Born on federal property in North Carolina, Eric Thayer has lived in multiple states over his lifetime; Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, New York and several others.  This itinerant lifestyle has exposed him to a broad swath of social and cultural systems.  He is curious about how such systems manifest themselves in objects, behaviors and spaces, and how this synthesis structures meanings for individuals and communities.  He prefers tactics of intervention, noisemaking and appropriation in response to observations of power, collaboration, rituals and social norms.  Often, he positions his body in relation to these structures.  Sometimes, he absorbs onlookers into the process of creation.  Once incorporated, audience members become co-authors of the work, transcending the boundary between producers and consumers of art and culture. 

 

His creative oeuvre is diverse, bridging the divides (real or constructed) among performance, ceramics, sculpture, digital media, sound and beyond.  He has recently exhibited at the Experimental Action International Performance Art Festival in Houston, Texas; The Body:  An International Exhibition and Documentary at the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art in Gimpo, South Korea; and the 2019 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, presented by FringeArts. 

 

He is an alumni of the University of Toledo (BFA, BA) Center for Visual Arts, and of the Kathrine McGovern College of the Arts at the University of Houston (MFA).  While studying in Houston, he was twice awarded the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Scholarship for Interdisciplinary Study for the pursuit and development of innovative creative research.  Mr. Thayer was also appointed as a Teaching Fellow for the University, teaching undergraduate courses in sculpture and performance art alongside his coursework and research.  He has since taught at San Jacinto College and Lone Star College.  He currently teaches for Dallas College, sharing his enthusiasm for experimentation and creation with his students.

 

Outside of the studio, Eric can be found hiking, biking, kayaking, and generally enjoying the outdoors.  He currently lives in Dallas, Texas, where he continues to respond to the behaviors and systems he observes.

​

​

​

CV

​

​

 

​

  

Education
 
Workshop - Penland School of Craft - Penland, NC

Playing with Paperclay - Shiyuan Xu, Instructor

​

Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art - Interdisciplinary Practices
Kathrine McGovern College of the Arts - University of Houston, Houston, TX
 
Workshop - Alabama Song - Houston, TX
Creative Activism - Performance Workshop with Liberate Tate

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art - Ceramics/Sculpture
University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
   
Bachelor of Arts in Art History
University of Toledo, Toledo, OH

Workshop - Penland School of Craft -Penland, NC
Sculptural Bowls, Interior Spaces - Jerilyn Virden, Instructor

Workshop - Penland School of Craft - Penland, NC
Raku Ceramics: New Approaches and Processes - Jim Romberg, Instructor

Other Coursework
Houston Center for Photography - Houston, TX
Columbus State Community College - Columbus, OH
Marymount University - Arlington, VA


Solo & Small Group Exhibitions

2018
The Body:  An International Exhibition and Documentary - Czong Institute for Contemporary Art - Gimpo, South Korea
 

2017    
Communiqué - Third Space - Houston, TX
Sight Unscene - FLATS Presents - Houston, TX
Layout - College of the Mainland - Texas City, TX

2016
Not Like The Other:  A Performance Art Event on Instagram - Houston, TX
Common Space - Third Space - Houston, TX    
INPUT - Third Space - Houston, TX
The Mobile Pixel - Third Space - Houston, TX

2015
Land Grab - Third Space - Houston, TX

2014
Buy Low, Sell High - Oglesby Union Gallery - Florida State University - Tallahassee, FL

2013
Sights and Sounds:  Resident Artist Exhibition - The Post Contemporary - Troy, NY

2010
….and now for something completely different - Artworks Gallery - Erie, PA
New Work - Chentini Gallery - Chagrin Falls, OH

2008
Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition - CVA Gallery - University of Toledo - Toledo, OH


Group Exhibitions

2024
HYPERLOCAL IV (upcoming) - The Cedars Union - Dallas TX
2024 Cedars Union Member Exhibition (upcoming) - Arts Fort Worth - Fort Worth TX
The Village:  2024 Faculty Exhibition - Dallas College - Dallas TX

2023
By Example:  2023 Faculty Exhibition - Dallas College - Dallas TX

 

2021

2021 Faculty Exhibition - Mary Mattison-Parrish Gallery - Lone Star College-Montgomery - Conroe, TX

​

2019
Art in Action: Teaching Artists Exhibition - Main Line Art Center - Haverford, PA
Luck of the Draw - Diverseworks - Houston, TX

2017
39th Annual Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition - Blaffer Art Museum - Houston, TX
Luck of the Draw - DIverseworks - Houston, TX

2016
SUMMERSESSIONS - Third Space - Houston, TX
Horizon: Contemporary Landscape - Community Arts Center - Danville, KY
34th Annual Member Exhibition - Houston Center for Photography - Houston, TX
Where Language Meets Art - Underwood Center for the Arts - Lubbock, TX
ImageOHIO16 - ROYGBIV Gallery & Fort Hayes Shot Tower Gallery - Columbus, OH

2015
SITE Houston - Site Gallery Houston - Houston, TX
The Big Show - Lawndale Art Center - Houston, TX

2013
Artists of Summer - 1020Art - Tallahassee, FL

2011
88th Annual Spring Show - Erie Art Museum - Erie, PA
First Class:  Work from Erie Art Museum Students and Teachers - Erie Art Museum - Erie, PA

2010
87th Annual Spring Show - Erie Art Museum - Erie, PA


Performances

2019
Give Your Heart - Philadelphia Fringe Festival - Philadelphia, PA

2017
The Groom - Experimental Action International Performance Art Festival - Houston, TX

2016
Elegy - Outdoor performance under Texas State Highway 288 - Houston, TX
Sous la Contrainte - Outdoor Performance in the Chihuahua Desert - Marfa, TX

2015
Areas For Action - Collaborative Performance series with Oliver Herring - DiverseWorks - Houston, TX

2013
Walkin’ the Beat - Outdoor Performance at Congress Park - Saratoga Springs, NY
Mobile Phone - Outdoor Performance at Railroad Square Art Park - Tallahassee, FL


Pedagogy

2022-current
Professor of Art and Design - Dallas College - Dallas, TX
ARTS1301 - Art Appreciation

ARTS1312 - Design II (3D)

ARTS2311 - Design III (Color)

ARTS2346 - Ceramics I
ARTS2347- Ceramics II

2020-2022
Adjunct Faculty - Lone Star College System; The Woodlands, TX
ARTS1301 - Art Appreciation

ARTS1311 - 2D Design

ARTS1316 - Drawing I

2021-2022
Adjunct Faculty - San Jacinto College District; Houston, TX
ARTS1301 - Art Appreciation

2020
Art Instructor - Art League Houston; Houston, TX
Experimental Processes in 2D Media (online)

2018-2020
Teaching Artist - Main Line Art Center; Haverford, PA
Discovering Pottery
Fundamentals of Pottery
Thrown and Handbuilt Tableware
 

2016-2017        
Teaching Fellow - University of Houston; Houston, TX
ART1360 - Fundamentals of Sculpture
ART3397 - Select Topics in Fine Art: Performance and Participatory Art

2014-2016
Instructional Assistant - University of Houston; Houston, TX

ARTH1310 - Art and our Visual Culture
ARTH1380 - Art and Society:  Prehistoric to Gothic
ARTH1381 - Art and Society:  Renaissance to Modern

2013-2014
Teaching Artist - Oglesby Union Art Center; Florida State University; Tallahassee, FL
Wheel Thrown Ceramics
Handbuilding Ceramics
 

2012     
Workshop Instructor - Lemoyne Center for the Visual Arts; Tallahassee, FL
The Science of Ceramics

2009-2011
Ceramics Instructor - Erie Art Museum; Erie, PA
Beginning Ceramics
Advanced Ceramics
Clay for Kids


Lectures/Presentations

2017
Artist Talk:  39th Annual MFA Thesis Exhibition - Blaffer Art Museum - Houston, TX
Guest Artist Lecture - College of the Mainland - Texas City, TX
Text and the Avant-Garde - University of Houston - Houston, TX

2016
Artist Talk:  34th Annual Member’s Exhibition - Houston Center for Photography - Houston, TX

2015
Artist Talk:  The Big Slide Show - Lawndale Art Center - Houston, TX

2014
Art in the Social Sphere: Concept and Context - Oglesby Union Gallery - Tallahassee, FL

 

Scholarships and Fellowships

​

2022

Rising Star Institute Fellowship - Lone Star College System - The Woodlands, TX

​

2016-2017

Graduate Teaching Fellowship - University of Houston - Houston, TX

 

2014 & 2016

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Scholarship for Interdisciplinary Studies - University of Houston - Houston, TX

 

2013

Merit Fellowship - Summer Residency Program - The Post Contemporary  (formerly Contemporary Arts Center Woodside) - Troy, NY

 

2008

Edith Franklin Pottery Scholarship - Toledo Community Foundation, Toledo, OH  

 

2007

W. Sinclair Walbridge Art History Scholarship - University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 

Work Study Scholarship - Penland School of Crafts - Penland, NC

 

 

Grants, Residencies and Awards

​

​

2023-2024

Cohort 4 Studio Artist - The Cedars Union - Dallas TX

​

2020

Luminous Bodies - Programmed Residency with Teresa Ascencao - Artscape Gibraltar Point - Toronto, ON - CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19

 

2019

Fringe Festival Artist Honorarium - Fairmount Park Conservancy - Philadelphia, PA

 

2017

Cullen Fellowship Travel Grant - University of Houston Graduate School - Houston, TX

Guest Artist Honorarium - College of the Mainland - Texas City, TX

 

2016

Artist Support Grant - TX/RX Labs - Houston, TX

 

2015

SITE Houston Artist Award - SITE Gallery Houston - Houston, TX

 

2013

Artist-in-Residence - Summer Residency Program - The Post Contemporary (formerly Contemporary Arts Center Woodside) - Troy, NY

 

2011

Juror’s Honorable Mention - 88th Annual Spring Show - Erie Art Museum - Erie, PA

​

​

​

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​