John Balistreri
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| John Balistreri | |
 John Balistreri (right) assisting Peter Voulkos (left). |
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| Born | 1962 |
| Nationality |  American |
| Field | Ceramic art |
John Balistreri (b. 1962) is an American ceramic artist best known for his large scale sculptures. He is currently an associate Professor of Art and the head of the ceramic art program at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life and education
John Balistreri was raised in Thornton, Colorado, where his family grew cut flowers in greenhouses.[1] He began to work with ceramics at Thornton High School under Gail Matheson in 1978, graduating in 1980.
Balistreri earned an associate's degree in business from Colorado Mountain College in 1982 and built a ceramic studio on his parents' property near Denver. He subsequently studied at Alfred University with Wayne Higby and at the Kansas City Art Institute, where he earned BFA in 1986. Balistreri worked with Kirk Mangus at Kent State University where he received his MFA in 1988.
[edit] Career
During the summer of 1987, he returned to his studio in Denver and built a large Anagama kiln.[2] After graduate school, began to make large scale work that was wood-fired. He worked as a studio artist and occasionally taught ceramics at the University of Denver and Front Range Community College. In 1996, he joined the faculty of Bowling Green University, where he remains today.
[edit] Awards
- 1996: Best of Show, Colorado Clay, Foothills Art Center, Golden, Colorado
- 1995: Emerging Talent Award, National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts
