BENNETT BEAN b. 1941 Cincinnati, Ohio 

Bennett Bean grew up in Iowa City and attended Grinnell College in Grinnell Iowa before transferring to the State University of Iowa in Iowa City where he studied art, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts from that institution in 1963. After a brief period of study at the University of Washington, he transferred to Claremont College Graduate School in Claremont, California where he studied ceramics under Paul Soldner. Bean was awarded the Master of Fine Arts from Claremont in 1966.

 After graduation he took a job as instructor of ceramics at Wagner College in New York City, where he remained until 1979. During the mid-1960s Bean made minimalist sculpture from Plexiglas and cast acrylic resin that attracted the attention of the Whitney Museum of American Art. The museum purchased one of Bean's sculptures and included him in the Whitney Biennial of 1968.  

Despite this early success, by 1970 Bean decided to return to ceramics as his primary medium.  He moved to rural New Jersey, where he still resides, and set up his studio and kiln. His current body of work dates to the latter years of the 1970s, when he began to augment fired-on glazes with painted decoration applied after firing to the clay surface. His signature use of gold leaf inside his vessel-sculptures began in 1983.

Bean exhibits throughout the United States and in Canada. The numerous museums that have collected his work include the Detroit Institute of Arts, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Whitney Museum of American Art. 

Doors to the Tantra,  1994   

Intaglio vitreograph with hand-applied gold leaf on Rives BFK, Edition of 50

image size: 24 x 18 inches, paper size: 30 x 22 inches                        $1,200*

Bennett Bean visited Littleton Studios in March 1994 to produce "Doors to the Tantra." The print incorporates hand-applied gold leaf, a Bean trademark.  In an article titled "The Vitreographer" by Shawn Waggoner (Glass Art, March/April 1998) Bean said that of this print that "...Doors to the Tantra references a Buddhist practice. From the outside the doors look closed, but actually they're transparent; you can see into them."

Self Portrait with DNA, 2002

 Vitreograph on rag paper, Edition of 30

 image size: 29 ¼ x 24 inches; paper size: 36½ x 29 ½ inches         $1,000*

* Prices are subject to change without notice.

To order:

Email The Littleton Collection (press "contact us" below) to let us know which print(s) you would like to purchase; we will confirm the price and that the print is still available.

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The Littleton Collection, 3690 N. US 1, Fort Pierce, Florida 34946

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If you are not satisfied with your purchase return it within seven days of receipt in the packaging in which it was sent. The Littleton Collection will refund the purchase price on undamaged merchandise.

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