Nicolas DarcourtFaculty

After growing up in Appleton, Wisconsin, Nicolas Darcourt received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Northern Michigan University, and in 2006, his Master of Fine Arts from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.  He has enjoyed being a resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts from 2007 to 2009. His ceramic work has been shown both nationally and internationally, and belongs to a number of private collections.  In 2016 Nicolas received a McKnight Artist Fellowship and is a recent recipient of a Minnesota State Arts Board, Artist Initiative Grant. He has also taught the media of ceramics at Minnesota State University Moorhead and at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Regis Center for Art.

Brief Artist Statement:
My work combines multiple clay parts, which reference a mix of architectural ornament, exposed layers of earth, engineered forms, discarded byproduct and fragmented industrial parts; fired into sculptural forms.  By building in a manner which creates the appearance of constant dismantling and reorganizing, structure and improvisation, my goal is to suspend perception and recognition.  These abstract sculptural accumulations attempt to express a non-linear progression of time and society.

Courses Taught