Yungbluth has successful year of exhibiting
Morehead State Visiting Assistant Professor Art and Design Adam Yungbluth has had a successful year outside of the classroom, exhibiting his ceramic work in numerous national juried exhibits.
Yungbluth has participated in six national juried or invitational exhibits in the past year. His solo show, “Drawn to Home, or a Good Place for Candy and Unicorns” featured 50 pieces of his work, and he exhibited about ten additional pieces in other shows across the country. Other shows Yungbluth participated in include:
- “Adorned” at The Clay Center of New Orleans, Sept. 6-26, 2019, New Orleans, Louisiana (national juried exhibit).
- “Juried National V” at the Red Lodge Clay Center, Sept. 6-29, 2019, Red Lodge, Montana (national juried exhibit).
- “Eloquent Vessel” at the Lightwell Gallery, Weitznhoffer Family College of Fine Arts, School of Visual Arts at the University of Oklahoma, June 3-July 11, 2019, Norman, Oklahoma (national juried exhibit).
- “AMACO: Think Outside the Jar: 100 Jars. 100 Artists. 100 Years” at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis Northstar (exhibited during the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Conference, March 27-30, 2019, Minneapolis, Minnesota (invited artists, national).
- “Ceramics Alumni Exhibition” at Gallery 130 at the University of Mississippi, February 18-March 15, 2019, Oxford, Mississippi (invited artist, national).
“National exposure is a great thing. Nowadays with the internet and social media, exposure is totally different and more widespread. Having artwork in a physical venue that people can see and touch is still one of the most important things,” Yungbluth said. “Having more people engage with my artwork opens a bigger conversation. Any time I am there and can talk to some new about content or techniques, it is a good thing.”
Yungbluth began exploring ceramics after he decided architecture wasn’t a good fit for him, saying he was hooked after the first class.
“The combination of working with my hands, learning about the history of ceramics, and the technical side of making clay, glazes and building/firing kilns. In the beginning, it was a real challenge for me to feel comfortable with the material.”
Through submitting his work to exhibitions, Yungbluth learns many lessons he can then pass on to his students, lessons they can’t be taught from a textbook or lecture.
“I have been working with clay for closing in on twenty years. It is definitely a long-term game with many ups and downs. Just because I have been juried into five shows this year doesn’t mean I will next year,” he said. “Having students pushes me to try and be more relevant in the ceramics field. If they can see examples of my work going out and in exhibitions, then maybe it makes me appear more legit and a better professor/mentor. It is about trying to stay relevant in the field and not giving up because someone said no.”
“I like to think students keep me honest and open about my artwork. If I can’t be that way about my own, how can I expect that from them?”
For more information about programs in MSU’s Department of Art and Design, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/art, email arde@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2766.
Photo: Adam Yungbluth, left, instructs a student during the 2019 Summer Arts Academy.
