Artist Statement

Callie Luhrman is an artist based in San Antonio, Texas. In 2014, Luhrman graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a specialty in ceramics. For eight years of her childhood, Luhrman lived in Germany and spent many days traveling to cities in Europe. Her love of exploration and spending time in nature only grew, becoming her driving inspiration in art. Nature and storytelling are often incorporated into her artwork through rich colors, texture and drawings on clay. Ceramics and drawing are the vehicles for telling her stories. Art is an avenue where she can express herself wholeheartedly. Luhrman is focusing on imagery on thrown and hand-built pieces.

From the time that I was a young child, art has been a driving force in my life. People have always said that my family is rich with great storytellers. Ceramics and drawing are the vehicles for telling my stories. Art is an avenue where I can express myself wholeheartedly. Throughout my life, forming the right words for what I thought and felt was challenging. It was only through my art that I felt that I could explain myself freely.

Texture and drawings are showcased on my hand-built ceramic forms, inspired by birds, cacti, cats and my take on folkloric floral motifs. Drawing directly, using various carving tools on the surface, feels at once intimate, and allows for the formation of a narrative.

My work focuses on narratives with animal and figurative characters. My hand-built functional ware utilizes texture and pattern to pay homage to nature. These works are drawn with imagery from my day-to-day sketchbook tell stories of strange, endearing creatures. For years, I have drawn these characters with great personality that are inspired by a love of comics, short stories, modern and vintage children’s books, and patterned fabric.

Callie Luhrman
Curriculum Vitae
Education:
2014 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art University of Texas at San Antonio, Concentration Ceramics, Minor Art History
Solo Exhibitions:
2017 Ode to the Weird and Wonderful, Southwest School of Art
Honors and Awards:
2014 Recipient of the Carlos and Malu Alvarez Special Opportunities Scholarship Fund
2014 Graduated with Honors
2011 Best in Show, and two Honorable Mentions Northeast Lakeview Spring Student Show
2011 Member of Phi Theta Kappa, Northeast Lakeview College honors organization
Known Collections:
2015 University of Texas at San Antonio, Permanent Collection of Ceramic Artisans Sculpture
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2022 Koelsch Gallery Co-Exhibition with Artist W.Tucker, collaborative works and solo works
2019 ClayHouston Regional Biennial Exhibition: Timeless Clay Future Artifacts
2019 Asher Gallery at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Cups for Y’all Show
2018 Asher Gallery at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Cups for Y’all Show
2015 Anarte Gallery Show 10 Whispers, featuring 10 Emerging Female Artists
2015 Work selected for Public Art Showcase at UTSA Sculpture Building, Permanent exhibition
2014 30th Student Art Exhibition, Juror Jongwon Lee, UTSA Art Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
2014 UTSA New Media Collective Slap and Tickle Show, Blue Star Fine Arts Gallery, San Antonio Texas
2014 San Antonio Art League Collegiate Exhibition, Art League Museum
2014 UTSA New Media Collective Like Symbol, Like Prince, Highwire Art Gallery, San Antonio Texas
2014 University of Texas at San Antonio Bachelor of Fine Arts Show
2011 Northeast Lakeview Spring Student Show, San Antonio, Texas