Anat Shiftan

Anat Shiftan is a Professor Emerita in the Art Department at SUNY New Paltz, specializing in ceramics and critical studies. She holds an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art (1986), MA from Eastern Michigan University (1984), and BA from Hebrew University (1980). Prior to SUNY, she taught at Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem and the University of Michigan, and worked as a designer and production manager at Pewabic Pottery. Her research explores the cultural context of ceramics, nature representation, and historical exchanges in ceramic technology between East and West. She has curated symposiums like Why Clay? and Beyond Hand Made, addressing contemporary art trends.

Shiftan’s creative work focuses on floral and zoological imagery, interrogating humanity’s relationship with nature. Her pieces, often in porcelain and celadon glazes, reinterpret traditional still-life and botanical themes. She has exhibited globally, including at Design Miami/Basel and the Zillman Art Museum. Awards include over a decade of SUNY Research Awards and a UUP Professional Development Award.

Her career includes residencies at the Erfurter Schmucksymposium and Archie Bray Foundation. She is represented by Hostler Burrows Gallery in New York and Los Angeles. Grants include sabbaticals in 2011 and 2019, and funding for creative projects from SUNY and UUP.