Artist Bio:
I am a native Iowan and a 1987 graduate of the University of Iowa. My interest in art began during my childhood, when I would often spend my free time painting and drawing. My focus did not center on clay until 1985, when my I took my first course at the University of Iowa Ceramics Department. I soon became fascinated with the malleable properties of clay, and the sculptural possibilities inherent in the medium. Though I was majoring in psychology, rather than art, my newfound interest propelled me to complete all four semesters of undergraduate studio ceramics.
Throughout my adult life, I have continued to experiment and create with clay, and for well over a decade I have exhibited my ceramic sculptures in numerous galleries and other venues. My work has been included in both regional and national juried exhibitions, and has won several awards. Most recently, my ceramics have been in the Biennial Juried Exhibition at the Dubuque Museum of Art, in Dubuque, IA, and in the National Juried Ceramics Exhibition: Vase Forms, at the Arts Alliance of Georgia, in Woodstock, GA.
“Elizabeth Shriver’s ceramic sculptures resemble natural entities, such as coral or seeds, blown up in scale. Re-imagining tiny forms as three-foot-tall sculptures encourages us to get lost in the detail, texture, and subtle symmetry of the organic.”
BY MICHELLE GARRISON
APRIL 05, 2012
The River Cities Reader
“Shriver has recreated a coral reef within the gallery space with her ceramic creations inspired by undersea life. They have muted colors but the shapes are remarkably realistic.”
BY MICHAEL LOGUIDICE
NOVEMBER 23, 2004
The River Cities Reader
“Her works transcend the ceramic media. The first thing you notice is the shape and form of her ceramic sculpture, not what the object is made of. Her works are very pleasing to view.”
“I recommend that anyone working in ceramics view her work just to get some ideas and compositional techniques. The rest of us can benefit from the beauty that each work creates.”
BY MICHAEL LOGUIDICE
DECEMBER 23, 2002
The River Cities Reader