ABOVE BOARD | The Artful Dining Experience
ACGA REGIONAL EXHIBITION OPENS OCTOBER 3 IN FRESNO
CLAY HAND STUDIOS HOSTS EXHIBITION, SAN JOAQUIN CLAY & GLASS ASSOCIATION PARTNERS IN PLANNING
ACGA, SJCGA, AND CLAY HAND STUDIOS SET THE TABLE
ABOVE BOARD | THE ARTFUL DINING EXPERIENCE, opened thursday evening at Clay Hand Studios Gallery amid 104F temperatures along Fresno’s historic Gallery Row, a string of upscale art galleries and the original hub of Fresno’s Art Hop.
Above Board lays out a table dressed with the artwork of forty California clay and glass artists, representing the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California, The San Joaquin Clay and Glass Association, and Clay Hand Studios. From place settings to serving dishes, candelabra and teapots, banquet lamps and vases, the gallery is alive with beautiful work and imaginative interpretations.
Despite the triple digit heat, unusual for this late in the year, attendance was robust. Our esteemed juror, Michele Pracy, Director of the Fresno Art Museum presented the ACGA awards at 6pm. Cheryl Costantini of Nichibei Potters in Sebastopol was awarded Best Clay for her Nesting Set of Five Shell Bowls and Glenn Evans of Creator Haven in Watsonville won Best Glass for his Salad/Serving Bowl in Fall Colors. Pracy selected a hand built tea set by Julie Taber of Altadena for the Juror’s Award.
Nanette Mattos, Managing Director of Clay Hand Studios then announced Susie Rubenstein of San Juan Capistrano winner of the CHS Choice Award for her thrown and altered Cloud Vase. The San Joaquin Clay and Glass Association selected Iver Hennig’s Frog Teapot for the SJCGA Award.
Votes from all nine jurors from all three associations were tallied to select Honorable Mention Awards. Jurors for the San Joaquin Clay and Glass Association were Mary Camin (ACGA, SJCGA), Rhomie Thompson (ACGA, SJCGA), Dianne Beauregard (SJCGA), and Raquel Ewalt (SJCGA0. Jurors for Clay Hand Studios were Vartui Diarian (ACGA, SJCGA), Jason Haskins, Mark Tunison, and Jeanie Keyser.
Honorable Mentions: Margaret Grisz-Dow of Berkeley Potters in Berkeley for her hand painted ensemble titled Faux French Baroque, a collection of nine coordinated pieces; Nanette Mattos of Clay Hand Studios in Fresno for her floral porcelain vase intricately appliquéd with antique roses and vines; Cynthia Siegel of Santa Cruz for her three piece set of bristlecone pine inspired pitchers and lidded jar; Emil Yanos for his carved centerpiece, Octopus V, a large vessel reaching for the sky.
The 16-foot long table was set with 16 unique place settings all by California artists including Christine Byrne, Margaret Grisz-Dow, Tom Knight, Loren Lukens and Randie Silverstein (collaborating), Hannah Witter, Stephen Veach, and the late beloved Craig Easter, who was a founding member of Clay Hand Studios and a creative force in all the organizations participating.
Around the room on sideboard-style pedestals were arranged vases, serving dishes, pitchers and teapots and a wide selection of drinking vessels. Glassware was provided by Bob and Laurie Kliss of Kliss Glass (ACGA, SJCGA) and by Cory Ballis of Ballis Glass (ACGA, SJCGA), both based in Fresno.
The exhibition was initiated by the ACGA Exhibitions Committee with the approval of the ACGA board of directors to celebrate and support clay and glass around the state. It was coordinated by Ren Lee (ACGA, SJCGA, CHS) with Susanne French (ACGA) and the collaboration of the SJCGA and Clay Hand Studios. Artists from the Bay Area and Santa Cruz area coordinated among themselves to transport the pieces to Fresno. Mari Emori (ACGA) and Glenn Evans (ACGA) drove works from collection points to collection points. Photos by Naomi Barbour (SJCGA, CHS) and Ren Lee.
All said, it takes a very large group working together to bring a show like this together, and the results are outstanding, inspiring, and amazing. Please follow @theacga, @sanjoaquinclayandglass, and @clayhandstudios on Instagram and Facebook.
ACGA members represented in this exhibition include: Cory Ballis, Christine Byrne, Glenn Evans, Jane Grimm, Margaret Grisz-Dow, Bill Heiderich, Iver Hennig, Sally Jackson, Britt Jensen, Chris Johnson, Kliss Glass, Tom Knight, Miriam Kronbach, Antonia Lawson, Ren Lee, Loren Lukens, Caroline Masters, Lee Middleman, Vince Montague, Nichibei Potters, Barbara Glynn Prodaniuk, Susie Rubenstein, Jan Schachter, Cynthia Siegel, Randie Silverstein, Mayetta Steier, Deborah Sullivan, Julie Taber, Janet Wolf, Emil Yanos, and April Zilber.
Clay Hand Studios
660 Van Ness, Fresno CA 93721
Gallery hours: 10am – 4pm Tuesday – Saturday
Clay Hand Studios is a ceramics-focused art gallery and working studio space offering memberships, classes, workshops, individualized instruction, and monthly exhibitions showcasing the work of area artists. Monthly gallery exhibitions are centered on regional ceramic artists.
The San Joaquin Clay & Glass Association was formed in 1981 to celebrate and support clay and glass artists in the San Joaquin Valley, comprised of Kern, Tulare, Kings, Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, and Merced Counties. The SJCGA hosts two annual sales events in Fresno, one on Mother’s Day weekend and the Holiday Sale the weekend before Thanksgiving, November 23, 2024.
