News Archive

News Archive2023-05-11T12:00:46-07:00

Newsletter October 2023

Newsletter October 2023
World Ceramic Cultures

WORLD CERAMIC CULTURES IN PICTURES

BOOK LAUNCH AND SILICON VALLEY CERAMIC ART INVITATIONAL

A book launch reception was held at Chinese Clay Art in San Jose, California the afternoon of September 23rd to celebrate the launch of this exciting reference volume by Zhou Guangzhen. It started with a lecture by the author and was attended by a number of Silicon Valley ceramic artists . The event was hosted by TV anchor Ms. Diana Ding. Starting with Stan Welsh, Professor Emeritus at San Jose State University, the seven artists in attendance spoke. During the presentation, Jan Schachter gave a short history of ACGA. The volunteer-based ACGA is one of the most successful organizations in the U.S. and attracts thousands of visitors to the Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival each July.

The wall of the exhibit hall, “World Ceramic Cultures in Pictures” features 104 images selected from photographs taken by Zhou Guangzhen during his travels around the world and from his collection of black-and-white postcards from the early 20th century. The images show the changes in ceramic culture around the world over the past hundred years in the form of contrasts between the old and the new. The images include a variety of drawing and molding processes, ceramic firing, kilns, village fairs, potters and vendors in various costumes, and more.

On the purple round table is the “Forest of World Ceramic Art,” a landscape of dozens of pots, vases, and plates representing cultures from around the world. Regardless of the ceramic materials, molding techniques, decorative patterns, and firing temperatures used, each ethnic culture is a member of the forest of ceramic art. The curators believe that every visitor will be able to feel their own familiar cultural atmosphere in this exhibition.

World Ceramic Cultures
Joe Battiato

Joe Battiato

Joe Battiato

Barbara Brown

Monica Van den Dool

Monica Van den Dool

Tom Decker

Tom Decker

Bill Geisinger

Bill Geisinger

Hsin-Chuen Lin

Hsin-Chuen Lin

Lee Middleman

Lee Middleman

Jan Schachter

Jan Schachter

Guangzhen Zhou

Guangzhen Zhou

SILICON VALLEY CERAMIC ART INVITATIONAL EXHIBITION

This book looks at the world’s ceramic cultural heritage as a whole, exploring the interrelationship between ceramic technology and the development of human history, as well as the inheritance and influence of various regions and groups. Over the past decade, the author, Guangzhen Zhou, has visited hundreds of ceramic towns, villages, historical sites, and related museums around the world, combining recent archaeological discoveries with information from across different languages.

From the 1950s to the 1980s, many Californian ceramic artists one after another laid a foundation for the development of modern and contemporary ceramics in the US with their unwavering pioneering spirit. California’s ceramic art community and tradition hold an important historical position in the United States, and we proudly carry on the torch.

The artists participating in this exhibition are mainly members of the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California (ACGA), and professors and alumni of San Jose State University. The artworks in the exhibition include both ceramic sculptures and vessel forms; showcasing the spirit and drive of the innovative Silicon Valley and the rich diversity of California.

The artists participating in the exhibition are: Joseph Battiato, Barbara Brown, Tom Decker, Bill Geisinger, Matt Hoogland, Hsin-Chuen Lin, Lee Middleman, Jan Schachter, Stan Welsh, Fred Yokel, Monica Van den Dool, and Guangzhen Zhou.

FOREST OF WORLD CERAMIC CULTURES

Installation by Guangzhen Zhou

Over 100 images in this show depict various types of ceramic shaping techniques, kiln firing methods, pottery vendors and markets, and so on. These photographs showcase the richness of world ceramic culture and historical heritage across a hundred years. Images were selected from photos taken by the author on his global travels, as well as black and white early 20th century postcards from his collection, illuminating the changes in world ceramic culture over the past century by juxtaposing old and new. The pictures include various types of pottery wheels, building techniques, fuel materials, kiln firing methods, rural markets, potters and vendors of many kinds and styles, and more.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Whenever I arrived in a new area, I would contact relevant peers, experts, friends, or friends of friends. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the support and assistance of countless people from the ceramic culture and art industry around the world during my journey! Thank you to many colleagues and friends for arranging the reception, giving recommendations and introductions, translating and explaining, driving together, and warmly welcoming me and seeing me off. This book could not have been published without the support and assistance of countless colleagues, scholars, and friends in the ceramic art field everywhere.

THANKS TO

Participating artists

Clay Planet

Thanks to the teams of Art Center

My co-workers at Clay Ground – Chinese Clay Art US

Submitted by Guangzhen Zhou

Ceramics, Culture and Community Miki Shim

CERAMICS, CULTURE, COMMUNITY, & FRIENDSHIP

Miki Shim, October 2023

When I look at the photo above, I cannot help but to be little emotional looking back at the time spent with this group of people who put their trust in me to guide them on a 12 day tour of Korean ceramics in South Korea. I have never produced one of these before. And for some reason, they met me in Seoul for this clay journey.

My husband, Lance, named this tour “Miki’s Spectacular Korean Ceramics Tour!” A build-up to which I didn’t know I could deliver when I launched the registration in May. Looking back, we had many hurdles and detours, negotiating the twists and turns of coordinating many moving parts, some expected and some completely blind-sided. But, through it all, it was spectacular!

Back Story:

At the end of summer 2022, Lance and I traveled to Korea to visit family and friends. Lance’s first trip and, while this is a return trip for me, first time with a ceramics focus. With a little help from friends, I was able to see, visit and experience the heart and soul of Korean Ceramics firsthand, see their work, processes, the life and the business of pottery. When I returned home, I wanted to find a way to share this with others. Instagram photos and posts only skim the surface of the real experience. Setting up a tour was not the first thing that came to mind. The logistics of moving with a group more than 4 seemed a bit crazy! After brewing the thought for a few months, I decided to gamble with crazy and started the planning process by floating the idea with Lance, recruited an assistant and lined up a few artists in Korea. First registration arrived within day of launching the announcement on Instagram in April, and sold out 15 seats by May. By June, 16 people plus me and my irreplaceable assistant and friend, Kyungle Han, were confirmed to hang with me in Korea for 12 days, starting on the last day of August.

The numbers:

3 hotels for 12 nights in 6 cities on 6 tour buses for 18 people eating 36 meals taking 12 local city bus and transit rides to see 2 demos and 3 workshops by 8 local artists and topped it off with a 10 artist group exhibition in Yeoju. Not counting the taxi rides, there were thousands of steps logged and cups of coffee at Cafe Galapium in Ulsan.

The people:

Some were 20 year veterans of ceramics, some just had 6 months of experience. A Raku artist,3 woodfire artists, a writer, a sculptor, a ceramics tool manufacturer, architect, software engineer, moms, in-the-middle-of-a-career-change professional, a mechanical engineer, studio owner, doctor, tea master, a National Intangible Cultural Asset or 3, product engineer, x-ray technician, ER nurse, a business coach and a few ceramics instructors. All now connected by clay.

Ceramics, Culture, Community and Friendship
Ceramics, Culture, Community and Friendship

Behind the scenes:

Negotiating the ever changing landscape of last minute location changes, transportation logistics and meal planning were the hardest to navigate. Luckily, I had a fluent speaker to help me make the phone calls for reservations, argue the charges and figure out how to pay the large sums of money the bus company wanted…in cash. But I had the good fortune of an amazing group of people who were ready to move with the changing current of waters that, to me, seemed like the rapids. The full itinerary has been posted on my website: mikisr.com, so I will not go into the details of our tour, except to mention that we changed the venue of the woodfire workshop at the last minute due to a family  emergency.

Cultural exchange:

Ceramics, Culture, Community and FriendshipSince moving to the SF Bay Area in 2012, I have broadened my network of ceramic artists around the world though personal experiences. This has allowed me the opportunity to create a cultural exchange program connecting the local ceramics community to the ceramics around the world to inspire, provoke thought and to make friendships. I have found that clay language is universal. Our tour group met for time in Seoul, at the hotel’s lounge for a breakfast buffet of Korean and western style foods. It’s always interesting what ends up on the plates and how the flavors get mixed intentionally, or not. We sat 4 to a table, getting to know each other a little, trying to memorize the names and faces with whom we will be spending the next 12 days.

Ceramics, Culture, Community and Friendship

Fast forward the end of the trip, to 18 Californians and one Michiganian standing on the steps at Seoul Station, trying to hold back tears, arms flying to make sure everyone gets a hug, and promise of a reunion event of Miki’s Spectacular Korean Ceramics Tour 2023 very soon. This is a rerun activity of when we parted from MoonDoBang, DoBan artists of the Yeoju exhibition, and woodfire team of artistis: Kim JaeBum, Kim InTae, Kim YoungSoo and Shin YoungTaek.

In a brief amount of time, we have made life long friendships.

I’m looking forward to the next one… June 2024

Ceramics, Culture, Community and Friendship

Ceramics, Culture, Community and Friendship

Korean Artist Studio Visit, Demo and Workshop

Kim Yikyoung Ceramics, Porcelain, Seoul
MoonDoBang, Porcelain, Bundang @moondobang
Ohbuja Pottery, Onggi, Yeoju @heejunonggi
Kwak Kyungtae, Onggi, Icheon @kwakkyungtae
Shin YoungTaek, Buncheong, GeoChang @youngtaek_shinKim
YoungSoo, Naked Raku, Yeoju @young.soo.kim
Kim InTae, Educator, Woodfired Stoneware, Ulsan
Kim JaeBeom, Woodfired Stoneware, Ulsan @firewood_gama.jaun

Cities Visited

Seoul, Icheon, Yeoju, Bundang, Ulsan, Busanki

Internationally known ceramic artist, Miki Shim-Rutter, works from her home studio in San Carlos, CA. She also works from the Palo Alto Arts Center adult studios where she teaches ceramics, coordinates Private Events and Workshops—and conceived and coordinates the Art Center’s annual International Ceramics Exchange. Shim-Rutter is an active member and past Board Member of the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California (ACGA).

ACGA Clay & Glass Festival

APPLY NOW FOR LIFETIME ELIGIBILITY

The ACGA welcomes your application to sell your work at the Association of Clay & Glass Artists of California’s annual Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival on the beautiful grounds of the Palo Alto Art Center. Festival Eligibility is a lifetime status as long as your membership is current and you participate regularly in our event.

The ACGA Clay & Glass Festival is a great opportunity to develop relationships with customers, send your work to new homes, and strengthen your network of fellow clay and glass artists. Joining ACGA brings you into a strong community of clay and glass artists.

ACGA Board Member - Trudy Chiddix
ACGA Board Member - Trudy Chiddix

MEET YOUR BOARD MEMBER: TRUDY CHIDDIX

I have been an ACGA member since 2006 and have been on the Board for most of those years.  I joined ACGA when my husband and I moved to San Francisco after 16 years of living on the East Coast.  This was a “return home” for me since I had grown up in the Bay Area.  Shortly after arriving in SF, I reached out to ACGA and was pleased to find a group of kindred spirits.

I was raised in Los Altos, CA, and discovered ceramics when I was an undergraduate art major at the University of California Santa Barbara. Clay has been my passion and pursuit ever since. After graduating from UCSB I stayed in Santa Barbara for a number of years working as a functional potter and part-time ceramics teacher.  I also organized workshops for the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, directed the Santa Barbara County Arts Festival, and founded and ran the Palm Park Craft Center.

Eight years after receiving my BFA, I returned to school and earned a Masters Degree in Art Education from San Francisco State University. While in graduate school I met my husband, Jim Chiddix, an East Coast transplant living in Hawaii.  After my graduation I joined him there to begin our life together.

Over the years we have lived in several interesting locations due to Jim’s career in the telecommunications industry.  I treasure the friendships and experiences gained while living in Hawaii, Connecticut, New York, Colorado and San Francisco, as well as traveling the world, including places with deep ceramics traditions such as Japan.  In each place we have lived, I established an art studio and exhibited and sold my work.  Since 2005 we have split our time between San Francisco and Evergreen, Colorado. In San Francisco I work in a converted warehouse that has studio space for 100 artists, while my Evergreen studio is located on our property surrounded by pine trees.

I have continued to develop my artistic skills by attending workshops at institutions including Watershed, Haystack, Penland, Anderson Ranch, Honolulu Academy of Art, Pilchuck, Urban Glass, and the Art Students League of New York.  While living in Manhattan I spent endless hours in museums and galleries, and studied glass as an artistic medium. For the last 20 years much of my work has combined glass with clay.

My art is often inspired by traditional crafts and folk art found while traveling in foreign lands or wandering through museums.  These discoveries inform my vessels, wall pieces and abstract figures. My ceramics practice has evolved over the decades and has included exploration of a wide range of fabrication and firing techniques. For many years I have favored hand-building with slabs and coils which enable me to create expressive surfaces and distinctive forms.

My arts community participation currently includes serving on the board at AMOCA, the American Museum of Ceramic Art, in Pomona, CA.  I’m pleased to have a piece in their permanent collection.  I have attended more than 30 annual conferences of NCECA, the National Council for Education in the Ceramic Arts.  In 2022 I was selected to co-lead a residency at Watershed Ceramics Center in Maine.   Also in 2022, at a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, I was inducted into the International Academy of Ceramics, a branch of UNESCO.  I was not only honored by this recognition but was also thrilled to meet fascinating ceramic artists from around the world.

deYoung Open 2023
Mari Emori

Mari Emori

Celestial 19” x 13” x 9” Ceramic, 2022

Scott Jennings

Scott Jennings

Precipice 21” x 8.5” x 6” Ceramic, slip, 2023

THE de YOUNG OPEN 2023

Sept 30, 2023 – Jan 7, 2024

The de Young Open 2023 is now on view! Explore a captivating collection featuring 883 pieces from artists selected from a pool of more than 7,700 submissions. These artworks span various mediums and styles, showcasing the rich diversity of the Bay Area’s artistic talent. We’re thrilled to announce that ACGA members Scott Jennings and Mari Emori‘s works are included in this prestigious exhibition.

Following the resounding success of the inaugural presentation of The de Young Open in 2020, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco present this triennial juried community art exhibition. The exhibition draws submissions from artists residing in the nine counties surrounding the bay— Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma. The displayed artworks are arranged in a “salon style,” filling the space from edge to edge and floor to ceiling, showcasing a maximum number of works.

This exhibition celebrates and supports local arts communities in the Bay Area. Artists have the opportunity to sell their works and keep the proceeds. To purchase any artwork, you can directly contact the artists. In the Web Gallery, click “Detail View” beneath an artwork image to access pricing and the artist’s contact details.

The de Young Open 2023 at the de Young Museum is free every Saturday and requires a timed ticket to enter the exhibition.

ALTA ARTS COLLECTIVE PRESENTS: The ALTA Art Tour 2023

ALTA Art Tour

Oct 14 – 15,  11am – 5pm

ALTADENA, CA – ALTA Arts Collective is thrilled to announce the ALTA Art Tour 2023.  A captivating two-day event showcasing the vibrant and diverse artistic talents of Altadena and neighboring communities. This unique art tour will take place on October 14th and 15th, offering art enthusiasts and the local community a chance to visit the creative spaces of local artists, witnessing their artistic processes and gain insight into their inspirations.

An array of talented artists will open their studios to the public, most studios will host 1 or more artists, however, there will also be solo artist studios participating in the tour.

Visitors will have the opportunity to view and purchase original artwork in various mediums including painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography and more. The art tour is free, making it accessible to all. Visitors are encouraged to click below for a complete list of participating artists and studio locations; interactive maps with turn-by-turn directions available each day of the tour.

SANTA CRUZ OPEN STUDIOS ART TOUR

Oct 7 – 8, 14 -15, 21 – 22

South County studios kick off the tour on October 7-8. Get the free online artist directory at the link below – and look for the guide out wherever you find @goodtimessc on Sept 11.

This annual three weekend event is presented by Arts Council Santa Cruz County and features over 300 local artists! This is a great opportunity to purchase original work direct from the artist and experience their creative process first-hand.

➡️ Oct 7 – 8 – South County
➡️ Oct 14 – 15 – North County
➡️ Oct 21 – 22 – All County

ACGA members participating include Cristy Aloysi & Scott Graham, Yumiko Aso, Drake Bialecki, Jeannine Calcagno, Christine Charter Moorhead, Chris Johnson, Elaine Pinkernell, Randie Silverstien, and Peter Vizzusi

Santa Cruz Open Studios 2023
Placer Artists Tour
Placer Artists Tour

Placer Artists Tour

Glass work by Hannah Nicholson and Alana van Altena, second-generation glass artists working in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

PLACER ARTISTS TOUR

Nov 10 – 12 & 17 – 19

The Placer Artists Tour celebrates 30 years this year. It is the largest studio tour in the Sierra foothills region, featuring a diversity of art, artist demos and special events. The Tour  happens every November in artist studios, galleries and art schools throughout Placer County. This year’s Tour includes 136 artists, galleries and schools at 82 unique locations.

Glass and clay artists will be represented including ACGA members Emilie Righetti, and Nicholson van Altena Glass.

We hope you will join us for this free tour, which takes place on Veterans Day weekend, Friday, Nov. 10, through Sunday, Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Many artists will also offer an “Encore” weekend Friday, Nov. 17, through Sunday, Nov. 19, to give patrons more time to visit artists. You can pick up a Guide at Blue Line Arts in Roseville and preview one artwork from each participating artist during the Taste of the Tour exhibit October 21 through November 19. The reception is November 4 from 5 to 8pm.

Visit PlacerArtistsTour.org, for profiles of all the participants, an interactive Tour map and a robust events calendar of all Tour events. It is a year-round resource for the arts in Placer County.

JANE GRIMM HAS 4 SHOWS THIS MONTH:

Jane Grimm

RUBY’S CLAY STUDIO – CERAMIC EXPRESSIONS

Jane Grimm has a one person show at Ruby’s Clay Studio Gallery of her recent ceramic sculptures.

552A Noe Street, San Francisco

Oct 27 – Nov 22

Monday, Wednesday – Friday 9am – 1pm
Tuesday, Saturday – Sunday 1 – 4pm
and by appointment

Jane Grimm

SFWA ANNUAL BAY AREA ARTISTS’ CHOICE 2023

One of Jane Grimm’s sculptures is included in the SFWA Annual Bay Area Artists’ Choice 2023 show at the San Francisco Women Artist Gallery in San Francisco.

647 Irving Street, San Francisco

Oct 3 – Nov 10
Tuesday – Saturday 10:30am – 5:30pm

Jane Grimm

THE AVENUES

One of Jane Grimm’s sculptures has been included in the group show “The Avenues” at The Drawing Room Gallery in San Francisco.

The Drawing Room

210 Clement Street

Wednesday – Sunday, 11am – 7pm

Sept 16 – Oct 21

Jane Grimm

ARTSPAN SF OPEN STUDIOS

Jane Grimm will be having a Artspan SF Open Studio at Ruby’s Clay Studio and Gallery.

552A Noe in the Castro

San Francisco

Oct 28 – 29, 11am – 6pm

MOTHER LODE EXHIBITION

Glenn Evans will have two pieces of his fused glass on display at the 57th National Mother Lode Art Exhibition. Sponsored by the Placerville Arts Association, the Exhibition is a national, juried, open show held at the Mills Station Arts and Culture Center (MACC) in Rancho Cordova. The show will open November 3 and run through November 18. The Artists’ Reception and presentation of awards will be held on November 3, 5pm – 7pm. For gallery information and hours, see the MACC website.

Glen Evans Glass

Glen Evans Glass

COBB MOUNTAIN ART & ECOLOGY PROJECT

ARE YOU BUMMED YOU DON’T LIVE NEAR OR CAN’T JOIN US ON THE MOUNTAIN?

You can still shop great pots AND give to our growth from the comfort of your own couch!

THE RECIPROCITY PROJECT

An online fundraising exhibition for the Resident Artist Program.

Online Gallery

Oct 30 – Nov 3

Our current artists will donate 5 cups for this online feature exhibition and all proceeds go to the continued growth of the Resident Artist Program.

TRUDY CHIDDIX PLUS 100 ARTISTS SAN FRANCISCO

Open Studios
Oct 27 – 29

Please join Trudy Chiddix for her Open Studio the last weekend in October.  100 artists will also be exhibiting in the same building at 1890 Bryant Street in San Francisco.

Preview Party:

Fri. Oct 27, 6 – 9pm

Oct 28 – 29, 11am – 5pm

Trudy’s work combines clay with fused glass.  She shares kilns and workspace with 8 clay artists, while art of various mediums is created by other artists in the building. Lots to see on 3 floors of studios! Look for Trudy in Studios 201 and 210.

ACGA Board Member - Trudy Chiddix
Speculo by Ren Lee

SPECULO

New Work by Ren Lee

Ren Lee works with the notion that clay has consciousness, like an owl or a lizard, and that when you observe a work of handmade ceramic art, it observes you back, possibly changing its behavior and  adjusting its attitude.

Two years in development, this show is about exploring that concept. Pieces range from observant pots to scrutinizing humanoids to disembodied eyeballs. It will be fun. Opening November 2 which happens to be the second Day of the Dead, at Clay Hand Studios Gallery, 660 Van Ness, Fresno.

Randie Silverstein - Elemental Force Series

ELEMENTAL FORCE SERIES

Glass Artist Randie Silverstein

Please mark your calendars for this two month show at Santa Cruz’s Oswald Restaurant at 121 Soquel Ave in Santa Cruz, opening November 4 until the end of the year. I will be showing my kiln fused glass art, both on the wall and in the air! This is a colorful body of work, with some very new pieces, you won’t see elsewhere! My work has been hanging there for the last few years and now it’s time to refresh. Plus a dozen or so other pieces. Plus the food is terrific. Reservations advised. Open Wed-Saturday for lunch and dinner. If you’d like a preview of My new glasswork, please come to Open Studios in Santa Cruz, October 14 and 15 and again October 21 and 22.

Shades of Blue - Marinwood Community Center

SHADES OF BLUE

Marinwood Community Center

Please join Melissa Woodburn for this one-day event.
Oct 21, 3 – 7pm
Marinwood Community Center

775 Miller Creek Road

San Rafael, 94903

Submitted by Melissa Woodburn

Activation - Terra Linda Ceramic Artists

ACTIVATION

Terra Linda Ceramic Artists

Oct 13 – Nov 17,

Opening Reception Oct 12, 5 – 8pm

Falkirk Cultural Center,

San Rafael, CA 949901

This unique and imaginative member show includes an interactive component to the exhibit.  Over 30 TLCA Members will be showing at least one ceramic piece of art that you will be able to interact with!  Follow the little green hand stickers throughout the exhibit, gently activate the piece and see what happens!

Dreams and Nightmares - Geraldine GaNun

DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES

Marin Society of Artists

Oct 6 – 28, 2023

Please join ACGA Member, Geraldine GaNun, at DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES, where two of her mixed media ceramic pieces were juried into the show.

Hosted by Marin Society of Artists

1515 Third Street, San Rafael, 94901 October 6-October 28, 2023.

Opening reception Oct 13, 5 – 8pm

PUNCH CRACK POP!

Linda S. Fitz Gibbon’s ceramic sculpture will be featured alongside work by Katie Applebaum and Brian McNamara in an exhibition at Butte College, October 2 through November 2.

Closing reception with Linda S. Fitz Gibbon is Thursday, Nov. 2, 2 – 4 pm.

Gallery hours are M–Th, 9 am – 3 pm.

Submitted by Linda Fitz Gibbon

Punch Crack Pop - Linda Fitzgibbon
Portola Valley Open Studios

GROUP OPEN STUDIO

Portola Valley

Open studio with Jan Schachter, Sally Jackson, Lindsay Marx, Jane Peterman, Nina Else, and Peggy Forman in Jan Schachter’s courtyard.

Nov 4 – 5, 10am – 4pm

190 Golden Hills Drive Portola Valley

Come visit!!!!

LIZ LAUTER MAJOLICA CERAMICS STUDIO SALE

Nov 26, 11am – 4pm

Don’t miss my one day big sale where everything will be 15% off.

Hand made and intricately hand painted menorahs, platters, candelabras, trees of life, candle sticks, pedestal cake plates, wine bottle stoppers, goblets, seder plates, and much more.

180 Montezuma Ave. Forest Knolls, Ca. 94933

Stoked - Workshop with Miki Shim

STOKED

A Woodfire Workshop with Miki Shim

An introduction to wood firing with Miki Shim will cover the basics of creating work, firing a wood burning kiln and learning the etiquette of being part of a wood fire community.  This workshop is recommended for those with intermediate level experience, wheel work and hand-building.

Fee: $1100

Includes one 25# bag of clay and 2 cu.ft. of kiln space.

Only workshop clay will be accepted for firing.

Additional clay available for purchase.

Dates: 

Make work: December 1, 2, 3  at Southbay Ceramics, Mountain View, CA

FIre work: December 8, 9, 10  at Springvalley Anagama, San Jose, CA

Unload: December 16  at Springvalley Anagama, San Jose, CA

Location: 

South Bay Ceramics, Mountainview, CA

www.southbayceramics

Contact: carla@southbayceramics.com

Thanksgiving Train Firing Cobb Mountain

THANKSGIVING TRAIN FIRING AT COBB MOUNTAIN

HOW TO POST YOUR NEWS AND EVENTS TO THE ACGA WEBSITE AND SUBMIT ITEMS FOR THE NEWSLETTER

Our communications tools now allow members to post their news items directly to the ACGA News Blog, for daily publication. Posts must be admin-approved and may take up to 48 hours to appear in the blog. Incomplete submissions may take longer. The web-based news blog is a living document and posts items in the order they are published. You can scroll through the entire history of the ACGA News here: https://acga.net/acga-news/.

In addition, our monthly ACGA newsletter is emailed to approximately 5500 subscribers. This news is less time-sensitive than more immediate forms of communication such as the news blog and our social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook.

Social media is the most effective and most instantaneous way to reach your audience, provide a platform that can be posted to repeatedly and often. We encourage members to cultivate their own social media accounts on facebook and instagram, to build your own audience and market your wares. We are happy to amplify your message to our followers from time to time when the following conditions are met:

  • Captions must include who, what, where, when details.
  • Posts must relate to something a collector or student can engage with such as a gallery event, an open studio, or an upcoming sale. Posts that lack context will not be reposted.
  • We will not repost items projecting more than 2 weeks in the future.
  • Posts should be tagged @theacga to ensure we can find them

ACGA social media accounts have more than 17,000 followers, so following these guidelines could be valuable to you. News items must be written in grammatically correct form, include all details including names (first and last) of members involved, links to artist websites or social media, studio or gallery locations and hours of operation.

Be aware that we have over 350 members and will strive to be fair and equitable, and to showcase the wide variety of accomplished artists who comprise our group. Publication is not guaranteed, and is not a perquisite of membership. If you have an event with frequent updates or an extended window of time, we expect you to manage your news on your end and we may or may not repost at our discretion.

CLICK HERE FOR SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

ACGA GENERAL MEETING MINUTES

Date of Next Meeting: Monday, October 9, 2023, 5:30pm

READ SEPTEMBER MEETING MINUTES
All ACGA members in good standing are invited to attend our monthly board meeting on zoom. To receive a zoom invitation for the next meeting, email your request to Mari Emori, emori.mari@gmail.com.

LISTINGS

SEE EVENTS CALENDAR:
https://acga.net/events-calendar/
This space is envisioned for future listings of upcoming calendar events. Since we have only just launched the submission process in this mailing, we do not have any current events at this time. Please follow the submission process outlined herein.

Professional Kiln Repair Service
NorCal Kiln Repair- “Professional Bay Area repair service since 2006”
· evaluation & repair: ceramic & glass kilns (gas & electric)
· tutorials: operation, safety, maintenance, custom programming
· evaluation & repair: pottery wheels, pug mills, slab rollers
· ventilation repair & installation / studio safety & setup consultations
· new & used kiln recommendations / appraisals: buying & selling
· ceramics troubleshooting: clays, glaze, construction, firing, etc.
Joseph Kowalczyk (Ko-väl-chick)
kiln & ceramics specialist
510 601-5053 · NorCalKilnRepair@gmail.com
www.norcalkilnrepair.com

ACGA NETWORKING EXPLAINED
Address changes and Membership Changes – Please send all address changes to the membership chair EmilYanos,
acgamembership@gmail.com

.
ACGA’s Website – Check out our website

The home page now features an ‘artist of the month.’ Populate your own page, and update often. To create and edit your profi  le page, go to the For Members menu, choose Member login, and follow the instructions to find and edit your profile.
Need a website password? Email Emil Yanos at
acgamembership@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you!

Follow and Like us on FaceBook (@ClayandGlass) and Instagram (@theACGA)
The ACGA News is sent through MailChimp. If your email bounces you or you have been unsubscribed, you can sign up again – contact Communications Lead Ren Lee at: news@acga.net.

Join the ACGA social media group www.facebook.com/groups/ACGASocialMedia

GOOGLE GROUP
Link to the Google group: the-acga@googlegroups.com

To email all members via the ACGA Google group you must be a member. Address your clay/glass-related message to: the-acga@googlegroups.com
There are two ways that you can engage in google groups without a gmail account:
1. Via email only
With a non-gmail email address you can still participate in all of the google group activities by replying to emailsand/or sending an email to the-acga@googlegroups.com to start a new thread. You do not have to create any google accounts to do this. If you’re seeing this email, then you’re in the group and can respond to emails like this one that will be sent to the entire group.

More details on how to create and respond to google group messages in the FAQ!
2. Make a google account
While it’s not necessary to have a google account to participate in the google group, you can create one with your non-gmail email address to get access to the google group site, which just aggregates the ACGA google group conversations in one place that’s easy to review and search.

Board of Directors – 2023
2023 Officers
President: Mari Emori
Vice President: TBD
Secretary: Sally Jackson
Treasurer: April Zilber
Lee Middleman, Jan Schachter, Joe Battiato, Emil Yanos, Trudy Chiddix, Cheryl Costantini,
Chris Johnson, Ren Lee, Susie Rubenstein, Iver Hennig, Sonja Hinrichson, Vicki Gunter, Barbara Prodaniuk

Committee Chairs
Communication – Ren Lee
Exhibitions – Jan Schachter
Festival Liaison – April Zilber
Festival Jury Coordinator – Chris Johnson
Historian – Cuong Ta
Int’l Ambassador – Barbara Brown
Membership Coordinator – Emil Yanos

Newsletter September 2023

ACGA Newsletter September 2023
ACGA 30th Annual Clay and Glass Festival

GLASS PUMPKIN PATCHES ARE CROPPING UP ALL OVER CALIFORNIA

‘Tis the season for the glass pumpkin patch and the annual descent of glass pumpkin collectors who simply must add to what is probably already quite a collection. This year, hundreds of thousands of glass pumpkins will be lovingly hand made by glass and clay artists alike, but it is the glass pumpkin patch that most appeals to the imagination.

The humble, approachable pumpkin offers endless variety and color, and these pumpkins amount to affordable, collectible art. Each one begins with a lump of molten glass, transformed by the artist into a textured, transparent or translucent, magical vessel that suggests enchanted midnight carriage rides or idealized dietary goals.

We checked in with our glassblowing members and have assembled a list of pumpkin patch venues for our readers below. Look for one or more in your area or begin your quest to visit them all. Happy Pumpkin Patching!

CHRIS JOHNSON GLASS

October 28 & 29 – 10am-4pm
Live Oak Grange Glass Pumpkin Patch
Live Oak Grange Heirloom Garden
1900 17th Avenue Santa Cruz

Hand made glass pumpkins and gourds created in the glass blowing studio of local artist Chris Johnson. A portion of all sales donated to the Live Oak Grange to support the awesome work they are doing to promote food security and sustainability in the community. Plenty of Free Parking.

VISCOSITY GLASS

October 14 & 15, 21 & 22 – 11am – 5pm
Santa Cruz Open Studios Pumpkin Patch
13163 Azalea Ave Boulder Creek

Sept 30 & Oct 29
Blow Your Own Glass Pumpkin
Viscosity Glass Boulder Creek
Sign Up Here

BAY BLOWN GLASS

Sept 23 – 24 – 10am – 5pm
Delfino Farms Pumpkin Patch – 3205 N Canyon Rd, Camino

Sept 30 & Oct 1, – 10am – 5pm
Great Glass Pumpkin Patch – Palo Alto Art Center – 1313 Newell Rd, Palo Alto

Oct 6 – 3pm – 9pm,
Oct 7  –10am – 9pm
Oct 8 – 10am – 5pm
Glass Pumpkin Patch at Santana Row – 377 Santana Row, San Jose

Oct 14 – 15 – 10am – 5pm
Hand Blown Glass Pumpkin Patch – Folsom Parks and Recreation – 48 Natoma St, Folsom

Thursdays – 1 – 7pm
Fridays – Sundays – 11am – 5pm
now until Thanksgiving!
Benicia Art Glass Gallery – 309 First St, Benicia

BALLIS GLASS

Sept 23 – 24 –10am -5pm
Delfino Farms Pumpkin Patch – 3205 N Canyon Rd, Camino

Oct 14 – 15 – 10am – 5pm
Folsom Glass Pumpkin Patch – Folsom Parks and Recreation – 48 Natoma St, Folsom

Oct 14 – 15
Halfmoon Bay Pumpkin Festival

Oct 21 – 22
Great Ballis Glass Pumpkin Patch – Ballis Glass, Fresno

Oct 28 -29 – 9am, 11am, 2pm, 4pm
Pumpkin WorkshopMake Your Own
Email for reservations

NICK LEONOFF

Glass Pumpkin Patch of Carmel
Hilton Bialeck Habitat – Next to Carmel Middle School – 4380 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel-by-the-Sea
September 16 – 17

Saturday 10am – 5pm
Sunday 10am – 4pm

Don’t miss our dazzling display of hand-blown glass pumpkins created by nationally recognized glass artist Nick Leonoff and a curated group of local glass artists. A portion of proceeds will directly support MEarth’s environmental stewardship education programs, reaching over 2,500 youth across Monterey County every year.

MEMBER NEWS

ACGA Jury Process

APPLY NOW FOR LIFETIME ELIGIBILITY

The ACGA welcomes your application to sell your work at the Association of Clay & Glass Artists of California’s annual Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival on the beautiful grounds of the Palo Alto Art Center. Festival Eligibility is a lifetime status as long as your membership is current and you participate regularly in our event.

The ACGA Clay & Glass Festival is a great opportunity to develop relationships with customers, send your work to new homes, and strengthen your network of fellow clay and glass artists. Joining ACGA brings you into a strong community of clay and glass artists.

MEET YOUR BOARD MEMBER: LEE MIDDLEMAN

Susie Rubenstein, ACGA Board Member

I have had two careers – High-Tech and Ceramic Art.

Ceramic art has not always been my professional focus. In my youth, I enjoyed drawing and sketching, and during my high school years I took fine arts classes. My father, David, was a mechanical engineer and I expected to follow in his footsteps as an engineer or scientist. After graduating from Johns Hopkins University with a BS in physics. I then moved to California to pursue graduate studies at Stanford University. There I earned my PhD in high-energy physics and solid-state physics.

At Stanford I planned an academic career, but, while designing and constructing the equipment for my thesis experiments, I realized that I was more interested in creating new, useful instruments. Thus, after Stanford, I worked with a colleague to found a new company based on the instruments I had built at Stanford – X-ray florescence analyzers.

At our company, Nuclear Semiconductor Inc., we successfully developed X-ray analytical spectrometers. These instruments were used by industry to analyze semiconductors and other high-performance materials for defects, by museums to authenticate art, and by academia for materials research. Tracor Northern purchased our company and, after mergers, is now a part of Thermo Fisher Scientific.

I was recruited to work for Raychem Corporation in Menlo Park in California, not far from my home in Portola Valley. Raychem was a material science company that created proprietary materials and products used in the energy, electronics, automotive and telecommunication industries. During my tenure in R&D, I invented and developed several conductive polymer devices that were used to protect electronic circuits from over-temperature and over-current conditions. This product line, called Polyswitch, grew to be nearly a five hundred-million-dollar business protecting mobile phones, small motors, automobiles electronics, and telephone equipment. Many of my 35 US patents relate to this new product line.

My final job at Raychem was as General Manager of the Medical Ventures. Of particular interest were the arthroscopic surgical instruments we developed using Raychem’s shape memory alloys. I patented numerous medical products based on this and other Raychem technologies. When Raychem decided to license the medical technology rather than spin off a new venture, I decided to move on. I joined Nellcor Corporation as Senior Director of sensor technology. Nellcor is best known for its successful commercialization of low-cost pulse oximetry. Pulse oximetry is a procedure used to measure the oxygen level (or oxygen saturation) in the blood. Over the next few years, I became Vice President of R&D for the Hospital Division, Nellcor Puritan Bennett (with sales of $1billion).

After Mallinckrodt Corporation acquired Nellcor Puritan Bennett, I decided to take nine months off for travel and to explore art. That led to taking ceramics art classes at the Palo Alto Art Center and Foothill College. When it was time to return to the high-tech world, I decided ceramic art would be a great new career. So here I am!

Now on to Ceramic Art.

From my earliest work on the pottery wheel, I was always fascinated by the natural texture that develops on the outside surface of the thrown piece. This occurs if you expand the piece, usually a cylinder, from the inside only without touching the outside. (This takes a little practice as most potters work both the inside and outside surfaces.) In this way the surface develops a natural grainy, geologic, or continuously irregular pattern. The surface can then be thinly glazed to retain the surface texture.

When I visited Japan in the summer of 2000, I had the privilege of meeting Shimaoka Tatsuzo, a “National Living Treasure.” There I saw his wonderful “Jomon Zogan” – rope-impressed inlayed work. I was so captivated by his textures that I returned home to copy his technique. Soon however, I began developing my own deeper textures, which I applied prior to expansion of the cylinder on the wheel. Although we have very different styles, I continue to use his work as inspiration.

This new technique (for me) took a lot of practice: How to get the texture to match all around the vessel, especially where it wraps back on itself. How to prevent distorting the cylinder when deeply impressing it. How to retain a uniform pattern during expansion. And many other issues. From this I developed textures and vessel shapes that I felt reflected curves, shapes, and elements in Nature.

Now after over twenty years, although I continue to enjoy the process and results, I sought new expression for textured work that was beyond the symmetric wheel-thrown forms. I experimented with altering these forms, incising the work, and other ways to break the complete form into space. Potter Bob Kinzie introduced me to the idea of creating large slabs from my textured cylinders and using them to hand-build.

After creating a few of the wheel-thrown textured slabs, I immediately was drawn to creating textures and forms that you would identify with stone and wooden structures created by man. The final ceramic forms trigger thoughts of towers, lanterns, and ancient buildings. I feel most of them convey a sense of serene, weathered ancient places and times. More recently, I was exposed to the fine decoration on Harrison McIntosh’s classic vessel forms. I visited both his retrospective exhibition and his home near Pomona. There, Harrison carefully explained his techniques for sgraffito and glazing. My work in sgraffito vessels now reflect his influences.

As I visit galleries and museums and review images in magazines and books, I believe I stand on the shoulders of many other artists. In particular, Gary Clarion, the supervisor of the Palo Alto Art Center, has strongly influenced my development. His informal instruction in basic ceramic methods enabled me to acquire skills rapidly. And his critique and suggestions are valuable lessons I use today.

*****

Lee creates highly textured, organic surfaces on classic ceramic forms. Although functional, his work is often prized as decorative.  He has participated in three solo exhibitions, 85 group exhibitions in the USA and 48 international group exhibitions. He is past president of the Association of Clay and Glass Artists. He is a founding member and North American Chair of the International Ceramic Artists Association headquartered in Zibo, China. Lee is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics – Geneva, Switzerland. He combines his ceramic career with his strong interest in Asian cultures by accepting invitations to several artist-in-residencies or ceramic woodfire festivals in Asia each year. This September/October he has organized a woodfiring workshop in Aomori, Japan.

FROM A GIFT TO A COLLECTION: IGAL & DIANE SILBER

LAST CHANCE TO SEE FROM A GIFT TO A COLLECTION:

IGAL & DIANE SILBER AT AMOCA

From a Gift to a Collection: Igal & Diane Silber, closing September 17, 2023 at the American Museum of Ceramic Art, celebrates AMOCA’s recent acquisition of more than 300 ceramic works collected by Igal and Diane Silber. The exhibition will present a selection of 100 works from this unparalleled collection, representing artists from Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific Rim, and North America.

Igal (1936-2021) and Diane (1944- ) Silber began collecting art early in their marriage. Initially they were most attracted to contemporary figurative painting and sculpture. Then, in the late 1970s, the Silbers received the gift of a green crater glazed bowl by Otto and Gertrud Natzler from their friends,Robert Logan and Robert Cugno. The gift of this bowl, clearly a serious work of art, invited the Silbers to consider ceramics as an art form worthy of further study and pursuit. While at first the Silbers focused their ceramics collection on the vessel form, their interests gradually shifted to include figurative and sculptural works as well.

The Silbers added to their collection not by choosing pieces by famous artists, or by seeking to round out missing elements. Instead, Diane shares, “each piece was selected because of its impact on us.”While building a significant contemporary ceramic collection may not have been the Silbers’s initial goal, it was an endeavor that brought the couple joy and allowed them to learn about and meet countless fascinating international artists. As members of the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC), the Silbers traveled the world, befriended many artists, and continued to collect varied and compelling pieces. Collecting, both an appreciation of creativity and a creative process in itself, turned out to be an enriching gift for Silbers throughout their lives together.

Exhibition Overview

Over 90 artists, hailing from South Korea, New Zealand, Japan, the United States, Canada, Turkey, Israel, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands. Hungary, Germany, England, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and Austria have work included in From a Gift to a Collection: Igal and Diane Silber. Artists in the collection include ACGA alumni Mary White and James Lovera. Click here to the full list of artists.

Approximately 60% of the work shown has origins beyond North America, and about two-thirds of the objects on view in From a Gift to a Collection relate to functional forms and vessels; the other third is figurative, sculptural, or narrative.

From a Gift to a Collection: Igal & Diane Silber opens at the American Museum of Ceramic Art,399 N Garey Ave, Pomona, CA 91767 on April 1, 4-6 pm with opening remarks at 4:30pm. The exhibition runs through September 17, 2023. The museum is open Friday-Sunday, 11am to 4pm. For more information:https://www.amoca.org/upcoming-exhibitions/collectors-silber/ or (909) 865-3146 orcommunications@amoca.org.

This exhibition is organized by the American Museum of Ceramic Art.

About AMOCA

The American Museum of Ceramic Art was founded in 2003, in Pomona, California. The mission of the museum is to champion the art, history, creation, and technology of ceramics through exhibitions, collections, outreach, and studio programming.

Museum Hours

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 11am – 4pm

Admission

General $14, Senior $9, Student/Pomona Resident $7, Members & under 12 Free

Location

American Museum of Ceramic Art

399 North Garey Avenue, Pomona, CA 91767

(909) 865-3146 • www.amoca.org

EXHIBITS

The deYoung Open
The deYoung Open - Mari Emori
Terracotta Corridor

THE de YOUNG OPEN 2023

Opening Day Celebration on Sept 30, 11 am – 4 pm

Building on the tremendous success of the inaugural The de Young Open in 2020, the second triennial of this juried community art exhibition will feature submissions by artists from the nine Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma. Artworks will be hung “salon style,” installed nearly edge to edge and floor to ceiling, maximizing the number of works displayed. Designed to celebrate and support our local arts communities, this exhibition allows artists to offer their works for sale and retain the proceeds.

The de Young Open exhibition at the de Young Museum will be open from September 30 through January 7. Entry to the exhibition is free during the Opening Day Celebration and every Saturday for Bay Area residents.

ACGA members Mari Emori and Scott Jennings have had their work selected for inclusion in this exhibition.

Open Studios Napa Valley

OPEN STUDIOS  – NAPA VALLEY

Sept 16-17 & 23-24

Open Studios Napa Valley is a free self-guided art discovery tour which takes place over two weekends: Sept 16-17 and 23-24.  Seventy artists are participating this year at 43 studio locations.

Whether you’re an avid collector or just curious about art, this is your opportunity to peer into the creative spaces of Napa Valley, meet the artists, watch demonstrations and buy local art right from the source!

Napa Valley Open Studios is presented as a collaborative effort by the participating artists of Art Association Napa Valley.  The program exists because the artists believe in the value of opening their studios to visitors and sharing a unique artistic experience.

Participating ACGA artists include Akemi Adams, Sarah Brown, Karen Winograde and Emil Yanos.

SANTA CRUZ OPEN STUDIOS ART TOUR

Oct 7-8, 14-15, 21-22

South County studios kick off the tour on October 7-8. Get the free online artist directory at the link below – and look for the guide out wherever you find @goodtimessc on Sept 11.

This annual three weekend event is presented by Arts Council Santa Cruz County and features over 300 local artists! This is a great opportunity to purchase original work direct from the artist and experience their creative process first-hand.

➡️ October 7-8 – South County
➡️ October 14-15 – North County
➡️ October 21-22 – All County

ACGA members participating include Cristy Aloysi & Scott Graham, Yumiko Aso, Drake Bialecki, Jeannine Calcagno, Christine Charter Moorhead, Chris Johnson, Elaine Pinkernell, Randie Silverstien, and Peter Vizzusi

Functional Fall: A Seat at the Table, Juror: Jessica Putnam Phillips

Clay Art Center, Portchester, NY, Sept. 1 – Oct. 16.

More Information: Clay Art Center

Submitted by Linda Fitz Gibbon

Placer Artists Tour
Glass work by Hannah Nicholson and Alana van Altena

Glass work by Hannah Nicholson and Alana van Altena, second-generation glass artists working in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

PLACER ARTISTS TOUR

Nov 10-12 & 17-19

The Placer Artists Tour celebrates 30 years this year. It is the largest studio tour in the Sierra foothills region, featuring a diversity of art, artist demos and special events. The Tour  happens every November in artist studios, galleries and art schools throughout Placer County. This year’s Tour includes 136 artists, galleries and schools at 82 unique locations.

Glass and clay artists will be represented including ACGA members Emilie Righetti, and Nicholson van Altena Glass.

We hope you will join us for this free tour, which takes place on Veterans Day weekend, Friday, Nov. 10, through Sunday, Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Many artists will also offer an “Encore” weekend Friday, Nov. 17, through Sunday, Nov. 19, to give patrons more time to visit artists. You can pick up a Guide at Blue Line Arts in Roseville and preview one artwork from each participating artist during the Taste of the Tour exhibit October 21 through November 19. The reception is November 4 from 5 to 8pm.

Visit PlacerArtistsTour.org, for profiles of all the participants, an interactive Tour map and a robust events calendar of all Tour events. It is a year-round resource for the arts in Placer County.

JANE GRIMM

FINDING THE FORM: BAY AREA SCULPTURE

Sept 15-Oct 8

 

Three of Jane Grimm’s sculptures have been selected to be included in the show, “Finding the Form: Bay Area Sculpture”, at the Sausalito Center for the Arts, 750 Bridgeway, Sausalito.

Show dates are September 15-October 8.

Jane Grimm
Pierre Bounaud

PIERRE BOUNAUD

LOS ANGELES POTTERY SHOW

Oct 14 – 15

 

The Los Angeles Pottery Show, now in its 23rd edition, will be held the weekend of October, Saturday the 14th from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday the 15th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Glendale Civic Auditorium. LAPS has a strong emphasis on the collector’s market, with a mix of antique art pottery, vintage art pottery, and contemporary ceramics. It is one of the few places on the West Coast where ceramics enthusiasts come to grow their collection and discover up and coming artists.

ARAKAWA POTTERY

Sept 9

 

Thomas and Kathy Arakawa are participating at the Midori Kai Arts & Craft “LIVE OUTDOOR” Boutique

September 9, 2023

9:30 am to 4:00 pm

Lakeside Office Plaza

1279 – 1299 Oakmead Parkway, Sunnyvale, CA 94085

Arakawa Pottery
Susie Rubenstein
Liz Lauter - Majolica

SUSIE RUBENSTEIN AT MILL VALLEY ARTS FESTIVAL

Sept 23 – 24

Immerse yourself in the lively atmosphere as you explore the various booths and exhibits, interact with the artists, and discover unique treasures to take home. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a music lover, or looking for a fun weekend activity with the family, the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival is not to be missed. Mark your calendars and join us in Old Mill Park on September 23rd and 24th from 10-5:00. More information is available at Mill Valley Arts Festival.

Submitted by Susie Rubenstein

Sac Open Studio Exhibition

REMEMBERING SHELLEY SIMON

 

Shelley Simon, a great artist, teacher, friend, and core member of the Ruby’s community for many years, passed away in July. Shortly before she died, Shelley donated $10,000 to Ruby’s to purchase badly-needed new kiln furniture, which we may come to know as “Shelley’s Shelves”. During a celebration of Shelley on August 27, dozens of people filled the studio to share beautiful photos, humorous stories, and—in true Ruby’s style—a vast array of delicious food! We fondly remember and are incredibly grateful for Shelley’s wonderful spirit and generous contributions to Ruby’s over the years.

Repost from “The Slip Bucket” Newsletter for Friends of Ruby’s Clay Studio & Gallery

 

KANAYAMA WOODFIRING WORKSHOP

KANAYAMA WOODFIRING WORKSHOP

September 17th to October 8, 2023

 

Lee Middleman will host a woodfiring event in Aomori, Japan, September 17 to October 8, 2023, accompanied by 2 American and Canadian potters: ACGA members Miki Shim-Rutter and Chelsea Fried and Alan Lacovesty.  Lee has participated and organized over 10 such events since 2004.

Between 2002 and 2012, over 130 ceramic artists and potters from around the world participated in similar woodfire programs at Kanayama. The program focused on the exchange of techniques and ideas about ceramic art and wood fire. By working together and freely sharing information, the sponsors encouraged mutual understanding and cooperation among potters throughout the world.  Lee hopes this mini-program revives the tradition.

They will also explore the Jōmon ceramic history and Aomori culture.  The Jōmon pottery (縄文土器, Jōmon doki) is a type of ancient earthenware pottery which was made during Jomon period (c. 14,000 and 300 BC) in Japan. The term “Jōmon” (縄文) means “rope-patterned” in Japanese, describing the patterns that are pressed into the clay.  Fragments have been dated as early as 14,500 BCE.

This is Lee’s first return trip to Japan since Covid interrupted his strong interest in exploring Japanese ceramics and culture.  He will post activities and results on social media.

Submitted by Lee Middleman

HOW TO POST YOUR NEWS AND EVENTS TO THE ACGA WEBSITE AND SUBMIT ITEMS FOR THE NEWSLETTER

Our communications tools now allow members to post their news items directly to the ACGA News Blog, for daily publication. Posts must be admin-approved and may take up to 48 hours to appear in the blog. Incomplete submissions may take longer. The web-based news blog is a living document and posts items in the order they are published. You can scroll through the entire history of the ACGA News here: https://acga.net/acga-news/.

In addition, our monthly ACGA newsletter is emailed to approximately 5500 subscribers. This news is less time-sensitive than more immediate forms of communication such as the news blog and our social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook.

Social media is the most effective and most instantaneous way to reach your audience, provide a platform that can be posted to repeatedly and often. We encourage members to cultivate their own social media accounts on facebook and instagram, to build your own audience and market your wares. We are happy to amplify your message to our followers from time to time when the following conditions are met:

  • Captions must include who, what, where, when details.
  • Posts must relate to something a collector or student can engage with such as a gallery event, an open studio, or an upcoming sale. Posts that lack context will not be reposted.
  • We will not repost items projecting more than 2 weeks in the future.
  • Posts should be tagged @theacga to ensure we can find them

ACGA social media accounts have more than 17,000 followers, so following these guidelines could be valuable to you. News items must be written in grammatically correct form, include all details including names (first and last) of members involved, links to artist websites or social media, studio or gallery locations and hours of operation.

Be aware that we have over 350 members and will strive to be fair and equitable, and to showcase the wide variety of accomplished artists who comprise our group. Publication is not guaranteed, and is not a perquisite of membership. If you have an event with frequent updates or an extended window of time, we expect you to manage your news on your end and we may or may not repost at our discretion.

CLICK HERE FOR SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

ACGA GENERAL MEETING MINUTES – NO JULY MEETING

Date of Next Meeting: Monday, September 11, 2023, 5:30pm

READ AUGUST MEETING MINUTES
All ACGA members in good standing are invited to attend our monthly board meeting on zoom. To receive a zoom invitation for the next meeting, email your request to Mari Emori, emori.mari@gmail.com.

LISTINGS

SEE EVENTS CALENDAR:
https://acga.net/events-calendar/
This space is envisioned for future listings of upcoming calendar events. Since we have only just launched the submission process in this mailing, we do not have any current events at this time. Please follow the submission process outlined herein.

Professional Kiln Repair Service
NorCal Kiln Repair- “Professional Bay Area repair service since 2006”
· evaluation & repair: ceramic & glass kilns (gas & electric)
· tutorials: operation, safety, maintenance, custom programming
· evaluation & repair: pottery wheels, pug mills, slab rollers
· ventilation repair & installation / studio safety & setup consultations
· new & used kiln recommendations / appraisals: buying & selling
· ceramics troubleshooting: clays, glaze, construction, firing, etc.
Joseph Kowalczyk (Ko-väl-chick)
kiln & ceramics specialist
510 601-5053 · NorCalKilnRepair@gmail.com
www.norcalkilnrepair.com

ACGA NETWORKING EXPLAINED
Address changes and Membership Changes – Please send all address changes to the membership chair EmilYanos,
acgamembership@gmail.com

.
ACGA’s Website – Check out our website

The home page now features an ‘artist of the month.’ Populate your own page, and update often. To create and edit your profi  le page, go to the For Members menu, choose Member login, and follow the instructions to find and edit your profile.
Need a website password? Email Emil Yanos at
acgamembership@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you!

Follow and Like us on FaceBook (@ClayandGlass) and Instagram (@theACGA)
The ACGA News is sent through MailChimp. If your email bounces you or you have been unsubscribed, you can sign up again – contact Communications Lead Ren Lee at: news@acga.net.

Join the ACGA social media group www.facebook.com/groups/ACGASocialMedia

GOOGLE GROUP
Link to the Google group: the-acga@googlegroups.com

To email all members via the ACGA Google group you must be a member. Address your clay/glass-related message to: the-acga@googlegroups.com
There are two ways that you can engage in google groups without a gmail account:
1. Via email only
With a non-gmail email address you can still participate in all of the google group activities by replying to emailsand/or sending an email to the-acga@googlegroups.com to start a new thread. You do not have to create any google accounts to do this. If you’re seeing this email, then you’re in the group and can respond to emails like this one that will be sent to the entire group.

More details on how to create and respond to google group messages in the FAQ!
2. Make a google account
While it’s not necessary to have a google account to participate in the google group, you can create one with your non-gmail email address to get access to the google group site, which just aggregates the ACGA google group conversations in one place that’s easy to review and search.

Board of Directors – 2023
2023 Officers
President: Mari Emori
Vice President: TBD
Secretary: Sally Jackson
Treasurer: April Zilber
Lee Middleman, Jan Schachter, Joe Battiato, Emil Yanos, Trudy Chiddix, Cheryl Costantini,
Chris Johnson, Ren Lee, Susie Rubenstein, Iver Hennig, Sonja Hinrichson, Vicki Gunter, Barbara Prodaniuk

Committee Chairs
Communication – Ren Lee
Exhibitions – Jan Schachter
Festival Liaison – April Zilber
Festival Jury Coordinator – Chris Johnson
Historian – Cuong Ta
Int’l Ambassador – Barbara Brown
Membership Coordinator – Emil Yanos

Newsletter August 2023

ACGA Newsletter August 2023

CALIFORNIA CLAY & GLASS ARTISTS CELEBRATE SUCCESS!

ACGA 30th Annual Clay and Glass Festival

I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible success of the 30th ACGA Clay and Glass Festival, held on July 15th and 16th. Your presence and unwavering support have helped to build our Festival into a Palo Alto tradition.

A special acknowledgment goes to our talented artists, 110 in total, including 18 new talents, whose limitless creativity illuminated the Festival and ignited inspiration in us all. To our treasured visitors and patrons, your purchases serve as a direct endorsement of our artists’ journey and our shared community; your support is cherished.

Each artist’s creation is a manifestation of their heart and soul, a unique piece that takes on its own life. Observing the connections formed between customers and these works is the pinnacle of my experience as an artist at the ACGA Clay & Glass Festival.

This is a moment to extend gratitude to our esteemed partners: the city of Palo Alto and the Palo Alto Art Center. Your steady support spanning three decades has been the foundation on which this Festival thrives. Let’s also acknowledge the invaluable contributions of the Festival Committee, the Marketing Team, and our Producer, Messenger Events. Your tireless efforts behind the scenes have played a pivotal role in ensuring the Festival’s continuing success.

As we reflect on this year’s Festival, we recognize that every event offers insights for growth. We have much to learn from this experience and are steadfast in our commitment to continuing to work on improvements. The thought of coming together again, surrounded by art and our wonderful community really gets us excited. Until that moment comes around, please take care and continue to nurture your creative endeavors!

With genuine gratitude,

Mari Emori, ACGA Board President, and Board of Directors

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PEOPLE”S CHOICE WINNERS!

Kevin Scheer and Mari Emori - Clay & Glass Festival 2023Congratulations are due to the winners of the inaugural “People’s Choice Award”: Ren Lee – (Clay – Tied)

Kevin Scheer (Clay/New Artist- Tied)
Daniel Wooddell (Glass/New Artist).

This unique program has enriched our Festival experience, and we thank everyone who voted and celebrated their exceptional talents.

Pictured: Kevin Scheer and Mari Emori
Submitted by Mari Emori

MEMBER NEWS

MEET YOUR BOARD MEMBER: SUSIE RUBENSTEIN

Susie Rubenstein, ACGA Board Member
Susie Rubenstein, ACGA Board Member

I took my first ceramics class at Cabrillo College in 1975 and was immediately hooked. By the fall of that year I was at UC Santa Cruz in a major called “Arts and Crafts and their History”. It was open only to Juniors and Seniors with all their other prerequisites filled, the course of study being three quarters of ceramics for 2 years, a quarter each of drawing, painting, and printmaking, and the same for art history also for two years. Most of us spent all our time in the ceramics studio learning from Al Johnsen of Scott Creek Pottery whose teacher was Marguerite Wildenhain. The focus of our program was functional pottery and I have not strayed far from that in my own ceramic work.

By 1978 I was a member of the Santa Cruz Art Center and an apprentice to Al Johnsen in his Davenport studio. It was a pivotal time for me, learning about being a potter as a way of life, and I loved it, but a relationship had a stronger pull and for a time I was in northern California homesteading and ceramics was on the back burner. Discovering that as much as I was drawn to a rural way of life, it was a 24 hour job that wasn’t going to allow for ceramics for a long time, so by 1982 I was in southern California working in the Laguna Beach School of Art’s studio (currently Laguna College of Art and Design) and teaching part time at Irvine Valley College. In 1983 I returned to school to further my study at the Kansas City Art Institute, but after one semester in ceramics I transferred to the Fiber Department, and from there did my graduate work at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. It was not long after graduating that I returned to clay. Those years were tumultuous but important in that I found a source for integrating form and surface. I continue to look at textiles, translate some of the surface treatments to a ceramics process and am constantly grateful to have friends and colleagues in both disciplines.

As the need to generate income became a priority, I held many teaching jobs including at the Orange County High School of the Arts, Arts in Corrections (teaching inmates at several CA state prisons), Soka University, Saddleback College, and finally landing a full time position at Mt. San Antonio College where I was the lead faculty for the ceramics program. I retired in 2020 and now can work full time in my studio in San Juan Capistrano.

I’ve been a member of the ACGA for about five years and on the board for two. Although the pandemic was disastrous in so many ways, it did allow the ACGA to hold board meetings online, which has increased the representation of members throughout the state. I hope that my presence on the board and serving on the communications committee will help promote even more diverse representation, both geographically and in general membership. It’s been a great experience being part of this organization and I look forward to expanding our reach.

EXHIBITS

Terracotta Corridor

“Clay pipe was invented for specific uses; it never would have been invented for art.
It took a few ceramics geniuses to imagine new possibilities.”

— Tom Franco, Mission Clay artist-in-residence

Have you been introduced to the captivating world of the Terracotta Corridor? This expansive outdoor exhibition is now on display in Napa’s Rail Arts District and boasts 21 impressive clay pipe sculptures. Presented by Mission Clay Products and Rail Arts District Napa (RAD), it’s a fusion of artistry and industry that’s truly a sight to behold. Curated with care by Shelly Willis and John Toki, the exhibition features selections from 11 exceptional artists, including Alan Chin, Cameron Crawford, Ann Christenson, Carolyn Ford, Tom Franco, Robert Harrison, Susannah Israel, Lisa Reinertson, Patrick Siler, John Toki, and Rimas Visgirda. These artists brought their creations to life during residencies at the esteemed Mission Clay Art & Industry Program. Remarkably, a total of 21 sculptures made their journey to Napa, California.

I had the privilege of attending an enthralling presentation on the Terracotta Corridor by John Toki and Bryan Vansell, the visionary Founder and Director of the Mission Clay Art & Industry Program. This event unfolded during the California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art (CCACA) in Davis a few months back. Some participating artists shared their experiences during the presentation. Hearing their stories, challenges, and inventive solutions was fascinating. Can you imagine some artists had to complete the process of carving and glazing the 6 to 8 feet clay pipe extrusions within days due to the fast drying speed at the location of the residency program in Phoenix, Arizona? Following the enlightening presentation was a book signing for the recently unveiled exhibition catalog (the cover image above). This beautifully illustrated 80-page catalog delves into the history of the Art & Industry Program, the sculptures themselves, and the brilliant ceramic artists behind them, adding depth and dimension to the viewer’s journey.

What makes this exhibition unique is its ingenious concept and dynamic viewing experience. The exhibit harmoniously blends creativity and industry with the Mission Clay Products facility, renowned for its sewer pipe production, which also serves as the very origin of these extraordinary sculptures. This fusion transforms ordinary sewer pipes intended to be underground and unseen into impressive standing masterpieces. As John aptly noted, “Unique to the viewing experience is that artworks in most cases viewed in ‘in motion’—people traveling on the Napa Wine Train at 20 miles per hour, people on bicycles and scooters, and those running or walking or even driving around the city of Napa near the Vine Trail.”

Why not treat yourself to a day of artistic exploration? Experience the enchantment of the Terracotta Corridor in Napa and witness the transformative power of clay, passion, and imagination. I’m excitedly planning my visit. The exhibition is accessible along the Napa Vine Trail, Oxbow Public Marketplace, and near the Culinary Institute of America (Copia) until December 2023. You can see the location of the sculptures on this map.

If you want to know more about this amazing project, an exquisite exhibition catalog titled “Terracotta Corridor” is available now at the Napa Wine Train Gift Shop at 1275 McKinstry Street in Napa. If you are interested but can’t make it to Napa, the link to purchase the catalog will soon be added to the RAD website. Owning this catalog is like holding a piece of the exhibition’s magic.

And, make sure to check out these captivating short videos: Installation of Terracotta Corridor – Rail Arts District, Napa, CA. 2022; Mission Clay Art & Industry – Making Pipe Sculpture 2022.

LH Horton Jr Gallery presents VISIONS IN CLAY

August 28 – September 21, 2023
Gallery Reception August 31 • 5:00 – 7:00p.m.
Zoom Reception: September 9 • 11:30a.m.–12:30p.m.
Free & Open to the Public

STOCKTON, CA – Located on the campus of San Joaquin Delta College, LH Horton Jr Gallery presents the 14th Annual Visions In Clay Exhibition, August 28 – September 21, 2023. The Gallery Reception is planned for Thursday, August 31st, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Admission to the Gallery exhibition and reception is free and open to the public. In addition, the Gallery will host a Zoom Reception with artists from around the country, on Saturday, September 9, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Visit the Gallery’s website for the Zoom link access. Joan Takayama-Ogawa, Professor of Ceramics and Product Design at Otis College of Art & Design in Los Angeles, was this year’s guest juror who selected the artwork and awards for the exhibition. The awards were given for a body of work in three award categories (Best of Show $800, 2nd Place $600, 3rd Place $400) sponsored by the Horton Gallery Foundation, and the San Joaquin Potters Guild presents a $300 Founders Award each year. There is a fifth award for $800 funded by San Joaquin Delta College for a Regional Artist-in-Residence selected by Ceramics Professor Shenny Cruces. The Regional Artist will present a ceramic art demonstration and artist talk to the ceramics and sculpture students. The awards will be announced at the Opening Reception on Thursday, August 31st.This year’s exhibit features 57 works by 47 artists from around the country, including 5 Delta College Alumni students, Abraham Alvarez, Bonny Barker, Samantha Holcomb, Zoe Nelson, and Melodie Sidhu. We are all so very proud of our Delta art students – Go Mustangs!

“Creative people know that what is ‘work’ is nothing of the sort. To understand what an artist does is to consider the whole of their existence. The dedication borders on obsession.”

— Joan Takayama-Ogawa

Visions In Clay was founded by the San Joaquin Potters Guild in 2002 through 2007, and turned over to the Horton Gallery in 2010 to continue presenting the ceramics based exhibition. Visions In Clay is the largest exhibition of ceramic works in the San Joaquin Valley. Elaine Quave Crossroads CactiVisions In Clay 2023.

ACGA members whose work (pictured above) was selected for the exhibit include Linda Fitz Gibbon, Vicki Gunter, and Ren Lee.

Press Release by Jan Marlese, LG Horton Jr Gallery, San Joaquin Delta College

60TH KINGS MOUNTAIN ART FAIR - LABOR DAY WEEKEND
60TH KINGS MOUNTAIN ART FAIR - LABOR DAY WEEKEND

60TH KINGS MOUNTAIN ART FAIR
LABOR DAY WEEKEND

This is the KMAF‘s 60th year! Several ACGA artists will be participating. Ceramics: Barbara Glynn Prodaniuk, Peggy Loudon, Fred Stodder, Lyn Swan, Justine Tatarsky. Glass: Cristy Aloysi & Scott Graham, April Zilber.

Breakfast is available 8:00-10:30 am and lunch from 11:30-4:30pm. Art Fair open 10am – 5pm every day. Shuttles run from the parking lots to the event.

More Information:

Kings Mountain Art Fair

Submitted by April Zilber

Kings Mountain Art Fair - Labor Day Weekend

This popular event benefits the Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade and Kings Mountain Elementary School.

LINDA FITZ GIBBON AT CLAY ART CENTER FIRST ANNUAL FUNCTIONAL FALL EXHIBITION: A SEAT AT THE TABLE.

This National Call For Entry Exhibition brings everyone to the table through ceramics that serve, featuring work from artists at all stages of their careers throughout the US.

Functional Fall: A Seat at the Table, Juror: Jessica Putnam Phillips

Clay Art Center, Portchester, NY, Sept. 1 – Oct. 16.

More Information: Clay Art Center

Submitted by Linda Fitz Gibbon

Linda Fitz Gibbon

NICHIBEI POTTERS ONE OF A KIND KILN OPENING & CELEBRATION

For potters, there are few things as exciting as opening a kiln load of  freshly fired pots.

Being able to share that process with our customers is even better. For the last 25 years, we have hosted an event at our studio where we do just that.

But this is not just any kiln load full of pots it’s a load full of all one-of-a-kind pieces. This year‘s event will be on Saturday, August 19 from 1 to 5 at the Nichibei studio In Sebastopol. Seating is limited and reservations are required but if you’re interested in attending please email Cheryl or Mikio at potters@nichibeipotters.com

Nichibei Potters
Susie Rubenstein
Liz Lauter - Majolica

SUSIE RUBENSTEIN AT MILL VALLEY ARTS FESTIVAL

Immerse yourself in the lively atmosphere as you explore the various booths and exhibits, interact with the artists, and discover unique treasures to take home. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a music lover, or looking for a fun weekend activity with the family, the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival is not to be missed. Mark your calendars and join us in Old Mill Park on September 23rd and 24th from 10-5:00. More information is available at Mill Valley Arts Festival.

Submitted by Susie Rubenstein

Out of the Fire - Pajaro Valley Arts Sudden Street Gallery

“Out of the Fire” at Pajaro Valley

Arts Sudden Street Gallery in Watsonville showcases artwork created or affected by fire, such as a kiln, welding, blown glass, and other methods. ACGA members Christi Aloysi and Scott Graham, Tamara Danoyan, Laurie Hennig, Chris Johnson, Cynthia Siegel, Randie Silverstein, and Bev Zerbib-Berda are among the 55 participating artists.

This multi-media exhibit explores artwork that utilizes fire as a transformative tool in the making of the work. The use and control of fire has been critical to the survival and advancement of humankind. For thousands of years, fire has been used for warmth, light, defense, ceremony, and communication. Fire has been used to transform elements into tools and processes that affect all areas of our lives. We are still in awe of both its productive and destructive qualities. We invite you to enjoy the transformative processes in this exhibit.

“Out of Fire” Exhibit opens August 9 at Pajaro Valley Arts Gallery. Opening Reception is Sunday, August 13 from 2-4pm at

37 Sudden St. Watsonville.

Bev Zerbib-Berda

Bev Zerbib-Berda - Celadon Bowl

Tamara Danoyan - Out of the Fire

Tamara Danoyan - Eco Printed Vessel

Tamara Danoyan - Out of the Fire

Randie Silverstein - Blessing Bowl

Sac Open Studio Exhibition

Verge Center for the Arts
Sacramento, California
Kick Off Party, Sept. 7, 6-9 pm
Exhibition Dates: Sept. 7 – 17

Linda Fitz Gibbon‘s Woodland studio will be open Sept. 9 & 10, 10 am – 5 pm.


CLICK TO VIEW THE SAC OPEN STUDIOS GUIDE

VINCE MONTAGUE
“INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS” AT  h u g o m e n t o

 

Hugomento is excited to present “Intrusive Thoughts,” a solo exhibition of ceramic sculptures by California artist Vince Montague, on view now through September 2.

Making art and writing poetry is an intrusive-thinking area in Montague’s studio practice, a place of risk and freedom, an opportunity for him to welcome ideas and images into his atelier, to make sense of them if he can. Montague creates sculptures and writes poems out of his own obsessions, his own worries, his own doubts, traumas and encroaching preoccupations.

h u g o m e n t o
795 22nd Street,
San Francisco, CA 94107
info@hugomento.com

Submitted by Vince Montague via Instagram

VINCE MONTAGUE “INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS” AT h u g o m e n t o

ANN WAGENHALS in    “1000 VASES” IN PARIS

 

ANN WAGENHALS in “1000 VASES” IN PARIS

Ann Wagenhals has had two vases accepted to the “1000 Vases” (actually ~90 vases!) Paris exhibit during Paris Design Week. Her pieces–one pit-fired vase and one horsehair raku vase–titled together “Serenity, Motion & Joy” will be shown at Galerie Joseph in the Marais September 7-10. Ann is on Instagram @annwagenhals and her website is Annwagenhals.com.

1000 Vases is on Instagram.

Submitted by Ann Wagenhals

KANAYAMA WOODFIRING WORKSHOP

KANAYAMA WOODFIRING WORKSHOP

September 17th to October 8, 2023

 

Lee Middleman will host a woodfiring event in Aomori, Japan, September 17 to October 8, 2023, accompanied by 2 American and Canadian potters: ACGA members Miki Shim-Rutter and Chelsea Fried and Alan Lacovesty.  Lee has participated and organized over 10 such events since 2004.

Between 2002 and 2012, over 130 ceramic artists and potters from around the world participated in similar woodfire programs at Kanayama. The program focused on the exchange of techniques and ideas about ceramic art and wood fire. By working together and freely sharing information, the sponsors encouraged mutual understanding and cooperation among potters throughout the world.  Lee hopes this mini-program revives the tradition.

They will also explore the Jōmon ceramic history and Aomori culture.  The Jōmon pottery (縄文土器, Jōmon doki) is a type of ancient earthenware pottery which was made during Jomon period (c. 14,000 and 300 BC) in Japan. The term “Jōmon” (縄文) means “rope-patterned” in Japanese, describing the patterns that are pressed into the clay.  Fragments have been dated as early as 14,500 BCE.

This is Lee’s first return trip to Japan since Covid interrupted his strong interest in exploring Japanese ceramics and culture.  He will post activities and results on social media.

Submitted by Lee Middleman

HOW TO POST YOUR NEWS AND EVENTS TO THE ACGA WEBSITE AND SUBMIT ITEMS FOR THE NEWSLETTER

Our communications tools now allow members to post their news items directly to the ACGA News Blog, for daily publication. Posts must be admin-approved and may take up to 48 hours to appear in the blog. Incomplete submissions may take longer. The web-based news blog is a living document and posts items in the order they are published. You can scroll through the entire history of the ACGA News here: https://acga.net/acga-news/.

In addition, our monthly ACGA newsletter is emailed to approximately 5500 subscribers. This news is less time-sensitive than more immediate forms of communication such as the news blog and our social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook.

Social media is the most effective and most instantaneous way to reach your audience, provide a platform that can be posted to repeatedly and often. We encourage members to cultivate their own social media accounts on facebook and instagram, to build your own audience and market your wares. We are happy to amplify your message to our followers from time to time when the following conditions are met:

  • Captions must include who, what, where, when details.
  • Posts must relate to something a collector or student can engage with such as a gallery event, an open studio, or an upcoming sale. Posts that lack context will not be reposted.
  • We will not repost items projecting more than 2 weeks in the future.
  • Posts should be tagged @theacga to ensure we can find them

ACGA social media accounts have more than 17,000 followers, so following these guidelines could be valuable to you. News items must be written in grammatically correct form, include all details including names (first and last) of members involved, links to artist websites or social media, studio or gallery locations and hours of operation.

Be aware that we have over 350 members and will strive to be fair and equitable, and to showcase the wide variety of accomplished artists who comprise our group. Publication is not guaranteed, and is not a perquisite of membership. If you have an event with frequent updates or an extended window of time, we expect you to manage your news on your end and we may or may not repost at our discretion.

CLICK HERE FOR SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

ACGA GENERAL MEETING MINUTES – NO JULY MEETING

Date of Next Meeting: Monday, August 14, 2023, 5:30pm

READ JUNE MEETING MINUTES
All ACGA members in good standing are invited to attend our monthly board meeting on zoom. To receive a zoom invitation for the next meeting, email your request to Mari Emori, emori.mari@gmail.com.

LISTINGS

SEE EVENTS CALENDAR:
https://acga.net/events-calendar/
This space is envisioned for future listings of upcoming calendar events. Since we have only just launched the submission process in this mailing, we do not have any current events at this time. Please follow the submission process outlined herein.

Professional Kiln Repair Service
NorCal Kiln Repair- “Professional Bay Area repair service since 2006”
· evaluation & repair: ceramic & glass kilns (gas & electric)
· tutorials: operation, safety, maintenance, custom programming
· evaluation & repair: pottery wheels, pug mills, slab rollers
· ventilation repair & installation / studio safety & setup consultations
· new & used kiln recommendations / appraisals: buying & selling
· ceramics troubleshooting: clays, glaze, construction, firing, etc.
Joseph Kowalczyk (Ko-väl-chick)
kiln & ceramics specialist
510 601-5053 · NorCalKilnRepair@gmail.com
www.norcalkilnrepair.com

ACGA NETWORKING EXPLAINED
Address changes and Membership Changes – Please send all address changes to the membership chair EmilYanos,
acgamembership@gmail.com

.
ACGA’s Website – Check out our website

The home page now features an ‘artist of the month.’ Populate your own page, and update often. To create and edit your profi  le page, go to the For Members menu, choose Member login, and follow the instructions to find and edit your profile.
Need a website password? Email Emil Yanos at
acgamembership@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you!

Follow and Like us on FaceBook (@ClayandGlass) and Instagram (@theACGA)
The ACGA News is sent through MailChimp. If your email bounces you or you have been unsubscribed, you can sign up again – contact Communications Lead Ren Lee at: news@acga.net.

Join the ACGA social media group www.facebook.com/groups/ACGASocialMedia

GOOGLE GROUP
Link to the Google group: the-acga@googlegroups.com

To email all members via the ACGA Google group you must be a member. Address your clay/glass-related message to: the-acga@googlegroups.com
There are two ways that you can engage in google groups without a gmail account:
1. Via email only
With a non-gmail email address you can still participate in all of the google group activities by replying to emailsand/or sending an email to the-acga@googlegroups.com to start a new thread. You do not have to create any google accounts to do this. If you’re seeing this email, then you’re in the group and can respond to emails like this one that will be sent to the entire group.

More details on how to create and respond to google group messages in the FAQ!
2. Make a google account
While it’s not necessary to have a google account to participate in the google group, you can create one with your non-gmail email address to get access to the google group site, which just aggregates the ACGA google group conversations in one place that’s easy to review and search.

Board of Directors – 2023
2023 Officers
President: Mari Emori
Vice President: TBD
Secretary: Sally Jackson
Treasurer: April Zilber
Lee Middleman, Jan Schachter, Joe Battiato, Emil Yanos, Trudy Chiddix, Cheryl Costantini,
Chris Johnson, Ren Lee, Susie Rubenstein, Iver Hennig, Sonja Hinrichson, Vicki Gunter, Barbara Prodaniuk

Committee Chairs
Communication – Ren Lee
Exhibitions – Jan Schachter
Festival Liaison – April Zilber
Festival Jury Coordinator – Chris Johnson
Historian – Cuong Ta
Int’l Ambassador – Barbara Brown
Membership Coordinator – Emil Yanos

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