Josh Scott is a potter and educator in Jacksonville, Florida. He first discovered clay in high school and continued his education in clay to receive a BFA from the University of North Florida in 2017. Shortly after, Josh moved to Utah where he attended Utah State University to attain an MFA in ceramics. His primary focus was to continue to explore wood firing, further develop conceptual framework and establish a teaching strategy. After receiving his MFA in 2021, Josh returned to Florida where he now lives with his wife and two daughters. He has maintained multiple adjunct faculty positions in ceramics as well as a consistent studio practice and exhibition record.

On John Neely:

Upon meeting John for the first time, and asking him a single naive question, it was immediately apparent that he was someone who was very witty and equally sharp. His brevity in answering my question was consistent with the experience I would have with him in graduate school years later. His knowledge on any topic I could dream up was overflowing, to the point and freely given, often in the form of a stack of books left in my studio. 

Over the course of three years spent at Utah State, the most apparent thing to me was John’s commitment to his students. Not just to me, but to generations of artists still making careers for themselves in various artistic pursuits. Not even a week after moving to Logan, I was invited to one of many dinners at John and Atsuko’s home. He put my name in for commission work. He helped me get an Archie Bray summer residency. Even many years after I graduated, he was still affording me opportunities to speak at conferences and participate in exhibitions like this one. His unrelenting prioritization of his students will always be a character trait I admire and try to emulate. 

 Johns effect on the clay community will be a lasting one. His wise and humorous words will echo in the minds of all that knew him for many years to come. Im thankful to have known him and to have seen first hand the effect he had on all of the people around him.