(b. 1951)

Born and raised in New York, Arlene Shechet attended New York University, earning her BA, and received her Master’s in Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design. Shechet’s experimental art forms have changed the conversation with traditional clay methods. She incorporates new skeletal compositions to help support her innovative ceramic shapes. One of her objectives is to move away from vessel forms and expand the possibilities and discussion clay can create.

Shechet has been selected for two very renown residencies. From 2012-2013, she participated at Germany’s Meissen Porcelain Manufactory residency program and gain experience with porcelain. In addition to her education over seas, she was selected as 2017 Arts/Industry residency at the John Michael Kohler Art Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. After both experiences, she was able to explore the use of porcelain through creative and industrial techniques and began using it outdoors due to its resilience to the elements.  Along with other grants and collaborations, she was able to expand her expertise with ceramic and incorporate other materials, such as steel, wood, tiles, and cast resin. She’s expanded her audiences from museum and gallery visitors to outdoor installations such as Madison Square Park in NYC and Sculpture Milwaukee in Wisconsin. She has won a variety of awards for her artwork including 2016 CAA Artist Award for Distinguished Body of Work; John S. Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship Award, 2004; Anonymous Was a Woman Artist Award; and the Joan Mitchell Painters and Sculptors Grant, 2010; as well as several New York Foundation for the Arts awards.

KFI worked closely with the Museum of Arts and Design (NYC) to acquire “Rocker” by Arlene Shechet. Linda Nieuwenhuizen of Give Me A Break Conservation Services conserved the piece.  The sculpture titled Rocker was gifted to Museum of Arts and Design in 2019. KFI is excited to be working with Shechet and more of her unique pieces in the future.