Tyler Resident and UT Tyler Alum Recognized by National Art Publication

May 7, 2024 | Hannah Buchanan

Jessica Sanders of Tyler, an alumna of The University of Texas at Tyler, was one of 21 artists selected as a 2024 Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly Magazine from 840 applicants. She serves as an adjunct instructor in the UT Tyler Department of Art and Art History.

“We are incredibly proud of Jessica and all she has accomplished. She is well deserving of this
honor,” said Merrie Wright, UT Tyler professor and department chair.

Sanders is featured in the May 2024 issue of the magazine, ceramicartsnetwork.org/ceramicsmonthly/. The group of artists “demonstrates exceptional skill, creativity and dedication to their chosen areas of interest,” according to the editors’ note on the website. “They stretch the limits of ceramic practices and materials to create poignant sculptural objects and functional vessels.”

Sanders’ work is created of ceramic pieces that are wired together to create flexible sculptures. Her
recent shows include a solo exhibition at Kilgore College, “Out of the Fire” at Love Texas Art in Fort
Worth and “Patterned Rituals” at Janette Kennedy Galley in Dallas.

Sanders joined the UT Tyler art adjunct faculty in 2020. A current member at InBetween Studios in
Tyler, she also is part of a four-woman ceramic art collective called The ASGs. She holds a Bachelor
of Fine Arts, Master of Fine Arts and Master of Arts from UT Tyler.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT
Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 10,000 students.
Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has
unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent
patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World
Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.