BOBBY SCROGGINS
Associate ProfessorRoom 231, Reynolds Building #1
Phone: 859/257-5371
Email: rlscrol@uky.edu
Education: Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville - M.F.A
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My artistic career has spanned a period of over thirty years. Such a proclamation would normally be made by a person many years my senior. The fact is that at a very young age I became involved in a pursuit of the lofty goal of becoming highly skilled, and famous sculptor...A creator of rare, beautiful, and thought provoking objects...An innovator. Over the years some parts of that dream have been realized. Needless to say, others are still in the balance. Although my work continues to evolve in new directions I still find it necessary to re-visit styles, techniques, and ideas from the past. Of course, this means that for me, a series of work is never completed. Every time I return to a previous style or technique I address it with a greater degree of experience and maturity.
On several occasions throughout my career I have been in pursuit of a specific objective; only to serendipitously discover something else of far greater value. One day I happened across The 30th Chapter of Exodus in The Old Testament, which mentions a sculptor by the name of Bezalel who was endowed with the ability to create wondrous objects of art and craft. It is written that he was, "Filled with the spirit of God".
Wow! After all those years of searching I finally came to the humbling understanding that in spite of those egotistical beliefs in my own ingenuity, there is one fact that holds true. That is, all good ideas are divinely inspired. This revelation has transformed my life's work into a ministry of sorts... A way of thinking that is hopefully abandoning vain attempts at self-aggrandizement, but understands the principles of business and commerce. A way of working that requires the formulation and achievement of substantial goals but also allows me to recognize, and perhaps respond creatively to those unexpected occurrences that the unenlightened call, "Accidents". A way of sharing that clears paths and opens doors to young artists with similar dreams. A way of seeing and discerning that comprehends the ways and trends of the world but requires that I stay in touch with that "still small voice within". A way of living that, like my art, can bear my signature without bearing my name.
Bobby Scroggins was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri where he began his artistic career. At a very young age he developed a strong interest in the visual arts and began to develop very special skills as a sculptor and painter. His serious involvement in these two fields resulted in several commissions and sales in numerous midwestern galleries. While still in his teens he was the recipient of both regional and national awards. Scroggins studied sculpture and ceramics at The Kansas City Art Institute where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1976. While a student there he was commissioned to create The Leon M. Jordan Monument in Kansas City. This was the first public monument to be erected to an African American leader in the state of Missouri. It was also the first public monument to be constructed by an African American artist in that state. He later received a Master of Fine Arts Degree in the field of sculpture from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 1980 where he was a University and Ford Foundation Fellow. Since then he has received several public commissions and his works have received numerous awards such as first place purchase award in The Atlanta Life Insurance Company's National Art Competition. Scroggins' ceramic vessels and mixed media sculptures have been featured in exhibitions throughout the United States. In 1990 he joined the art department at The University of Kentucky as head of Ceramics, and has been an associate professor since 1996. From 1993-95 Scroggins served as Director-at-Large for The National Council on Education for The Ceramic Arts. He has served on the visual art faculty of the Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts for the past seven years; two of which were spent as chairman of the visual art division. In 2003 and 2004 he served as chairman of the ceramics and sculpture pilot programs at The Northwest Academy of the Arts in Donegal, Northern Ireland and Derry, Northern Ireland. His mediaramic sculptures have been featured books such as the fourth edition of The Craft and Art of Clay, and Contemporary Ceramics by Susan Peterson, The later book is a recently published international survey of the most outstanding ceramic art from all over the world produced in the last few years. Most recently three of his works were selected for inclusion in, "Shades of Clay", a traveling exhibition that will be shown at several major museums throughout The United States.