Artist's have always throughout time taken pieces of the past and married it with the present. Why not? Those days are as much ours as the ones we live in now. In reality without it there is no today and it's vital for us to observe and learn from those who gone before us. At least logic would suggest! We also as artists are called to show the world new ways of looking at itself. One way of doing that is through irony and humor. Nashville artist and sculptor John Donovan does just that.
Originally form Florida and the Gulf Coast, John brings that quintessential touch of subtle humor that region is known for to his work as he highlights some of the fascinating dichotomies that exist in our "post modern" world. His work is a union of history and fantasy, past cultures and modern cartoons. His craftsmanship is superb and his vision is focused and clear. He's also a family man and a really great guy! What else could you want or expect from a Nashville artist! I sat down with John recently and had a wonderful conversation. Here is the video, enjoy!!
John Donovan Interview
John Donovan Artist Statement:
My current body of work recasts Pre-Columbian clay warrior figures, Japanese Haniwa horses, colossal Olmec heads and primitive weapons and armor as reflections upon contemporary concerns. The human propensity toward violence and war serves as a starting point for this work, as does the role of art to provide a cultural record and invite community members to engage in self-reflection. These pieces appear light-hearted and reminiscent of dolls, toys, cartoon icons or action figures. A narrative thread can be drawn through this work, casting individual pieces as somewhat playful interpretations of warriors, heroes, deities or rivals. This work is ultimately to enjoy, and hopefully to instigate a dialog with the viewer.
Artist Resume
John P. Donovan
[2108 Pontotoc Ave., Nashville, TN 37206] [615.516.4342] [jdonovan@mtsu.edu]
MFA- Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX 1997
MA- Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX 1996
BFA- Loyola University, New Orleans, LA 1994
Gallery Representation
> LeMieux Galleries, New Orleans, LA
> Zeitgeist Art Gallery, Nashville, TN
> MT Burton Gallery, Long Beach Island, NJ
Professional Experience
> Assistant Professor, Middle Tennessee State University Art Department, Murfreesboro, TN, 2006-present
> Artist in Residence, Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Newcastle, ME, 2011
> Juror, Tennessee Association of Craft Artists Biennial Exhibition, Murfreesboro, TN, 2010
> Juror, Vanderbilt University Student Art Exhibition, Nashville, TN, 2009
> Instructor, Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts, Murfreesboro, TN, 2006-08
> Instructor, Watkins College of Art & Design, Nashville, TN, 2005
> Juror, Tennessee Scholastic Arts Competition, Nashville, TN, 2004-05
> Instructor, O’More College of Design, Franklin, TN, 2004-05
> Instructor, Volunteer State College, Gallatin, TN, 2004-05
> Instructor, Cheekwood Museum of Art, Nashville, TN, 2004-05
> Exhibition Installations, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, TN, 2004-06
> Assistant to Artist Sylvia Hyman, Nashville, TN, 2004
> Exhibition Installations, Metro Nashville Arts in the Airport, Nashville, TN, 2003-2005
> Gallery Assistant, Cumberland Gallery, Nashville, TN, 2003-04
> Assistant Professor, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, 1998-2003
> Juror, Ft. Walton Beach Art Museum Juried Exhibition, Ft. Walton Beach, FL, 2000
> Visiting Faculty, University of Costa Rica, San Jose, CR, 2000
> Juror, Gulf Breeze Arts Festival, Gulf Breeze, FL, 1999
> Studio Assistant (ceramics), Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC, 1998
> Assistant to Artist Peter King, Stonehaus Architectural Ceramics, Pensacola, FL, 1997-2002
> Graduate Instructor, Stephen F. Austin State Univ., Nacogdoches, TX, 1996-97
Selected Exhibitions (* indicates solo exhibition)
> *This Ridiculous Fight, Zeitgeist Art Gallery, Nashville, TN, 2011
> Toys.Art.Us, Wiregrass Museum of Art, Dothan, AL, 2011
> Gulf NOW, invitational regional exhibition, Space 301, Mobile, AL, 2010-11
> Growing Pains invitational exhibition, LeMieux Galleries, New Orleans, LA, 2010
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> Texas National Juried Exhibition, Judy Pfaff, juror, Stephen F. Austin State Univ., Nacogdoches, TX, 2010
> 2010 National Juried Show, Lance Esplund, juror, First Street Gallery, New York, NY, 2010
> *Myth, Flying Solo Series, Nashville Arts at the Airport, Nashville, TN 2009-10
> Southeast College Arts Conference (SECAC) Annual Juried Exhibition, Art in Academia, Mobile, AL, 2009
> *Unearthed Meaning, Zeitgeist Art Gallery, Nashville, TN, 2009
> JSN 2009, Jersey Shore National Juried Exhibition, MT Burton Gallery, Surf City, NJ, 2009
> Art in Open Spaces, Terazzo & Zeitgeist Art Gallery, Nashville, TN 2009
> *Acts of Minor Heroism, LeMieux Galleries, New Orleans, LA, 2009
> Contrary Tales, Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery, Nashville, TN, 2008
> Introduction to Ceramics, Vanderbilt University Commons Center, Nashville, TN, 2008
> Silver, 25th Anniversary Invitational Exhibition, LeMieux Galleries, New Orleans, LA, 2008
> Dialogue 3: Sculpture, Zeitgeist Art Gallery, Nashville, TN, 2008
> *Lions, Tigers & Bears, the Renaissance Center, Dickson, TN, 2008
> Of the Body, Todd Art Gallery, MTSU Dept. of Art, Murfreesboro, TN, 2007
> Contemporary Ceramics, Ruby Green Art Gallery, Nashville, TN, 2007
> *Bothersome Little Things, Zeitgeist Art Gallery, Nashville, TN, 2006
> Boomerang, invitational alumni exhibition, Loyola University, New Orleans, LA, 2006
> You are Here, Ruby Green Art Gallery, Nashville, TN, 2005
> *Microbe Mania, LeMieux Galleries, New Orleans, LA, 2005
> Eponymous, Zeitgeist Art Gallery, Nashville, TN, 2005
> Mish-Mash, national invitational show during NCECA conference, Baltimore, MD, 2005
> 3rd World Ceramic Biennale International Competition (honorable mention), Icheon, South Korea, 2005
> *Artifacts of Innocence, Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL, 2005
> The Best of Tennessee Craft, Biennial Juried Show, Tennessee State Museum, Nashville, TN, 2004
> *Warning Signs, Serenity Gallery, Bay St. Louis. MS, 2004
> *Glorious Gifts! The Fugitive Art Center, Nashville, TN, 2004
> Play, GULF Alternative Art Space, Fairhope, AL, 2004
> Small Packages 9, Cumberland Gallery, Nashville, TN, 2003
> Untitled 2-Person Exhibition, LeMieux Galleries, New Orleans, LA, 2003
> Emergence Theory, national invitational show during NCECA conference, Charlotte, NC, 2001
> *Untitled exhibit of ceramic sculpture, M.T. Burton Gallery, Surf City, NJ, 2001
> *Hit the Dirt! Ft. Walton Beach Art Museum, Ft. Walton Beach, FL, 2001
> *Toys, D.O.C.S. Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 2000
> Lafayette Art Association National Juried Exhibition (award winner), Lafayette, LA, 2000
> *King for a Day, Soho Gallery, Pensacola, FL, 1999
> *Recent Ceramic Works, D.O.C.S. Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 1998
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> Laying Hands; Expressions of Religion, juried exhibition, Artel Gallery, Pensacola, FL, 1998
> Emerging Artists of the U.S., national juried exhibition, Vermont Clay Studio, Montpelier, VT, 1998
> *Recent Works, Soho Gallery, Pensacola, FL, 1997
> Cinco Banderas juried exhibition, Artel Gallery, Pensacola, FL, 1997
> Feats of Clay X, national juried exhibition, Lincoln, CA, 1997
> From the Ground Up XVI, regional juried exhibition (award winner), El Paso, TX, 1997
Selected Lectures & Workshops
> Exploring Social Content in Art, panelist, SECAC Conference, Mobile, AL, 2009
> Promotion & Tenure, Rules & Rumors, panel chair, SECAC Conference, Mobile, AL, 2009
> From Ha-ha-ha to Hmmm… Humor in Art, panelist, SECAC Conference, New Orleans, LA, 2008
> Smoke-Fired Sculpture, workshop & lecture, Loyola University, New Orleans, LA, 2008
> Exploring the Creative Process, lecture, MTSU Art Dept. Lecture Series, Murfreesboro, TN, 2007
> Presenter, the International Architectural Ceramics Symposium, St Petersburg, FL, 2006
> Artist Lecture Series, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, TN, 2006
> Handbuilding Sculptural Forms, workshop & lecture, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, 2006
> Smoke-Fired Sculpture, workshop & lecture, Loyola University, New Orleans, LA, 2002
> Molds and Multiples, workshop & lecture, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 2002
> Large-scale Clay, workshop, L.B.I. Foundation for the Arts and Sciences, Long Beach Island, NJ, 2000
> Studio workshop, National University, Costa Rica, 1998
> Lecture, University of Costa Rica, San Jose, CR, 1998
> Architectural Clay Studio Workshop, N.B. Cook Arts Magnate School, Pensacola, FL, 1995
Selected Publications
> Nashville Scene, Jet-propelled bunnies… David Maddox, June 2009
> Nashville Scene, Who Are You, Joe Nolan, May 2009
> Nashville Scene, Contrary to Popular Belief, Amanda Dillingham, May 2008
> Verbicide, Little Boy Found, Lisa Rierson, June 2005
> Art Papers, Nashville review, Jessica Owings, Sept/Oct 2004
> Nashville Scene, Scraps, David Maddox, May 2004
> New Orleans Art Review, Youthful Concerns, Simeon Hunter, January 2003
> New Orleans Times-Picayune, Belly of the Beast, Doug MacCash, January 2003
> Architectural Ceramics (work featured), Peter King, Lark publishing, 2001
> The Sandpaper, Surf City, NJ, Whimsy Carries Artist from Nursery to Gallery, Larry Savadore, May 2001
> New Orleans Times-Picayune, Toy Soldiers Pack a Big Emotional Charge, Doug MacCash, September 2000
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Awards & Honors
> Tennessee Board of Regents Access and Diversity Grant Recipient, 2011
> Tennessee Arts Commission Personal Development Grant, 2010, 2007
> Awarded competitive exhibition, Tennessee Arts Commission, 2007
> Honorable Mention, 3rd World Ceramic Biennale International Competition, Icheon, South Korea, 2005
> Award of Merit, Lafayette Art Assoc. National Juried Exhibition, 2000
> Honorable Mention, From the Ground Up XVI, 1997
> Graduate Assistantship, Stephen F. Austin State Univ., 1994-97
> Graduate Student Competitive Scholarship, Stephen F. Austin State Univ., 1994-95
> Loyola University Art Dept. Outstanding Senior Award, 1994
> Loyola University Ceramics Pyrotechnic Achievement Award, 1994
> Southern Pottery Outstanding Ceramics Student, 1993
Collections
> Tennessee Arts Commission, Nashville, TN
> Office of the President, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
> Office of International Affairs, University of Costa Rica, San Jose, CR
> Loyola University Alumni Association Collection, New Orleans, LA
> Stonehaus Architectural Ceramics, Pensacola, FL
> Baskerville & Donovan Inc., Architects & Engineers, Pensacola, FL
> The private collection of John S. Cummings, Nashville, TN
> The private collection of Carol Stein, director, Cumberland Gallery, Nashville, TN
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