Susan Collett

Collett began formal arts education in 1980 at the The Central Technical School graduating in 1982. She then began studies at the Cleveland Institute of Art, graduating with a B.F.A in 1986, following with an apprenticeship as studio assistant to US ceramic artist Judith Salomon.
Working professionally since 2003, Collett maintains a full-time production studio in downtown Toronto where she creates large-scale clay sculpture and prints. Her ceramic work employs paper clay and nichrome wire substrate. Her monoprints are made from plates of stitched industrial-grade copper.

Collett's work has been featured in the Toronto International Art Fair, SOFA exhibitions in Miami, Chicago and New York, Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale 2009 Korea and the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale among others.

In 2009, Collett was invited by the Ceramic Artists Association of Israel to conduct a Master workshop in Neot HaKikar near the Dead Sea, as well as exhibiting at The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, China Academy of Art, and Concordia University. Her work has appeared in Ceramic Review, Ceramic Art & Perception, and Canadian Art. Collett is recognized as an important contributor to Canadian Studio Ceramic practice, as well as internationally recognized for her contributions to development in ceramic technique.

Awards

• 2015 Honorable Mention, 8th Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Korea, juried, International
• 2009 Honorable Mention, 5th Cebiko Korean International Clay Biennale, Korea, juried, International
• 2002 2nd Prize, Ernst & Young Great Canadian Printmaking Competition, juried, National
• 2001 1st Prize, Winifred Shantz Award, Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, juried, National
• 1997 Nick Novak Scholarship, Printmaking, Open Studio, Toronto
• 1994 Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation Grant New Brunswick, clay, juried, National
• 1986 1st Place, Agnes Gund Memorial Award, BFA Show, Cleveland USA, graduating class

Collections

• Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum, India (2016)
• Canada House, Trafalgar Square London (2015)
• Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (2015)
• The Four Seasons Hotel, Toronto] (2012)
• Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery (various)
• Sèvres Porcelain Museum, Paris, France
• Trump Tower Hollywood, Miami (2010)
• The Canadiana Collection of the Official Residencies of Ottawa, Rideau Hall (2009)
• The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art (2008)
• The Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery (2006)

Elected associations

She received her letters from the IAC, International Academy of Ceramics in 2007, and her RCA, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2008

• Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, Concurrents, solo, clay & prints (2017)

• Karl & Helen Burger Gallery, Kean University, Three Canadian Artists Reflect on the Natural World, NJ, U.S.A.(2016)
  
• Master Ceramists, Galerie Elena Lee, Montreal, 3-person invitational, clay & prints (2016)
  
• Belger Art Center, Kansas City, Mo. U.S.A., NCECA group invitational, Linda Lighton curator (2016)

• SOFA Chicago, Barbara Silverberg, Montreal, group, clay (2015)
  
• Toronto International Art Fair, Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, gallery artists feature (2015)
  
• Gyeonggi 5th International Ceramic Biennale, Korea, international juried, honorable mention (2015)
  
• Naked Craft, International touring, Art Gallery Burlington, On, Materia, Quebec City, Art Gallery Nova Scotia, Scotland (2015)
  

• Toronto International Art Fair, Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, Gallery Artists Feature (2014)
  

• Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Why Make in China? Invitational, clay (2012)
  
• Taiwan International Ceramics Biennale,Taipei, Yingge Museum, international juried (2012)
  
• New Mexico Museum of Art, Sante Fe, New Mexico, “New World: Timeless Visions”, international juried (2012)
  

• International Triennale of Silica Arts, Kecskemet, Hungary, international juried (2011)
  
• Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, Ontario, Invitational, Terra Firma “Groundbreakers in Canadian Clay”(2011)
  

• Sèvres Porcelain Museum, Paris, France, International Academy of Ceramics, group, clay (2010)
  

• Cebiko, 5th World Ceramic Biennale, Korea, international, juried (2009)
  

• Tom Thomson Memorial Gallery, Ontario, Canada “Traverse” Solo, clay & prints (2008)
  

• Palm Beach 3, International Art Fair, Palm Beach Florida, Galerie Elena Lee, clay (2006)
  

• Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, New Zealand, international juried, clay (2000)
  

Books featuring Susan Collett

Louisa Taylor, UK, 2011, The Ceramics Bible, USA Edition, Chronicle Books, page 74
Emmanuel Cooper, UK, 2009, Contemporary Ceramics, Thames & Hudson page 89
Guy Lavigueur, QC. 2016, Ateliers/Studios of Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, Marquis Imprimer, Quebec, page 122, 123
Ed Phillips, Canada, 2005, Ernst & Young Great Canadian Printmaking Collection, Ernst & Young LLP, page 37, 48

Exhibition catalogues

Desire, Feb-May 2016, Kansas City, Missouri, Belger Art Centre, pages 8, 13, 28, 29
Three Canadians Reflect on the Natural World, November 2016-January 2017, Kean University Art Galleries, pages 5,6, 10-31, 68,69
Naked Craft Canada/Scotland, June 2015/ April 2016, Art Gallery of Burlington, Centre Materia, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Scotland (various) pages 42,43
Canadian Art Installation 2015, Aimia Canada, May 2015, pages 24,45,109,171
Canada House Trafalgar Square, Canadian High Commission to the UK, February 2015, Trafalgar Square, London UK, page 90
GICB 2015, 8th Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, 2015, Icheon World Ceramic Centre, Korea, pages 96,97
Caméléon, October 2015, McClure Gallery, Montreal, pages 14–27
Toronto International Art Fair, October 2013, Toronto Convention Centre, Canada, pg. 44,45
Taiwan International Ceramics Biennale, 2012, New Taipei City, Yingge Ceramics Museum page 97
Circuit Ceramique a Sèvres, September 2010, Sèvres Porcelain Museum, page 146
Ceramic Visions, April 2009, International, 5th World Ceramic Biennale, Gyeonggi Province, Korea, pages 111, 241

Articles featuring Susan Collett

Nathalie Roy, winter 2014-2015, “La Ceramique d’art Contemporaine: Le contre-pied des idees recues, Vies Des Arts, issue 237, pages 72,73
Heidi McKenzie, April 2013, “Go East” Canadians Create in China, Ceramics Monthly, USA, volume 61 #4, pages 45–47
Barry Morrison, June 2014, Studio Ceramics Canada, Online
Adina Balint-Babos July–August 2011, “Figuration & Abstraction” Ceramic Review UK, Issue 250, pages 60–63
Kristen den Hartog, November 2008 – April 2009, “Canadians in China”, Ceramics Technical, Australia, Issue 27, pages 83–88
Kristen den Hartog, March- May 2007 “Impluvium”, Ceramics Art & Perception, Australia, Spring Issue 67, pages 52–54
Virginia Eichhorn, Spring 2007, Impluvium, Espace Sculpture, QC Spring Issue 79, pages 37, 38
Kristen den Hartog, August 2006, “Air & Grace”, Ceramic Review, UK, Issue 220, pages 28–29