Biography

Jim Bowling is a sculptor living and working in Columbus, Ohio. Focusing on contemporary expressions of the male form, he primarily works in clay but frequently incorporates found objects into his work. In addition to his studio practice, he is a Professor of Art at Otterbein University’s Department of Art and Art History, teaching in the areas of ceramics, sculpture and 3D design.  Jim received a BS from The Ohio State University where he also pursued post-baccalaureate studies in ceramics. He received an MFA in ceramics from Kent State University.

As a contemporary ceramic sculptor, Jim is rooted in the material and craft traditions of ceramics, using these techniques to explore concepts related to the construction of personal identity from disparate life experiences. He often uses spiritual, sexual, and political themes, peppered with a slightly twisted sense of humor, to explore identity through the male nude. Jim creates unexpected textures and surface patterns in his forms to underscore and express the narratives of each work. He is influenced and inspired by the ceramic artists of the California Funk Art movement, and Surrealist ideology.

Jim’s work has exhibited regionally, nationally, and internationally, with exhibitions including the San Angelo National Ceramics Competition, and at CRETA Rome both as an artist-in-residence and as part of Rome Art Week (RAW). His work is in several private collections as well as the Massillon Museum in Massillon, OH. Jim is a member of the National Council on Education in Ceramic Arts and serves as a board member for Ohio Designer Craftsman.