John Cohorst
Omaha, NE
Biography
John Cohorst, a Midwest-based artist, creates functional and sculptural art objects. He holds a B.F.A. and M.A. with a concentration in functional ceramics from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. Cohorst has held positions as an artist assistant to Jun Kaneko in his Omaha, Nebraska studio. He studied wood-firing techniques with the IWCAT (International Workshop of Ceramic Artists at Tokoname) program in Tokoname, Japan. In 2010, he accepted an artist-in-residence position at the Carbondale Clay Center in Carbondale, Colorado, and was part of the studio collective, Studio for Arts + Works (SAW) in Carbondale. In 2017 he was the visiting artist at the University of Montana, in Missoula, Montana. As an artist at the Artstream Nomadic Gallery, Cohorst has exhibited and taught workshops in universities, art centers, and museums across the United States. In 2019 John returned to Omaha, Nebraska where he currently lives and makes his works.
Artist Statement
I always get the question, “why astronauts?” – my response is always, “there’s a lot of reasons, but to start, they’re funny...”! I use humor to draw the viewer in. I find the astronaut image speaks to people on different levels; for some, it’s scientific or about exploration, while others see a nerdy outsider or a space cadet. People find aspects of themselves in these quirky illustrations and sculptures. I want you to be surprised when you see yourself reflected in the gold luster face shield! I hope that my Astroware pieces uplift, bring a smile to your face, and offer a moment of intimate self-reflection… literally!
