Thomas Lowell Edwards
Thomas Lowell (TJ) Edwards was born in Northern Utah. He was introduced to ceramics in high school and became enamored immediately. Upon graduation, he moved to Marble, Colorado, where he was an apprentice to Thanos A. Johnson, Professor Emeritus at the College of Marin. TJ maintained this position for two years before beginning his collegiate studies at Utah State University. In 2003, TJ transferred to Tennessee Tech University (TTU) to study at the Appalachian Center for Craft. He finished his BFA with an emphasis in ceramics at TTU in 2008. TJ accepted a position managing the ceramics and sculpture studios at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, and received a Windgate Fellowship to travel to Jingdezhen, China as a resident artist in 2009. The following year he was awarded the Baden-Württemberg Stipend for Vocational Qualified People to intern with a studio potter in Mörsingen, Germany.
It was after this experience that TJ decided to apply for graduate school and was accepted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Here he has been awarded a Centennial Fellowship, an Edgren Fellowship, a Peterson Fellowship, and a Hixson-Lied Fellowship. In addition to these awards, he has been awarded four Hixson-Lied Creative Presentation scholarships to display his artwork in prestigious exhibitions such as: Not-a-Pot, in St. Petersberg, Russia, and Ceramic Top 40 | 2013 in Kansas City, MO. TJ was also awarded a Hixson-Lied Travel Grant to participate as a Resident Artist at A.I.R. Vallauris, in Vallauris, France in the summer of 2013.
In addition to his practice as a sculptural artist, TJ works closely with chefs from restaurants to produce unique wares that showcase specialties. His works are both elegant and durable.
TJ lives and works in Charles City, Virginia, a rural community located between Richmond and Williamsburg. His studio is surrounded by mountain laurel and a creek, where he sometimes sits and contemplates the next project.
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Thomas Lowell Edwards 