Biography
Deshun Peoples is a ceramic artist and designer from Chicago, IL who is currently an Assistant Professor of Art at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Prior to starting at Whitman, Deshun completed studies in clinical social work at the University of Chicago's Crown School of Social Work, while also working as an intern psychotherapist in a group private practice, and Ceramics Studio Manager at Firebird Community Arts in Chicago navigating the intersection of Community Mental Health and Creative Arts Practice. Peoples received his dual BA in Studio Art and Rhetoric from Bates College in 2017. He received his MFA in Ceramics from RISD in 2021, and his MSW from UChicago Crown School in June 2024. Deshun has taught various courses at Rhode Island School of Design, the University of Arkansas, Chicago State University, and now Whitman.
Peoples has shown his work widely, including a solo exhibition at Bates College Olin Arts Center, and group exhibitions at Eutectic Gallery in Oregon, Worcester Center for Craft in Massachusetts, Abel Contemporary in Wisconsin, Crocker Art Museum in California, KOBO Gallery in Washington, and The Clay Studio in Pennsylvania. His honors include an apprenticeship with artist Theaster Gates, a Fulbright Student Research Grant to study in Jingdezhen, China, an Emerging Artist Cohort Grant from the American Craft Council in 2022, and an Emerging Artist Fellowship from NCECA in 2023.