Rory MacDonald

Rory MacDonald is an Associate Professor of Craft in Ceramics at NSCAD University, located at the Port Campus in Halifax. He holds academic office Port 319 and can be reached via phone at 902 799 1994. His work bridges craft, design, and art, focusing on expanding public engagement with ceramics through material innovation and digital integration.

Education:

• Masters of Fine Arts (MFA), New York State College of Ceramics (NYSCC) at Alfred University (1999)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD, 1997)
• Diploma with Honours, Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD), Ceramics and Printmaking (1996)

Research Interests: His practice explores the intersection of ceramics with public spaces and digital technologies. Central themes include materiality's role in shaping the built environment, labor dynamics in contemporary craft, and creating new audiences through hybrid material-digital forms. He investigates how ceramics can mediate between physical and virtual realms, emphasizing socially engaged art practices.

Exhibitions: Notable shows include Inside and Out (Clay & Glass Museum, 2016), CAFKA Waterloo Public Installation (2016), and Cameleon (Biennale Ceramique Virgina McClure, 2015). These works showcase his exploration of ceramics' public role and material experimentation.

Grants & Advising: No specific grants or advising details were provided in the text. His creative practice focuses on exhibition-based research with an emphasis on collaborative public installations.

Labs/Teams: No dedicated lab or team affiliations were mentioned, though his work involves interdisciplinary collaborations with institutions like the Clay and Glass Museum and Northern Clay Center.