Neil Celani
Neil Celani
Neil Celani is a ceramic artist hailing from colorful Colorado but has put down roots in Lincoln, NE to begin his life as a professional studio artist. He started his passion for working with clay as a child taking pottery classes with his mom. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Colorado and MFA from University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Neil has participated in national invitational exhibitions including the Ohio Crafts Museum and the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities and was selected as a Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artist in 2016. He has contributed writing on his expertise in soda firing to published technical ceramics books. When not in the studio, Neil fills his time listening (dancing) to vinyl records, hiking with the dog, taking long bike rides, and traveling the globe in search of new experiences. Pottery is at the center of Neil’s work which is highly influenced by ancient ceramic history, he uses wit and humor as a means to playfully comment on contemporary American culture while using formal pottery language to make timeless objects of beauty.
Celani’s work explores the notion of occasion and utility within the framework of communal objects, offering vessels and effigies. His inspirations and references are rooted in ancient art history of the Americas and our world of geologic and biologic wonder. Neil is interested in developing a dialogue between the ancient past and personal experiences living in the modern world. Exploring this relationship through the lens of his ceramic work facilitates connections to the past, revealing universal truths about culture and humanity. Community. Tradition. Ritual. Ceremony. These truths are woven into culture, and objects are made to bring a sense of beauty to communal occasion. He uses his work as a means to tap into the primal spirit of life that is perhaps shared with ancient ancestors, a collective consciousness that facilitates meaningful connections with his audience.
