Portrait of an Artist

Peter Beasecker strives to create a balance between beauty and use in his pottery. The associate professor of art, who teaches ceramics in Meadows School of the Arts, thinks that someone who uses one of his ceramic pieces is paying the highest form of compliment to his work. He creates ewers (vase-shaped pitchers), teapots, plates, and carriers with the idea that their ultimate places are within a domestic setting -- on a kitchen counter or dining table. "All my work is functional," Beasecker says. "It's very important that people use the work, and that it's accessible for them to use. Something that stimulates the retina and has a role in the tactile world reveals exciting possibilities. Most art is only meant to be looked at." Beasecker, who has taught at SMU since 1992, has received numerous awards, including the Golden Mustang Outstanding Faculty Award in 1997 and a National Endowment for the Arts grant in 1995. His work is included in such collections as the Smithsonian Institution's Renwick Gallery. Beasecker earned his B.S. at Miami University in Ohio and his M.F.A. at Alfred University in New York.

From left: Stacked Bowls 11"x 12", Coffeepot 12"x 11", Carrier 4"x 14"