April Zilber is excited to have received a Develop Grant from Arts Council Santa Cruz County. The grant will help pay for cold working equipment essential for fine-tuning the glass bell plates I design and fuse.

“The musical pitch or frequency of a bell plate is dependent on the dimensions of the bell plate. While empirical calculations are useful for predicting the size needed to create a particular frequency, I need to grind the edges on a flat lapping wheel with a series of diamond grit disks in order to reach the exact frequency. I’ve learned a lot from making and tuning square and rectangular bell plates and look forward to exploring several types of triangle.”  –April Zilber

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – February 2023

I am thrilled to introduce myself as your newly elected president. I joined ACGA in 2018 and have been serving as a board member since 2021, including the past year as Vice President.

First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to our past president, Cheryl Costantini, for her outstanding leadership during some of the most challenging years our organization has faced. Cheryl navigated ACGA through the pandemic with grace and determination, and her contributions to our community will not be forgotten.

Despite the difficulties of the past few years, I am proud of the accomplishments we have achieved together. Our participation in NCECA 2022 for the first time was successful and rewarding and provided our members with valuable exposure and connections in the ceramic world. The Clay & Glass Festival in Palo Alto was another highlight and marked the return of attendance to near pre-pandemic levels. I would also like to give a shout-out to our communications team, who recently introduced the new newsletter platform that allows us to better connect with both our member artists and customers.

As we move forward, I am committed to continuing Cheryl’s work of making ACGA a more inclusive and welcoming community. This year, a new group of individuals brings their enthusiasm and ideas to ACGA leadership. My goals are to reach out to younger artists and expand ACGA outside the San Francisco Bay Area to ensure the growth and success of our community. I am eager to work with all of you in the coming year to build on the achievements of the past and to continue our mission of promoting and supporting the work of clay and glass artists of California.

For those of you who don’t know me, I am Mari Emori. My journey as an artist began in Kyoto, Japan, where I made kimonos. After moving to the US, I explored various creative paths, including floral design, interior design, and graphic design, before finally discovering my true passion in clay.

My most recent “Drop Series” is deeply inspired by nature, both its beauty and the power of its forces. From my studio in the Berkeley Potters Guild in Berkeley, I create pieces that reflect my connection to the natural world. When I’m not in the studio, I love to spend time in nature, hiking and wandering, always taking in new impressions that find their way into my work. I believe that art should not only be beautiful, but it should also convey a deeper message and evoke emotion in the viewer. I’m always striving to push the boundaries of my art and create pieces that truly captivate and inspire.

Mari Emori, ACGA President  

www.berkeleypotters.com/artist/mari-emori @emoriceramics