Molly Allen
Teaching Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Art
Gallery Director and Summer Art Workshops Coordinator
University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe
Education
2019 Masters of Fine Art in Ceramics at Ohio University, Athens, OH
2016 Post-Baccalaureate in Ceramics University of Montana Missoula, MT
2014 Bachelor of Fine Art in Ceramics & New Genres, Valedictorian Sierra Nevada College Incline Village, NV
2012 Summer Study Abroad in Taiwan, Tainan National University of the Arts Taiwan
Solo Exhibitions
2026 (Forthcoming) Palace Gallery Ellensburg, WA
2025 Soft Walls, Deep Water Capital City Arts Initiative Court House Gallery Carson City, NV
2020 Dull Orange the Frontier Space Online Exhibition Missoula, MT
2019 Adrift MFA Thesis Exhibition Seigfred Gallery Ohio University Athens OH
2018 Misplaced Bunker Center for the Arts Kansas City, MO
2016 The Blue of the Distance the Off -Center Gallery University of Montana, Missoula, MT
2015 Hypnagogia: In-Between Perspectives on Design Award, Tahoe Gallery Incline Village, NV
2013 The Ontology of Blue BFA Exhibition Tahoe Gallery Incline Village, NV
Selected Group, Invitational and Juried Exhibitions
2025 Clothesline Student Galleries South University of Nevada, Reno Reno, NV
2025 Torn by Light Triennial Faculty Art Exhibition The Sheppard Contemporary at University of Nevada, Reno, Reno NV
2024 Off Center, International Ceramics Competition, Blue Line Arts, Roseville, CA
2023 Have Your Cake and Eat it Too The Melhop Gallery, South Lake, CA
2023 Alkali Syllabi, The Sheppard Contemporary, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV
2022 Thinking Through Animals, The Canton Museum Cincinnati, OH
2022 Summer Visiting Artists Exhibition, Tahoe Gallery Incline Village, NV
2022 Whatcha Got Cooking The Depot Gallery, Sparks, NV
2022 Fluxed Ceramic Alumni & Faculty Exhibition Tahoe Gallery Incline Village, NV
2021 Diagonally Adjacent Faculty and Staff Exhibition, The Reference Gallery, Incline Village, NV
2021 Echo Echo Pottery Northwest NCECA Exhibition Seattle, WA
2020 Open Studios Walter Phillips Gallery The Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity Banff, AB, Canada
2019 Between the Coasts Chalmers Hall Gallery Kansas University Lawrence, KS
2019 Look Again The White Brick Gallery Ferndale, MI
2019 NCECA National Juried Student Exhibition Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN
2018 PSZ Clay Center The All Ohio Contemporary Ceramics Biennial Zanesville, OH
2018 Transplanted MFA + Exhibition Online Juried by University of Montana MFA Students
2018 NCECA National Student Juried Exhibition Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Pittsburgh, PA
2018 NCECA Graduate Container Exhibition Standard Ceramics Pittsburgh, PA
2017 Un-Wedged Juried by Patti Warashina Pottery Northwest, WA
2017 The Majestic National Juried Exhibition, Majestic Gallery, Nelsonville, OH
2017 Szia es Hello Kis Kapolna Galeria Kecskemét, Hungary
2017 Create New MFA + Online Exhibition Juried by University of Montana MFA Students
2016 Colloquy Shot Tower Gallery Columbus, OH
2016 From There to Here Graduate Exhibition, Trisolini Gallery, Athens, OH
2016 Off Topic Greer Museum Rio Grande University Rio Grande, OH
2016 NCECA National Student Juried Exhibition the Leedy-Volkos Art Center, Kansas City, MO
2015 21st Annual Juried Exhibition Juried by Ann Frostad University of Montana Missoula, MT
2015 Un-Wedged Juried by Richard Notkin Pottery Northwest, WA
2015 MFA/Post Baccalaureate Exhibition at the Clay Studio of Missoula, MT
2015 California Clay Competition Juried by Jean Van Keuren the Artery Davis, CA
2015 Artist-In-Residence Exit Show, Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino, CA
2015 Nexus Juried Exhibition Odd Fellows Gallery Mendocino, CA
2014 Of Veins and Vectors Group Exhibition at CCACA Davis, CA
2014 Identity Garage Door Gallery, Sierra Nevada College, Incline Village, NV
2014 Status Change Sierra Nevada College Faculty/Alumni Exhibition Reno Art Works Reno, NV
2013 Grants to Artists Group Exhibition, Reno, NV
2013 Student Juried Exhibition Juried by Ann Beck Sierra Nevada College, Incline Village, NV
2013 Put Together Group Exhibition at CCACA Davis, CA
2013 Surrounded by What it is Not Group Exhibition in The Streamline Gallery Davis, CA
2013 Keep Us Posted Juried by Ben Parks The Wedge Ceramics Studio, Reno, NV
2013 NCECA National Student Juried Exhibition Glassell School of Art Museum of Fine Arts Houston, TX
2012 California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Arts Student Exhibition Davis, CA
2012 Student Juried Exhibition Juried by David Horvitz Incline Village, NV
2012 Whether or Not NCECA Installation Juried by Charles Bigger Pier 62/63 Seattle, WA
2011 Student, Alumni, Faculty Exhibition, Hobson Gallery (Juried by Barbra Laukat) Reno, NV
2011 Sierra Nevada College Student Juried Exhibition (Juried by Seth Curio) Incline Village, NV
2011 California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Arts Student Exhibition Davis, CA
2010 Decade of Clay Juried by Richard Shaw NorthStar Gallery Truckee, CA
2009 Wild Card Sierra Nevada College Incline Village, NV
Residencies
2025 Spring Residency at Burren College of Art Co. Clare Ireland
2020-21 Pottery Northwest Long-Term Residency Seattle, WA
2020 Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity Visual Arts Late Winter Program
2017 The International Ceramics Studio Summer Resident, Kecshkemet, Hungary
2016 Medalta International Winter Residency Program Medicine Hat Canada
2015 Mendocino Art Center Long Term Residency, Mendocino, CA
2014 Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts Fall Residency Newcastle, Maine
Teaching Experience
2025-Current Teaching Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Art at University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe
- Interdisciplinary Drawing
- Geographic Explorations: Ecological Drawing: Flora & Fauna of the Tahoe Basin
- Geographic Explorations: Mixed Media Poetics: Writing and Collage in Dialogue with Place
2023-2024 Lecturer II of Interdisciplinary Art at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe
- Ceramics
- Interdisciplinary Drawing, Drawing 1, Drawing II, Drawing III
- Gallery Practices and Curation
- Intro to Digital Photography, Photography II: Color
- Geographic Explorations: Interpretations of Nature: Image and Word
2022-23 Letter of Appointment (Adjunct Instructor) at University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe
- Form and Function: Skateboard Design
- Co-Taught Contemporary Art History
2022 Adjunct Instructor at Sierra Nevada University
-Beginning and Advanced Creativity 2D Experiments with Image
2022-25 BFA Mentor at University of Nevada Reno, at Lake Tahoe
-Mentored and served on committees for12 BFA students in bimonthly meetings for each student for the 3 semesters leading up to their BFA thesis exhibition.
2021 Adjunct Instructor at Sierra Nevada University
- Intermediate & Advanced Creativity 2D Image/Landscape
2021 BFA Mentor at Sierra Nevada University
-Mentored and served on committee for 6 BFA students in bimonthly meetings.
2021 Instructor and Guest Artist The Center School, Seattle, WA
-Introduction to Ceramic Sculpture
2018-19 Instructor of Record 1161 Intro to World Ceramics, Ohio University, Athens, OH
-Introductory Ceramics Studio Course.
2016-18 Graduate Mentorship Program
Mentored and advised 2 BFA students, meeting weekly to discuss work and research.
2016-17 Graduate Teaching Assistant at Ohio University Athens, OH
-Foundations of Drawing Fall 2017
-Beginning Hand Building Spring 2017
-Intro to Ceramics Fall 2016
Professional Experience
2022-Current Gallery Director and Summer Art Workshop Coordinator at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe
My service responsibilities are multifaceted, encompassing roles as the Gallery Director, Summer Arts Program Coordinator, support for the Continuing Education Ceramics program, social media management, and management of the Holman Arts and Media Center and its facilities.
Gallery Mission: The University of Nevada Reno at Lake Tahoe’s 4 on-campus galleries are a tool to highlight serious research, foster a creative community, and exhibit relevant diverse interdisciplinary art and artists. The gallery programming is an echo of our method of creative education and the belief in a flexible and contemporary approach to art and research. The goal of the galleries in an academic environment is always to be reflective of the institution and the student body. Because the location of campus is specific, we are interested in reflecting those specific environmental concerns and placed-based research. Our programming serves this mission through a carefully selected and curated group of diverse interdisciplinary artists using their work and research to search for more sustainable and equitable future. It is our responsibility to lend our gallery spaces to bold experimentation and deep creative inquiries.
As Gallery Director, I oversee and curate four on-campus galleries. Since joining UNR, I have executed over 30 exhibitions in the past two years. I conceptualized and implemented the Gallery Visiting Artist (GVA) program, akin to an artist-in-residence initiative. Additionally, I have realized an annual summer collaborative exhibition that pairs an artist with another professional, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and exhibition in the Tahoe Gallery. In my role, I handle all aspects of event planning, including securing necessary approvals, managing logistics, and providing refreshments.
In my capacity as the Summer Arts Program Coordinator, I plan year-round, identifying, and engaging potential artists. I collaborate with extended studies and marketing throughout the process. Alongside the Director and an assistant, I managed simultaneous workshops, ensuring smooth operations. We also hosted weekly public artist lectures (Tuesday Night Lecture Series), providing broader community engagement.
2021-22 Gallery Director at Sierra Nevada University
As director, I manage 5 on-campus galleries and art spaces. I manage the gallery budget based on exhibitions, gallery maintenance, MFA/BFA Exhibitions, Perspective on Design award show, and Juried Student show. I write, track, and submit gallery purchase requests and track receipts for the gallery expenses. I actively scout and recruit artists and create an exhibition schedule that is diverse both personally and artistically. In this role, I program a full exhibition schedule of visiting artists, community outreach events, and BFA and MFA exhibitions. I write the Nevada Arts Council Grant each year and build that funding into my budget. For each exhibition I program I work the with artist creating a contract, I help install/deinstall each exhibition, plan artist talks, livestream each artist’s lecture, and maintain an online archive of exhibitions. In this position, I run all the fine arts social media.
2021- Gallery Manager at Riverside Studios Truckee, CA
Worked to manage all aspects of the gallery from sales to the representation of over 40 local artists. Managed an online shop and a physical storefront. Communicated with artists about display, and price and kept an active inventory.
2018-20 Ohio University Galleries Graduate Assistant Athens, OH
Worked to plan and curate exhibitions in 2 on-campus galleries. Communicated with artists about shipping and installation of art. Worked as a team to plan logistics while installing art from national and international artists. Maintained a spreadsheet of artists, prices, and details.
2018-19 Ohio University Central Office and Recruitment Graduate Assistant Athens, OH
Assisted the central office with coordination, logistics, management, research, collection, archiving & distribution for college publicity and current and upcoming events. Compiled a master list of faculty, student and alumni research accomplishments and contact information. Wrote and designed college-wide newsletters.
2016-17 Gallery Associate at Blue Wolf Studios Lake Tahoe Kings Beach, CA
In this position I loaded and unloaded kilns, installed art, and communicated with represented artists and potential buyers. I maintained information about each artist and their process.
2015-16 Studio Assistant to Trey Hill Missoula, MT
Assisted with moving and organizing studios, helping complete work, and assisted on stage at NCECA demonstrations.
2015-16 Studio Assistant to Julia Galloway Missoula, MT
Assisted with sanding, lustering, packing, and delivering work.
2015-16 President of UMCEA (University of Montana Emerging Ceramic Artists) Missoula, MT
Planned and executed community outreach events, organized exhibitions, and fundraising.
2014 Ceramic Technician for Sierra Nevada College Summer Artist Workshops Incline Village, NV
Fired all kilns, mixed glazes, assisted visiting artists, maintained a clean, and safe environment and tended to participants.
Curatorial Projects
2025 The Sensible World Co-Curated Julia Schwadron Marinelli Tahoe Gallery Incline Village, NV
2023 Alluvium Curated from the Lilley Museum Archive Tahoe Gallery, Incline Village, NV
2022 Glow Up Retrospective on the Art Department of Sierra Nevada University Incline Village, NV
2022 Fluxed Ceramic Alumni & Faculty Exhibition Tahoe Gallery Incline Village, NV
2015 Nexus Odd Fellows Gallery Mendocino, CA
Artist Talks and Guest Lectures
2021 Visiting Resident Artist Lecture at Pottery Northwest Seattle, WA
2020 Visiting Resident Artist lecture at The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, AB Canada
2018 Visiting Artist Lecturer at Kansas State University Manhattan, KS
2017 Guest Speaker at Sierra Nevada College to advanced ceramics and sculpture
Honors and Awards
2020 Mary E. Hofstetter Legacy Scholarship for Excellence in the Visual Arts Full Tuition Banff Centre of Arts and Creativity
2016-19 Full Graduate Tuition Scholarship and Assistantship, Ohio University
2019 Elmer Craig Merit Award NCECA Student Juried Exhibition
2018-19 Graduate Student Senate Travel Grant, Ohio University
2018 Ohio University School of Art and Design Creative/Scholarly Activity Award
2017 The Collection of The International Ceramic Studio Kecskemet, Hungary
2017 Honorable Mention at Un-Wedged Pottery Northwest Seattle, WA
2015 The Director's Award-National Juried Exhibition Un-Wedged Pottery Northwest
2015 The Perspective on Design Award Grant and Solo Exhibition
2014 Valedictorian of Sierra Nevada College
2014 Sierra Arts Foundation Grant recipient of the George Hutchinson Student Artist Award
2012 NCECA Juried Student Exhibition, Ceramics Store of Houston, LLC Purchase Award
Bibliography
2019 New Ceramics The European Ceramics Magazine 53rd NCECA Conference page 34-35 Jimmy Clark
2018 NCECA Journal Volume 39. NCECA Exhibitions Page 40
2016 C-File Online "The Politics of Cute" NCECA Online article by Mary Baumstark
2016 NCECA Journal Volume 37 NCECA Exhibitions Page 35
2015 Cal Magazine Article on the Artist in Residence at Mendocino Art Center.
2014 Bending over Backwards Polaris Literary Magazine Ada, OH
2014 The Ontology of Blue Review of Exhibition in Moonshine Ink Truckee, CA
Professional Organizations
ArtAxis, Juried online artist community, and nonprofit, member
National Council on Education for the Ceramics Arts, member
California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Arts