CJ ESCOBAR RODGERS

Originally from Long Island, NY, CJ Escobar Rodgers embarked on his academic journey in Finance at the University of Notre Dame, only to discover a passion for design over market research. After transitioning through various fields, he acquired three bachelor's degrees in Marketing, Psychology, and Studio Art. His sculptural works quickly found permanent homes on campus in the Main Building and Psychology Department. He also assumed roles at the Snite Research Center in the Visual Arts and Raclin-Murphy Museum of Art, where he researched Ancient South American textiles. This investigation deepened his connection to his heritage especially as he began weaving, ceramics and other craft-based techniques. Rodgers’s work has been showcased in numerous galleries and institutions across several states, earning places in several museums including the Midwest Museum of American Art and South Bend Museum of Art’s permanent collections. This year, he won the Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award Honorable Mention given by the International Sculpture Center, taught a ceramics class at Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency, will complete residencies at South Bend Museum of Art and The Caumsett Foundation, and will be featured in the January/February 2025 issue of Sculpture Magazine.