Barbara Sorensen is a nationally recognized sculptor and printmaker best known for her large-scale geological forms in clay, resins and metals. In her work, Sorensen forms hand built structures which are simple and balanced. Sorensen pushes the clay out from within, expanding the shape to emulate the earth’s crust. Highly textured surfaces and hints of gold create an ambiguity in her work suggesting a reference to antiquity.

Moving from her original works in clay, Sorensen has recently focused her energy on large-scale works in metal and resins constructing environmental vessels which focus on human-landscape relationships. Inspired by her travels to the worlds most rugged and remote settings, Sorensen’s simple, yet monumental forms take the viewer on a topographical expedition. She sees the vast landscape as an allegory for life. "Most of my forms relate to the notion of the vessel which I feel represents containers of our spirits as metaphors for our bodies. It teaches me that there is a rhythm to life, an ebb and flow with ourselves and others as we continue to move inward and outward while maintaining a sense of forward momentum."

Educated at the University of Wisconsin, Sorensen has studied art around the world with leading ceramic artists including mentors Peter Voulkos, Paul Soldner and Rudy Autio, who calls Sorensen’s looming forms, balanced ambiguously, challenging gravity in defiance of an uneasy truce with nature...

With studios in Snowmass Village, Colorado and Winter Park, Florida, Sorensen continues her progress as an artist through the study of environment and geological formations through extensive travels and continued explorations.

SELECTED ONE PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2008
Kouros Gallery; New York, N
Elaine Baker Gallery; Boca Raton, FL
2007
Sardella Fine Art; Aspen, C
Millenia Gallery; Orlando, FL
Winter Park City Hall; Winter Park, FL
2004
Duval-Smart Gallery; Aspen, CO
City of Orlando, Leu Gardens; Orlando, FL
2003
Duncan Gallery, Sampson Hall, Stetson University; DeLand, FL
Gulf Coast Museum of Art; Largo, FL
2002
Florida Craftsmen Gallery; St. Petersburg, FL
Museum of Art & Science; Melbourne, FL
2000
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts; San Angelo, TX
1999 Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College; Winter Park, FL
1998
Florida State Capitol; Tallahassee, FL
Atlantic Center for the Arts, Harris House; New Smyrna Beach, FL
1997 Orlando City Hall; Orlando, FL
1994
Albertson Peterson Gallery; Winter Park, FL
Pitkin County Bank; Aspen, CO
1993 Duncan Gallery, Sampson Hall; Stetson University; DeLand, FL

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2009 Mennello Museum of American Art; Orlando, FL
2007 Time Warner Building; New York, NY
Palm Beach3; West Palm Beach, FL
2006 Houston Center for Contemporary Craft; Houston, TX
Epcot Center Walt Disney World; Orlando, FL
2005 Racine Art Museum; Racine, WI
Shidoni Sculpture Gallery; Sante Fe, NM
2004 Aspen Art Museum; Aspen, CO
2003 Susan Duval Gallery; Aspen, CO
2002 Loveed Fine Arts; New York, NY
2001 Loveed Fine Arts; New York, NY
Susan Duval Gallery; Aspen, CO
Anderson Ranch Arts Center; Snowmass Village, CO
1998 John Elder Gallery; New York, NY
1997 Aspen Art Museum; Aspen, CO
1995 Museum of Fine Arts; St. Petersburg, FL
Orlando Museum of Art; Orlando, FL
University of Central Florida; Orlando, FL
1991 1992 Duncan Gallery, Sampson Hall, Stetson University; DeLand, FL

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
American Museum of Ceramic Art; Pomona, CA
Town of Snowmass Village; Snowmass Village, CO
The Little Nell Hotel; Aspen, CO
University of Central Florida; Orlando, FL
Orlando Museum of Art; Orlando, FL
Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College; Winter Park, FL
Everson Museum of Art; Syracuse, NY
Racine Art Museum; Racine, WI
Flint Institute of Arts; Flint, MI
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts; San Angelo, TX
The Newark Museum; Newark, NJ
Florida State Capitol Art Collection; Tallahassee, FL
Orlando Public Art Collection; Orlando, FL
Atlantic Center for the Arts; New Smyrna Beach, FL
Maitland Art Center; Maitland, Florida
Stetson University; DeLand, FL
SunTrust Collection; Orlando, FL
The United Companies; Bristol, TN
The Year of American Craft, The White House Collection; Washington, DC
Snowmass Land Company; Snowmass Village, CO
McGlothlin Collection
Wyly Collection
Shakespeare Theater; Orlando, FL
Neiman Marcus Corporate Collections; Orlando, FL

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS, REVIEWS & ARTICLES
Picturing Florida: From the First Coast to the Space Coast, Fresco Fine Art Publications, 2009, Article & Photographs
Environments, Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, FL, Essay by Barbara Bloemink, MAD, NYC, 2008, Exhibition catalog
Southern Hemispheres, Millenia Gallery, Orlando, FL, Essay by Barbara Bloemink, MAD, NYC, 2007, Exhibition catalog
Finding Balance, Houston Center of Contemporary Craft, Curated by James Surls, 2006, Book, Article & Photographs
Ceramics in the Environment, A &C Black (publishers) Limited, by Janet Mansfield, 2005, Front cover, Article & Photographs
Smashing Glazes, Guild Publishing, 2001, by Susan Peterson, Article & Photograph
Ceramics Art and Perception Magazine, December 2000, Article by Sue Scott, Photographs
The Craft and Art of Clay, 3rd Ed., Overlook Viking Press, 1999, by Susan Peterson, Photographs
Architectural Ceramics for the Studio Potter, Larkin Books, 1999, by Peter King, Back cover, Photographs
American Ceramics Magazine, Fall and Summer 1998, Review by Sue Scott, Photograph
American Style Magazine, August 1998, Article by Sue Scott, Photographs

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE
1989 1999 Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Student of Voulkos, Autio, Reitz, Price, DeStaebler and Soldner; Snowmass Village, CO
1995 Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Visiting Artist in Residence; Snowmass Village, CO
1990 1994 Stetson University, Post Graduate Work in Ceramics with Dan Gundersen; DeLand, FL
1969 University of Wisconsin, BS Degree in Art Education, Student of Don Reitz; Madison, WI