Lisa Muller Bio / Resume

Growing up in my house I learned to make things in self defense. My parents, driven by creative will and budget constraints, converted each room in our suburban home according to their current medium of interest. The garage as well, first employed to complete a 22 ft cabin boat and travel camper, was later transformed into a working iron forge and welding shop. When I saw something in a store that I wanted - whether it was go-carts, puppets or dresses - my parents would invariably say "Oh, you could make one SO much nicer than that!". And so I tried.

Later, it was no surprise to anyone when I moved a kiln, throwing wheel and casting equipment into the house. Many studios and travels later, making things has become a way of life. Despite years of art school and a graduate degree, my connection with materials remains my primary incentive for working. The shear joy of merging an idea with the concrete terms of the physical world, gets me out of bed in the morning.

I've been developing my current body of work for seven years. First inspired by the work of Henry Mercer of Doylestown PA, the imagery rich style I've developed combines mythology, history and everyday observation using humor and metaphor. We live our lives according to a collection of stories we choose to believe. It is the power these narratives contain that intrigues me.

I exhibit in regional and national shows and have created public ceramic installations for a variety of venues including the Philadelphia International Flower Show, the North Dakota Museum of Art and the town of Phoenixville, PA. Currently, I live and work in Pottstown, PA.

Women's Studio Workshop- Rosendale, NY

Chili Bowl Scholarship - Three week residency. 6/05

Haystack School of Crafts- Deer Isle, ME

Work Study Scholarship recipient for two week workshop with Lisa Orr. 6/04

Touchstone Center for Crafts- Farmington, PA

Full Scholarship for ten day workshop with Dick Hay. 7/04

Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts- New Castle, ME

Kiln God Scholarship recipient, 7/03- Two week residency exploring wood firing

William Penn Foundation- Philadelphia, PA

Travel grant to Umbria, Italy in May 2001 to research traditional Majolica pottery techniques

North Coventry Elementary School - Artist in Residence, Pottstown PA

On site creation of permanent outdoor tile mural, 4/09

Touchstone Center for Crafts - Farmington, PA

Instructor, Toward the Candid in Clay, 9/04

Open Connections Educational Resource Center - Edgmont, PA

Artist in Residence, 9/00 - Present - Clay artist, mentor, facilitator

Campbell Hall High School - Hollywood, CA

Visiting artist, 2/03- Slide lecture on large scale ceramic sculpture

Phoenixville Borough Mural Project - Phoenixville, PA

Designer/artist , 7/02 - Designed and constructed 12x20' tile mural with community input

Wayne Art Center - Wayne, PA

Instructor, 97 - 02 - Taught clay classes for adults and children in all aspects of hand built construction and wheel throwing

Ithan Elementary School - Radnor, PA

Visiting artist , 10/01 - 5/02 - Worked with K-6th grades, parents and teachers to create 10'x24' ceramic mural

North Dakota Museum of Art - Grand Forks, ND

Visiting artist, 6/01- Worked with 30 9-12 yr old students to create 4'x 12' ceramic tile mural

Westtown Friends School - Westtown, PA

Artist in Residence, 3/01- 5/01 - Worked with K-6th grades and teachers to create 10'x10' ceramic mural

Haverford Boys School - Haverford, PA

Artist in Residence, 2/00 - 5/00 - Worked with 150 students to create 14'x10.5' ceramic mural

Claybody - Chester Springs Gallery, Chester Springs, PA

A group exhibition of diverse clay work from the Southeastern Pennsylvania region. 9/08

Tiles - The Clay Place, Pittsburgh, PA

Invitational, 9/08

Philadelhpia Buyers Market of American Craft - PA Convention Center, Philadelphia PA

8/07, 2/08, 8/08

Amazing Clay - Staunton Augusta Art Center, Staunton VA

Invitational 9/06

From Raku to Ray Guns: Ceramics Since 1960 - Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE

Invitational 8/06 - 2/07

Crafts at Lyndhurst - Lyndhurst Estate, Tarrytown, NY

9/06

Poetry... A Notion: Ceramics Inspired by Poetry - Cumberland County College, Millville, NJ

Invitational 8/06

6th through 10th Annual Tile Festival - Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, Doylestown, PA

5/04 -08

Tyler Ceramics Past and Present  - The Icebox Project Space, Philadelphia, PA

3/05

Women's Studio Workshop Chili Bowl and Tumbler Exhibition - Rosendale, NY

2/03-05

Ceramic Tile New York City -  NY

Invitational 12/04

Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

MFA, Ceramics, 1991

West Chester University, West Chester, PA

BFA, Painting, 1984

Villanova University, Villanova, PA

Summer art and art history program in Italy, 1982