Stephen F. Austin State University

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - Ceramic sculptures by Anita Powell, assistant professor of art at Stephen F. Austin State University, will be exhibited in several art shows throughout the United States this spring.

Powell's five-piece sculpture titled "5 of 4" will be included in the National Council for Education of Ceramic Arts Clay National Biennial Exhibition at the Louisville (Ken.) Museum of Art and Craft March 14 through June 23.

In addition, Ceramics Monthly magazine has chosen the piece to illustrate a short statement in its March issue advertising the exhibition.

The piece consists of five differently shaped dress forms, each relating to a female image depicted on the front surface.

"The images are archetypal or stereotypical images of females in different stages of life or acting in 'assigned' roles," explained Powell. "The images on the back of each piece support the identity of the personality on the front and act as props."

Powell is one of 73 artists included in the exhibition which opens in conjunction with NCECA's national convention.

Powell recently completed a McKnight Artist Residency at the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, and two of the pieces she created there are included in the traveling McKnight Exhibition currently underway in Minnesota.

In April and May, four of Powell's garden-inspired sculptures will be included in a show at the Vale Craft Gallery in Chicago.

"I'm particularly pleased about this show since the Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Exposition in Chicago is in early May and a lot of people will be walking around the gallery district looking at art," Powell said.

Earlier in the year, the Assistance League of Houston's "Celebrate Art 2007" included Powell's three-piece "Easy to Understand Illustration" suite which was a part of the 2006 SFA Faculty Exhibition held in Griffith Gallery Nov. 3 through Dec. 10.

Powell has been a member of the SFA faculty since 2000. She earned her bachelor of fine arts from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and her master of fine arts from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Both degrees were in ceramics.