Ben is the Education Co-coordinator at the Lawrence Arts Center. He holds a BFA in Ceramics from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and an MFA in Ceramics from Ohio University. Ben grew up in Granite City, Illinois and began his interest in art in high school where he received numerous awards. His passion for ceramic art developed in his undergraduate schooling. As a young artist, he had many unique opportunities to work with and fire kilns with many established artists around the country. As an artist, Ben’s figurative ceramic sculpture has been shown in various solo and group exhibitions around the nation. Recently, his work was exhibited in Chattanooga, Baltimore and Portland; Jingdezen, China; London, England and Barcelona, Spain. Complimenting his busy exhibition schedule, Ben has given presentations on his work both at the Art Institute of Chicago and at Ohio University.