Born in 1941 in Jacksonville, Florida, James Tanner is an artist and professor emeritus at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Though he is perhaps best known for his ceramic sculptures, Tanner has worked in many mediums, including glass, paint, bronze, and mixed-media. Tanner received his BA from Florida A&M University, Tallahassee in 1964 and his MS (1966) and MFA (1967) from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Tanner accepted a position at MSU, Mankato in 1968, where he taught ceramics until his retirement in 2003. Tanner creates introspective – yet expressive sculptures, often working intuitively and developing works over extended periods of time. In addition to his career as a professor, Tanner has lectured widely and hosted ceramic workshops around the country. He has mounted a number of solo exhibitions and is represented within several museum collections, including the Museum of Arts and Design in New York and the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis. Tanner received the 2002 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Minnesota Craft Council and won several fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts (1984 and 1990). He continues to create work and maintains T and T Studios with his wife Janice Tanner, who is also an artist. Tanner was elected a Fellow of the American Craft Council in 2003.