About the Artist -
Kristy Winterbourne
Bio
Originally from Illinois, Kristy Winterbourne’s education and professional background is in 3D studio art. While attending Northern Illinois University, she studied jewelry and metalwork, art history, and ceramics. Along with meeting the requirements of her BFA degree, Kristy operated and maintained the Jewelry/Metal Open Studio, was assistant to a jewelry professor, and apprenticed with an independent jeweler. Any time outside of a jewelry studio was spent in the ceramics department. After graduating, she worked as a professional jeweler for several years in Chicagoland. Looking for a change and wanting to work in a more creative environment, Kristy relocated to Arizona to work with a custom jewelry designer. During this time, Kristy’s love for working in clay never subsided. The local clay collective offered the opportunity to continue her education in working at the potter’s wheel.
After pausing her career as a goldsmith and stonesetter to start a family, followed by a halting pandemic, she decided to enroll in a figurative sculpture class. Kristy soon realized that the desire to sculpt, which had been put aside up until this point, was an achievable reality. Through the pliable aspects of working with clay, her refined training and attention to detail, the artist captures minute detail and expression throughout her work. Over the past 4 years her primary focus has been in the area of figurative ceramics, taking opportunities to grow and learn along the way. Her artwork has been locally and nationally recognized in juried exhibitions.
Artist's Statement
As an emerging artist in the figurative sculpture world, Kristy has found joy, satisfaction, and rewarding challenges in her developing skills and craft. Her current subject matter has direct influences from ancient art history, folklore, mythology of past and present civilizations, as well as human behavior and current social norms. Narrative art can celebrate who we are, recognize monumental moments, invoke deep emotion. It has also had influence in expressing order, defining mores, governing and controlling the masses. The resulting imagery is more than surface value - perhaps the subject’s hidden workings have their own story to tell, not what was told about them. Kristy seeks to inspire broader thought, to look past what is meant to be felt, understood, and abided, she wants to bring the audience a view to the undisclosed sense of self. Through gestures and expressions, as well as influence from the natural world, Kristy explores how narratives are portrayed. It is up to the viewer to come to their own illuminations, to move beyond misconceptions of identity, beliefs, internal dialogues and the resulting impacts. It is the artist’s goal to convey a different and deeper interpretation of what is unseen and that which we hold to be truths.
CV
Education / Continuing Education
Mesa Arts Center - 2021-present, 2013-2014, Mesa, AZ - Various courses in sculpture with Jane Kelsey-Mapel, advanced mold making with Casey Hanrahan, wheel throwing with Jeff Reich, Jesse Armstrong
Romero House Ceramics - 2008-2011, Tucson, AZ - Various wheel and handbuilding courses with Janet Burner, Jim Jones
Revere Academy - 2009, San Francisco, CA - Advanced Micro Pave with Christo Kiffer
Kraftwerks - Precious Metals West - 2008, Los Angeles, CA - Mokume with Chris Ploof, Palladium with Lisa Krikawa, Anticlastic Raising with Michael Good
G.R.S. - 2003, Emporia, KS - Hand engraving with Michael Dubber, Master Engraver
Northern Illinois University - 2005, DeKalb, IL - BFA, 3D Studio Art with Jewelry and Metalwork emphasis; Art History minor; extensive ceramic coursework
Exhibitions
Eye Lounge Contemporary Art Space - 2025 All Eyes on You III, A juried group show in collaboration with Modified Arts, showcasing emerging and established artists based in ArZ & US, Phoenix, AZ
River Oaks Square Arts Center - 2025 11th Dirty South Cup Call, Juror Chris Pate, Alexandria, LA
Mesa Contemporary Art Museum - 2025 46th Annual Contemporary Craft Exhibition, Juror Carol Eckert, The Annual Contemporary Crafts highlights the finest in contemporary crafts from around the country, Mesa, AZ
Found:RE Contemporary Gallery - 2024 Iconic, an open call to artists delving into the rich tapestry of symbols and icons that shape our world, Phoenix, AZ
Clay Center of New Orleans - 2024 Creep Show, Juror Brian Wilkerson, annual juried group exhibition of ceramic works, New Orleans, LA
Horton Art Gallery - 2024 Visions in Clay, Juror Kevin Snipes, 15th annual juried exhibition of sculptural forms and exquisitely decorative functional works, Stockton, CA
Eye Lounge Contemporary Art Space - 2024 All Eyes On You II, A juried group show in collaboration with Modified Arts, showcasing emerging and established artists based in AZ & USA, Phoenix, AZ
23rd Annual Artlink Juried Exhibition - 2023 Annual Juried Exhibition, Jurors CeCe Cole, Julio Morales, Christian Ramirez, a showcase of exceptional work by Arizona artists, Phoenix, AZ
Mesa Community College Student Art Show - 2023 Annual juried exhibition, 2nd Place Juror’s Award, Mesa, AZ
Sparklegasm! - 2014 - Group show featuring jewelry and artwork, curated by Krikawa Custom Jewelers, Tucson, AZ
This is Art - 2005 - Solo exhibition highlighting BFA work, Jack Arends Hall, DeKalb, IL