Brian Harper is a Professor of Fine Art and Head of the Ceramics Area at Indiana University Southeast. He holds a BFA from Northern Arizona University and an MA and MFA from the University of Iowa. His work has been exhibited in over 100 national and international exhibitions, including 8 solo exhibitions. In addition to his studio practice, he is the Founder and Executive Director of Artaxis Organization Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit arts organization with over 1,000 members in over 50 countries worldwide and all 50 US States. Widely used as a resource by the general public, gallerists and curators, art centers, universities, students, and professional artists, Artaxis.org promotes the professional pursuits of artists, while providing visitors to the website a wide array of peer-reviewed artwork relevant to the critical discourse in contemporary ceramic art. He was recently promoted to full Professor at IU Southeast in 2023, and has been the recipient of two IU Trustees Teaching Awards, as well as several Summer Faculty Fellowships to pursue his creative research. At the upcoming NCECA conference in March 2025, he will accept NCECA’s “Outstanding Achievement Award” for his contributions to the field through his work building Artaxis. Currently, he is living in New Albany, Indiana with his wife Tiffany and their daughter June. He can be found on social media on his Instagram account.