John Rais Studios

John Rais
1063 Mohawk Trail
Shelburne, MA 01370
johnjrais@gmail.com
Phone: 570.228.1029
Education:
1998 MFA, Metalsmithing, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI
BFA, Sculpture, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA
Selected Exhibitions:
2009
rEvolution, Philadelphia Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA
Reaction, St. Louis Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO
2008
Solo Show, Interrupting Sentiment, National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, TN
Solo Show, Mongrels of Art, Dollie Maass Gallery, Purchase College, State University of New York, Purchase, NY
Cranbrook, National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, TN
Inaugural Exhibition, Blue Stone Gallery, Milford, PA
2007
New Steel, National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, TN
Function, The Gallery Project, Ann Arbor, MI
Co-existence, The Surface Library Gallery, East Hampton, NY
2006
Solo Exhibition, Massimo Bizzocchi, New York, NY
Fresh from the Foundry Select works from the Kohler Art Center’s permanent collection, Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, WI
“Bloom” sculpture show, Brookfield Center for Craft, Brookfield, CT
2005
Sculpture in the Garden, invitational outdoor sculpture show, Hawk Mountain, PA
Forms Without Function, Thirteen Moons Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Seven Years of Demonstrators Exhibition, College of Creative Studies, Detroit, MI
Smithsonian Craft Show, Washington D.C.
SOFA Chicago, represented by Thirteen Moons gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2004
Basket Invitational, Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Iron, A New Vocabulary, invitational, Penland Gallery,
Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
Vessels and Basketry, Snyderman-Works Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Sculptural Basketry, 13 Moons Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Smithsonian Craft Show, Washington, D.C.
Delmano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2003
Enhancements, Invitational Exhibits USA, Traveling exhibit to ten museums and galleries.
1/2001 Museum of the Southwest
4/2001 Del Rio Council on the Arts
6/2001 J. Wayne Stark University Galleries, College Station, TX
11/2001 Perspective Gallery, Blacksburg, VA
1/2002 Nora Eccles Harrison Museum, Logan, UT
4/2002 Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA
6/2002 Longmont Museum, Longmont, CO
9/2002 University of Kentucky art Museum, Lexington, KY
11/2002 Milton Hershey School Art Museum, Hershey, PA
1/2003 Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
6/2003 Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, Shawnee, OK
9/2003 Hicks Art Center, Newtown, PA
11/2003 Texarkana Reg Arts and Humanities Council, Texarkana, TX
Contemporary Blacksmithing, Sculptural, Mine Metal Art Gallery, Williamsburg, NYC
S.O.F.A. Chicago “The Teapot Redefined”, represented by Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, MA
Contemporary Baskets, American Art Company, Tacoma, WA
Gallery 500, Elkins Park, PA
Studio Furniture Invitational, Ironwood Gallery. Ridgefield, CT
S.O.F.A. Chicago, Represented by Gallery 500, Elkins Park, PA
Contemporary Baskets, American Art Company, Tacoma, WA
2001
Similar Differences: A Show of Four Object Makers, Artspace Gallery, Richmond, VA
2000
Regional Arts 2000, Marywood University, Scranton, PA
Fourth Annual Outdoor Sculpture Invitational, Clark Gallery, Lincoln, MA
Four Artists From Peters Valley, Sally D. Francesco Gallery, Layton, NJ
Pieces That Serve, J. Cotter Gallery, Vail, CO
1999
Twentieth Century Art Exposition, New York, NY: Represented by Yaw Gallery, Birmingham, MI
Gallery Without Walls, exhibition of prominent NJ artists, Morristown, NJ
The Fork, The Spoon, The Knife, Yaw Gallery, Birmingham, MI * Also exhibited at S.O.F.A. NYC
Critical Mass, invitational show/symposium of contemporary iron art, Sussex County College, NJ
1998
Invitational, Network Gallery, Pontiac, MI
Members Show, Artist/Blacksmiths Association of North America, Asheville, NC
Summer Show Invitational, Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI
In Hand and Home, architectural hardware show, Seattle, WA
Refined Metals Competition, SFA Gallery, SFA University, Nacogdoches, TX
1997
Contemporary Metalsmiths, Young and Constantin Gallery, Wilmington, VT
Conversations, Metal art exhibit and symposium, State University of New York, New Paltz, NY
Blacksmithing Exhibit, Attleboro Art Museum, Attleboro, MA
Professional Experience:
2007- Present
Board of Directors, Society of North American Goldsmiths
Student programs & Services Coordinator. In charge of Student Scholarship Program, Student Assistantships, Portfolio Review, Educators Room, Digital Image Presentation & Show.
1998 - Present
Owner/Operator of John Rais Studios, Shelburne, MA.
2007
Adjunct Professor, Purchase College, Purchase, NY
Masters Class, Applied Design in Steel
2004 – 2007
Senior Lecturer, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Small Scale Steel Working, Fall 2004
Small Scale Steel Working, Fall 2006
Metalsmithing, spring, 2005
2004
Adjunct Professor, State University of New York, New Paltz
Intro to Metalsmithing, Spring
2003
Adjunct Instructor, County College of Sussex, Newton, NJ
3- D Design, fall, 2003
1999
Organizer, Curator, and Master of Ceremonies, Critical Mass, invitational exhibit and symposium of contemporary iron art, Sussex County College, NJ
1997- 2001
Department Head of Blacksmithing, Peters Valley Craft Education Center, Layton, NJ
Recruited instructors and scheduled courses, presented lectures on behalf of the school, participated in various community outreach programs.
Lectures/Workshops:
2007
Peters Valley Craft Education Center, Layton, NJ, 5 day course in sheet metal sculpture SUNY Purchase, Purchase, NY, Artist Lecture series l
2006
University of Wisconsin, Sheboygan, WI, artist lecture.
John Michael Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, WI, artist lecture.
2005
Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor, “Some Assembly Required”.
2004
New England School of Metalworking, Lewiston, ME, Instructor, 5-day course in sculpture.
Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor, 5-day workshop in forged furniture.
Penland School Penland, NC, Instructor, 2 week Iron Studio course in steel hollowware.
2002
Touchstone Center for Crafts, Farmington, PA, Instructor, 5-day sheet- forging workshop.
Pittsburgh Area Blacksmiths Guild, Pittsburgh, PA, Guest Demonstrator.
Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor, 5-day mixed metals forging workshop.
2001
Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor, 5-day iron sculpture workshop.
Berkshire Blacksmiths Association, Montgomery, NY, Guest Demonstrator/Lecturer.
2000
Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor, 3-day blacksmithing workshop.
S.U.N.Y. New Paltz, NY, Guest Demonstrator/ Lecturer, North-East Blacksmiths Association.
Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America International Conference, Flagstaff, AZ, Guest Demonstrator Titanium Forging. Center for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI, Guest Demonstrator/ Lecturer.
1999
Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ, Instructor, 6-day contemporary hardware workshop.
Millersville University, Millersville, PA, Demonstrator/ Lecturer.
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, Guest Demonstrator/ Lecturer, 2-day visiting artist, fine arts department.
Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA, Guest Lecturer.
Critical Mass Iron Symposium, Newton, NJ, Guest lecturer, organizer and master of ceremonies.
1997
Center for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI. Guest Lecturer.
Awards:
2007 Residency, Applied Design in Sculpture Department, Purchase College, Purchase, NY
2007 Finalist, Niche Magazine Awards, Metal
2006 Residency, John Michael Kohler Art Center, Kohler, WI
2004 Artists Choice Award, Smithsonian Craft Show, Washington, D.C.
2002 Best Metals Design, Philadelphia Furniture and Furnishings Show, Philadelphia, PA
1998 Residency at Peters Valley Craft Center, Layton, NJ
1997 Albert and Peggy DeSalle Merit Award
1996 Albert and Peggy DeSalle Merit Award
1995 Pace Gallery Award
Publications:
2007 Our House Magazine, August, featured artist
2006 Niche Magazine, December, featured metal artist
2005 Philadelphia Magazine, Fall, featured metal artist
2004 American Craft Magazine, August/September, Commissions section
2004 Philadelphia Magazine, August, feature article on the artist’s fire screens
2003 Metalsmith Magazine, Winter, Practical Matter; Contemporary Metal Furniture
2002 Metalsmith Magazine, Juried Exhibition in Print issue
2002 Ritz Carlton Magazine, Summer
2002 Metalsmith Magazine, Commissions section, Winter
2001 Skylands Visitor Magazine, Northwest NJ artists’ section, January
2001 American Craft Magazine, Gallery section, June/July
2001 Departures Magazine, Black Book section, January
2001 Anvil Magazine, *feature interview, January
2000 Metalsmith Magazine, gallery review section, Winter
1999 American Craft Magazine, Portfolios section, January
1997 Anvils Ring Magazine, showcase section, Winter
1996 Anvils Ring Magazine, showcase section, Fall
Books/Documentary:
2003 Maker Profile John Rais, Contemporary Makers series DVD Graham Eccles, Odyssey DVD Great Britain aprox. 48 minutes
2002 Architectural Ironwork by Dona Z. Meilach, 2001 Schiffer Publishing, page 28
2001 Fireplace Accessories by Dona Z. Meilach, 2002, Schiffer Publishing, pp. 42, 69, 219, 242
2005 Art of the Tea Pot by Dona Meilach, Schiffer Publishing
2007 500 Metal Vessels, Lark Books, Sterling Publishing, pp. 25, 318
2008 500 Enameled Objects, Lark Books, Sterling Publishing, due out late 2008
2008 Art Metal, by Matthew Clarke, Schiffer Publishing, due out Fall 2008
Download pdf version Here