Cary Esser
Kansas City, Missouri

A member of the Kansas City Art Institute since 1996, Cary Esser, professor and chair of the ceramics department, specializes in architectural applications of ceramics such as tiles, wall reliefs and installations informed by the traditions and motifs of architectural ornament.

Esser has completed several large public art commissions of ceramic murals in North Carolina and Maryland. She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions, curated others, and presented lectures and workshops at both art and craft centers throughout the U.S.

"My interest is to combine the ancient traditions of architectural ornament and tile with my contemporary perceptions of the natural world. Plants and animals, botanical and zoological illustrations, maps and diagrams are important influences. Through drawing and then carving these forms in clay, I search for a personal language spoken through the history of terra cotta and architectural decoration."

You may contact the artist at cesser@kcai.edu