Brian Kakas
Professor
BFA University of Montana, MFA University of Notre Dame
Brian Kakas, an Assistant Professor of Ceramics at Northern Michigan University, earned his MFA in ceramics from the University of Notre Dame in 2007, with a focus on large-scale mold-making techniques for ceramic vessels. He also holds a BFA from the University of Montana.
Kakas has an extensive exhibition record, with numerous solo and group shows across the United States, including at NCECA. In 2009, he was awarded the Silver Prize at the 5th Korean World Ceramic Biennale in South Korea. His international experience also includes teaching and assisting workshops at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and the Australian National University.
His international projects are varied and significant. In 2009, he participated in the All-China Wood Fire Festival, where he built and fired sculptures at HAP Studios in Beijing. He was also a full-time resident artist at the FuLe International Ceramic Art Museums in China in 2010, where he consulted on the fabrication of new resident artist studios and kilns. In 2011, he was a resident artist and workshop instructor at the Gaya Ceramic Art Center in Bali, Indonesia.
More recently, Kakas has continued to exhibit his work on a global scale. He was a demonstrator at the 45th National Council on Education on the Ceramic Arts Conference in Tampa Bay, Florida, and a resident artist at the LH Project in Oregon. His work has been featured in major international exhibitions, including the 1st Kaolin Grand Prix for International Ceramic Arts Exhibition in China, the Cluj International Biennale in Romania, and the 3rd Jakarta International Ceramics Biennale in Indonesia.
EMAIL: bkakas@nmu.edu
WEBSITE: briankakas.com
