Past: ‘Mindful Construct’ Opens Oct. 2 at Catapult

“Mindful Construct,” an exhibition of ceramics and sculptural works by John Oles, will be on display through Nov. 13 at Southeast Missouri State University’s Catapult Creative House.

Oles is an assistant professor of ceramics at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. He was born in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in ceramics from the University of Massachusetts and a Master of Fine Arts from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Oles has lectured and taught visiting artist workshops at many prominent ceramics programs around the country, including Hartwick College, Louisiana Tech University, Texas Women’s University and Harvard University.

“In my vessels and functional forms, I honor the tradition and familiarity of the domestic object with its ability to enrich our lives through daily use and as a vehicle for communicating content,” Oles said. “I approach each pot as an individual sculptural object, often with reference to landscape or the human figure.”

“Mindful Construct” opens Friday, Oct. 2 from 5-9 p.m. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Visitors are welcome to tour the entire Catapult facilities including the Southeast Missouri State University Department of Art and Design students’ studios upstairs, which will feature photographs by Southeast student artists Kelly Downes. Visitors are also invited to browse the merchandise in the Shoppe, which features student work and local business products.

Face coverings will be required, and social distancing guidelines will be in place.

Catapult Creative House is located at 612 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. All gallery exhibitions, events and talks are free and open to the public. For more information contact Leah Powers at lepowers@semo.edu or (573) 651-2742.