Alexander “Alex” Comminos

Alex was born in 1983 in Chicago, Illinois. As a high school student, Alex attended a variety of workshops at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. This experience led him to the Savannah College of Art and Design to study metalwork and sculpture in 2001. After 2 years at Savannah, Alex returned to the School of the Art Institute in Chicago to complete his undergraduate studies with a concentration in ceramics.

 

In 2006, upon receiving his BFA, and with recommendations from Professors Xavier Toubes and Patricia Rieger, Alex accepted a 3 year apprenticeship as a Studio Assistant from renowned ceramic artist Jun Kaneko at his studio located in Omaha, Nebraska. During this time Alex honed his artist and creative skills as well as learning the process of installation and assembly of large exhibitions and oversized public art.

 

Near the end of Alex’s apprenticeship, Jun Kaneko recommended Alex to Ken Little, Professor of Art at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) for a scholarship offer to attend the University of Texas at San Antonio in their MFA program.

 

The autumn of 2009 Alex began his studies at UTSA and began working closely with Professors Ken Little and Ovidio Giberga. In addition to his studies, Alex started his teaching instruction as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and later becoming an Undergraduate Instructor of Record at UTSA. During this time, Alex opened Comminos Studio, a combination of workshop and gallery.

 

Upon completion of his MFA at UTSA in 2012 , Alex devoted his time and energy developing Comminos Studio. Comminos Studio provided an outlet for Alex to create and exhibit his own art as well as collaborate within the creative community in San Antonio. Alex exhibited in the San Antonio Airport exhibition which featured local artist from the city of San Antonio, Texas.

 

As a result of his collaboration within the San Antonio creative community Alex accepted the position of Creative and Technical Director on a public art project titled “Love Bench” by Blue Star Contemporary. Another collaboration with Blue Star,  Alex directed a mosaic project for a HEB grocery store. Alex continued to instruct and teach high school students through the “Mosaic” program at Blue Star Contemporary and beginning art majors at Alamo Colleges and Northwest Vista Colleges in Central Texas.

 

In 2013, Alex, collaborated with Bill Fitzgibbons on his Right Side, Wrong Side, public art project for the International Museum of Art and Science (IMAS) in McAllen, Texas, providing technical and installation support. While in McAllen and working at IMAS, Alex received an offer of employment at the University of Texas at the Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). In 2014, Alex accepted the position at UTRGV and relocated to his current studio and gallery space in Harlingen, Texas.

 

Currently, Alex lectures full-time at South Texas College, Mid-Valley Campus in Weslaco Texas.  Alex continues to create and exhibit his own art as well as creating exhibitions and gallery openings featuring emerging artists.