David Roy Pendell was born in Pasadena, California in 1944. A ceramicist and ceramic sculptor, his work is experimental in form. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Pendell studied at Pasadena City College in California (A.A., 1965) and earned a BA in 1970 and an MA in 1972 from California State University at San Diego. He taught at the University of California at Long Beach and San Diego State before joining the University of Utah faculty in 1977.

Pendell works in ceramics, blown glass, woodworking, leatherworking, and small metal design. He has designed both functional and nonfunctional objects.  Utah Experience (1999), a fired ceramic sculpture, is an example of his work.

Biography adapted from Artists of Utah

David R. Pendell of Pasadena, California, and Salt Lake City, joined the faculty of the Department of Art of the University of Utah in 1977. A very talented ceramist and ceramic sculptor, he holds degrees from Pasadena City College (A.A., 1965) and California State at Long Beach (B.A., 1970; M.A.,1972), and was on the faculties of San Diego State University and California State at Long Beach before coming to Utah. This artist's work in ceramics and blown glass is “based on traditional ideas of form while conceived and executed in a contemporary mode.“ Also a woodworker, small-metals designer, Pendell has a wonderful avocation in playing traditional American string band and Irish folk music on a variety of instruments. His general enthusiasm for life and his work as well as his pronounced “let's do something about it“ activist nature - qualities constantly related to his activities as a visual artist - have led to important grant, recognition and advancement moments in Pendell's long career. This talented family man is also married to talented artist Ann Chalmers Pendell.

Biography courtesy Artists of Utah.

To contact this artist: david.pendell@art.utah.edu

Newspaper Article

"Art Notes: Crafts Exhibit Opens in Brigham City." The Salt Lake Tribune, February 24, 1991.

Books

Olpin, Robert S., William C. Seifrit, and Vern G. Swanson. Artists of Utah. Salt Lake City, UT: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1999.

Swanson, Vern G., Robert S. Olpin, Donna Poulton, and Janie L. Rogers. 150 Year Survey Utah Art & Artists. Salt Lake City, UT: Gibbs Smith, 2002.

Swanson, Vern G., Robert S. Olpin, and William C. Seifrit. Utah Art. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith Publishing Co, 1991.

Swanson, Vern G., Robert S. Olpin, and William C. Seifrit. Utah Painting and Sculpture. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1997.