” Earthenware, Crocheted Polyester Thread, Hardware. 16” x 8” x 2.” 2008.
	4SLtrophy.jpg “Trophy.” Stoneware, Ink, Crocheted Nylon Monofilament. 14” x 6” x 2.” 2007.
	5SLdblbib.jpg “DoubleBib.” Earthenware, Crocheted Nylon Thread, Hardware. 27” x 7” x 2.” 2007.
	6SLbigred.jpg “Big Red.” Earthenware, Glaze, Crocheted Nylon Monofilament. 25” x 11” x 2.5.” 2007.
	7SLclub.jpg “Magic Wand:Club. Earthenware, Crocheted Nylon and Silk Thread. 20” x 4” x 4.” 2008.
	8SLscratch.jpg “Magic Wand: Scratch.” Earthenware, Glaze, Crocheted Cotton Thread. 13.5” x 5.5” x 2.5.” 2008.

2008

• “Y=F(x).” Co-curated with Frank Saliani. Red Lodge Clay Center, MT
• “Beyond Titillation.” Curated by Summer Zickefoose & Dr. Stephen Perkins. Lawton Gallery, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay
• “Ceramic Objects/Conceptual Material.” Juried by John Perreault, in conjunction with “Crafting Content” Symposium. DDP Gallery, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
• “Abstractions & Associations.” Two person exhibit with Frank Saliani. Northcutt Steele Gallery, Montana State University, Billings
• "Clay on the Wall: 2007 Clay National.” Juried by Matthew Kangas, in conjunction with TTU Ceramics Symposium. Landmark Arts, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

2007

• “Red.” Juried by Richard Notkin. Baltimore Clayworks.
• “The Illusion of Reality.” Curated by Strecker-Nelson Gallery, Manhattan, KS
• “Things With Holes.” Solo Resident Artist Exhibit: Red Lodge Clay Center Loft Gallery, MT
• “By the Ounce.” International Juried by John Neely. Louisville Stoneware, NCECA, Louisville, KY

2006

• “Pep.per-and-Salt: An Extravagance of Ceramic Pairs.” Invitational curated by Gail Brown, Baltimore Clayworks
• “Alterior Motives.” Invitational curated by Mary Cloonan, Baltimore Clayworks
• “Monochrome: Orange.” Invitational curated by Texas Tech,, Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts, Lubbock, TX; UTPB, Odessa, TX, Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, TX
• “Habits.” Two Person Exhibit, Tilt Gallery and Project Space, NCECA, Portland, OR

2005

• “MISH-MASH.” Invitational curated by Rick Parsons. NCECA, Baltimore, MD.
• “School’s Out.“ Invitational curated by Gail Brown. Gallery at Catonsville Community College, NCECA, Baltimore, MD
• “Aesthetica 2005.” Invitational Curated by David Murano and Brian Hinkle, Wichita Center for the Arts, KS

2004

• “Forms: Clay Invitational.” Curated by Virginia Scotchie. McMaster Gallery, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
• “You Can’t Stop: New Works in Clay, Soap, Nylon and More.” Solo Exhibition, Clayton Staples Art Gallery; Wichita State University
• “Teaching the Object.” Group Invitational, Arts Incubator Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2003

• “Transformation: Contemporary Works in Ceramics: the Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize.” Pittsburgh, PA; Nov. 14, 03 - Feb. 28, 04. Catalogue.
• “Ceramics USA 2003.” University of North Texas Art Gallery, Denton. Juror: Doug Casebeer

Awards

• “2nd Biennial Concordia Continental Ceramics Competition.” 2nd Place. Juried by Marko Fields & Kieth J. Williams. Concordia University Gallery, St. Paul, MN
• “Art for the Cure.” Invitational Collaborative Project and Grant Sponsored by the Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness. CityArts, Wichita, KS
• “Topeka Competition XXVII.” Juror’s Prize. Sabatini Gallery, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, Topeka, KS
• “Topeka Competition XXVI.” Purchase Award. Alice C. Sabatini Gallery, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, KS