Above are views of the Krauss under various filter effects. Chris noted his pride in using the scientific process i.e. running experiments in order to bend light through glass using tension to create art in a process that to his knowledge nobody has ever used in glass before.

“Our wide ranging talks were a delight, and I will always value that time.

I still enjoy having wide ranging  discussions with Ross.

In fact, we have decided to  produce a podcast together.

It’s a little bit about glass.  It’s a little bit about physics

but who cares?

We’re having fun.”

—Chris Johnson

Sebastopol Center for the Arts

282 S. High Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472

info@sebarts.org

Gallery Hours

Thursday – Sunday 10am – 4pm

Submitted by Chris Johnson and Ross Greenwood PhD, Edited by Ren Lee

ACGA: Where were you born and raised? Would you say that art was part of your upbringing?
BF: I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii but was raised in Roseburg, Oregon. My parents owned their own printing business, utilizing a large, offset lithograph press that operated in the kitchen area of our home. A large guillotine paper cutter was in the living room. As far as art went, that was about as close as it got. I remember falling asleep to the rhythmic sound of the press running late into the night.

ACGA: When did you start working with clay? Tell us a bit about your journey with your craft.
BF: I first learned how to throw on the potter’s wheel in high school. Making pottery was a fun thing for me to do, although I never thought I could make a living at it. I had to go out there and get a real job. After barely graduating high school I knew l and wasn’t ready for college. I left home and worked a lot of different, minimum-wage jobs. Later in my mid 20s, the clay bug really bit me while attending community college in the Bay Area (Diablo Valley Community – Shout out to Karl McDade and Mark Messenger) and I learned I could be a professional artist. A couple years later I found myself driving into Logan, Utah to attend Utah State University. I was hell bent on learning how to make the best functional pottery I could and the program with John Neely and Dan Murphy was the place to do it. I got my degree and kept making pots anywhere I could. I worked as a production thrower and ceramic tech and did a few residency programs as well. I’m working now as the Senior Lab Tech of Fine Art at Saddleback College, in Mission Viejo, CA.

ACGA: Are there things about your techniques that are unique to your process?
BF: Most of my decoration is based around a grid network and splitting the space into nicely drawn, repeating patterns which is nothing new. What’s unique is the graphic, woodblock print quality and look of the surface. I love prints and making prints (which I do now and then).

ACGA: Is there one person or event that significantly inspired you?
BF: I spent 4 months studying abroad in Jingdezhen, China when I was in college. Talk about eye opening. Seeing the steps of the ceramic processes broken down and specialized by many different people to finish one ceramic object gave me a whole new perspective on clay and what I thought Art was. Prior to that trip, I had the notion that each step of making had to be done by me and me alone! Boy was I wrong.

ACGA: What is one thing that would surprise us to know about you?
BF: My oldest sister, Emily Free Wilson is a potter and art educator. She runs an art school called the Oregon Coast School of Art in Gardiner, Oregon. I worked with her to build up her pottery business, Free Ceramics during and after college. Our studio was in her living room and we slowly expanded over several years. Now she’s running her successful non-profit Art School and pottery business with her husband. The school offers artist residency opportunities, community events and art classes.

Bobby Free Website Bobby Free Instagram

Back in the day when phones were attached to the wall by curly cords and messages were recorded in the thin skin of clay left on a bat…

I first witnessed a potter at work during a grade school field trip to Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts, and immediately wanted to try it myself. Although I couldn’t persuade the potter to let me have a go that day, I made a promise to myself that I would find a way to explore ceramics, and I did just that.

My journey with clay began in college and has remained a constant in my life ever since. I served as the ceramics lab assistant at Moorpark College, apprenticed under potter John Schulps in Calabasas, California, and earned a BFA from California State University, Northridge in 1978.

Following graduation, I rented space in Frank Masserella’s studio in Canoga Park, CA.During this time, I served as a Summer Program Instructor for Ceramic Basic Design at Moorpark Junior College in 1980.

On my way to Truckee to set up my first studio

In 1981 I set up my first studio in Truckee, CA. In 1989 we built our own home with my current studio. I sold my work in galleries, shops, and shows. I was the ceramic instructor at Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village, NV, from 1994 to 1997.

While I enjoyed teaching, I had two small children and my salary as a part-time instructor didn’t quite cover the cost of daycare and the doctor bills that were a result of daycare. My heart always belonged to my studio, prompting my return to being a full-time studio potter and allowing me to be home for my kids.

I had to learn how to work with small increments of time and how to hold onto the creative thread despite many interruptions. Surviving as a full-time studio potter takes a lot of hard work. Long hours, and the flexibility to change as opportunities rise and fall. I continue to sell my work through galleries and shops nationwide, participating in shows, and running my studio and online shop.

Barbara Glynn Prodaniuk working in her studio, Truckee, California

Joining the ACGA in 2004 opened many doors for me. It introduced me to many extremely talented artists and afforded me opportunities to participate in a variety of venues. I have actively contributed to various projects, and I’m currently pleased to serve on the Board. I encourage everyone to find ways to get involved and contribute their time and expertise to this community. Your efforts will be rewarded with the connections and friendships you build. Clay remains a central part of my life. My work stands out due to my imagination, strong desire to explore new ideas and techniques, and continuous evolution of my sculptural pieces. I primarily work with white stoneware and a porcelain clay body, utilizing both a Raku kiln and a high-fire gas kiln. Some pieces incorporate mixed media elements. Over the past 45 years, my dialogue with clay has deepened into a lifetime commitment that grows more rewarding with each
passing year. I currently operate a pottery studio in my home, drawing inspiration from daily life events and experiences, as well as the beauty of the surrounding Tahoe andGreat Basin areas and their abundant life forms.

Learn more at Barbara Glynn Prodaniuk or @bgprodaniuk

The American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) is delighted to announce Fahrenheit 2024, the revival of our juried exhibition. Launched in 2018, Fahrenheit 2018 received an overwhelming response and showcased over 80 artists’ best ceramic creations juried by Patti Warashina. This year, AMOCA features the talents of artists contributing to the contemporary ceramic arts community. We are honored that Kathy King, Director of the Ceramics Program at Harvard University, is the esteemed juror for this year’s exhibition.

Artists whose works were selected through the jurying process will be celebrated at the opening reception. This exhibition will provide an invaluable platform for showcasing a diverse range of work and fostering recognition within the ceramics community.

ACGA members represented in this exhibition include Mary Catherine Bassett, Bobby Free, Suzanne Long, and Vince Montague.

On View: January 20–September 8, 2024

Opening Reception: January 20, 2024, 4–6 PM

Tour + Meet Cute: February 10, 2024, 1–3 PM

399 N Garey Ave Pomona, CA 91767
909.865.3146 | info@amoca.org
The museum is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 11 AM–4 PM. Plan your visit by clicking here.

In 2018, International Cultural Exchange Week was created by Miki Shim with support from Palo Alto Art Center with the invitation of two Korean Ceramic artists and Adam Field presenting workshops, demos and exhibitions at Palo Alto Art Center, Higher Fire in San Jose and Sonoma Community Center. The concept was to invite international ceramic artists and pair with other renown US artists practicing similar artforms. The following year, 2019, four renown Chinese ceramic artists and Hsin Chuen-Lin presented workshops and demos in Palo Alto and Sonoma, plus 10 visiting Chinese artists were invited to exhibit at the Art Center. A third event was scheduled for 2020, highlighting Japanese artist, ceramics, Ikebana and tea culture. But COVID shut us down.

The re-imagined International Ceramics Exchange (ICEX) returns to the vibrant city of San Francisco. Hosted at the SOMArts Cultural Center, this three-day event promises a unique cultural journey into the heart of Korean ceramic artistry that transcends time and tradition.

ICEX: International Ceramics Exchange

Come join us at SOMArts in San Francisco, CA, USA

for an unforgettable cultural experience!

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of Korean ceramics as the International Ceramics Exchange (ICEX) 2024 returns to the vibrant city of San Francisco. Hosted at the SOMArts Cultural Center, this three-day event promises a unique cultural journey into the heart of Korean ceramic artistry that transcends time and tradition.

ICEX 2024 proudly presents six distinguished Korean ceramic artists, each a master of their craft, converging in San Francisco to share their expertise, innovative techniques, and rich cultural influences. Join us for an exploration of the ancient and contemporary as these artists— Kim YoungSoo, Kim InTae, Kim JaeBeom, Shin YoungTaek, Lee SangHun, and Lee JinWook, unveil some of the secrets behind their renowned creations.

Discover the diversity of Korean ceramics as these artists showcase specialties such as Naked Raku, Buncheong, Traditional Coil & Throw, Porcelainware, Cobalt Painting, Sanggam, and Korean Traditional woodfire techniques. Through engaging demonstrations and insightful presentations, guests will gain an intimate understanding of the artists’ processes, bringing to life the intricacies of this ancient art form.

This exchange transcends borders, offering a rare opportunity to witness the fusion of tradition and innovation in Korean ceramics. Whether you are a seasoned ceramic enthusiast, a collector, or a business looking to align with the arts, ICEX 2024 invites you to be part of this important cultural event.

For more information and to secure your participation, click the link below to purchase general admission tickets. There are additional options to become a VIP attendee or Sponsor, as well.

Your journey into the enchanting world of Korean ceramics awaits!

Friday Night Artist Reception and Exhibition
March 29th, 6-8pm, SOMArts Main Gallery, SF
Free and open to the public
Meet the artists and see their works on exhibition in the main gallery. RSVP requested by registering for the event.

https://bit.ly/icex2024

Saturday and Sunday Open Demo and Exhibition
March 30-31, 11am – 4pm, SOMArts Main Gallery, SF
Ticket holders will have the rare opportunity to watch the artists work in an open demonstration setting. A “spotlight” schedule will allow each of the artists to offer short demos or presentations throughout the weekend.

Artists’ work will also be displayed and offered for sale with 100% of the sales proceeds going to the artists.

https://bit.ly/icex2024

All events will be held at SOMArts, Main Gallery.
934 Brannan St, San Francisco.

Miki Shim is a small batch ceramic artist working in her home studio in San Carlos, California. Since relocating to the Bay Area from Chicago, Illinois, she spent 7 years at the Palo Alto Art Center as Associate Programming Coordinator, served as a board member of Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California (ACGA) and also on the board of Orchard Valley Ceramic Artists Guild (OVCAG), she has lead many programs to bring the ceramics community together through education and inspired engagements. Currently, she is a committed instructor at local ceramics studios, travels to teach workshops, and produces ceramics focused tours in the US and South Korea.

Submitted by Miki Shim : www.mikisr.com

Deadline for submissions: February 3, 2023 by 5pm

Prospectus

Application

Show: March 2 – March 31, 2024

Call for Functional Ceramics using innovative techniques. Wall pieces and free standing pieces that meet this criteria are encouraged.

Juror: Cheryl Costantini

Bio: Cheryl Costantini has been a full-time Studio Potter for over 40 years. Cheryl apprenticed for six years as a potter in Japan at three separate traditional kiln sites. She and her husband formed Nichibei Potters in 1985 and they continue to produce high-quality elegant ceramics in their northern California studio. Cheryl’s work focuses on innovative tradition, rather than trend, with a keen eye for excellence in both process and product. Cheryl is a past president of the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California.

Show Awards:

1st Place $500

2nd Place $300

3rd Place $100

One $50 Coordinator’s award

Entry-Fees: SebArts Members

$25 for one entry/$35 for two entries/$40 for three entries.

Entry Fees: Non-Members

$35 for one entry/$45 for two entries/$50 for three entries.

Note: SebArts Individual Membership is $75/year. Joining upon submission is encouraged (though not required).

Call Closes: February 3, 2024 5PM

Notifications: February 8, 2024

Opening Reception: March 2, 2024 2-4PM

Dive into her beautiful world with us as she shares with you her techniques for creating stencils made from your own designs. She will cover what materials to use, how to transfer your artwork to the stencil material, how to cut out stencils, including what details to emphasize when creating stencils. From simple to complex, these stencils can be re-used over and over so you can swiftly and easily create colorful artwork on your ceramic surfaces.

Witness the magic as Diana showcases the application of these stencils using colorful underglazes on both flat and curved, leather-hard clay surfaces. Delve deeper by exploring the layering technique with multiple colors and discover how to create mesmerizing relief images that breathe life into your pottery.

On the second day Diana will guide you through more advanced ways to use stencils to create even more depth and richness to your clay surfaces. She will show you how to incorporate stencils with her lo-tech newsprint transfer method, how to use carving to enhance your stencil images and how to incorporate overall color onto your clay surfaces. To round out the workshop, Diana will also share how she uses glaze to create yet another layer of interest.

Join us for this special and  immersive experience with a master visiting artist, and take home not just pottery but a newfound skill set to elevate your artistic expression!

This is a 2 part workshop that can be taken as a 1 or 2 day workshop.

Robert Brady Sculpture at TRAX “What’s the Use”  mixed media including ceramic, wood, and cloth, small and large sculptures made during his summer endeavors at the St. Croix River in Minnesota.

Exhibition Dates: Feb 2 – 18

Gallery Reception: Saturday, Feb 3, 5 – 7pm

Gallery Hours: Friday – Sunday, 12 – 5:30pm

1812 5th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710

www.traxgallery.com. info@traxgallery.com. 510.5408729.

Please note: TRAX Ceramic Gallery is closed for January and will reopen to the public February 2.

The 16th of February marks the 100th Birthday of Warren Mackenzie and TRAX will offer several of his pieces for sale during a special showing Friday, January 16, 5 – 7pm.

These pieces are very special, never before shown and cherry picked by Sandy over 24 years of exhibiting his work at TRAX.  Warren passed away in 2018 at age 94. His generous spirit is revered by many of  us, his former students. Warren said, “just do it” before Nike ever did.

Warren MacKenzie’s work is in museum collections all over the world. Click below to learn more about this American Treasure.

FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JAN 26–28, 2024, 10AM–5PM

In this three-day, hands-on workshop, Berkeley-based master potters Sandy Simon and Bob Brady will demonstrate and work with participants to teach their techniques for throwing, creating new forms, trimming methods and surface decoration and resolution.  Bob will demonstrate dry-throwing for bowls of all sizes, drawing through slip, paper stenciling with slips, foot-trimming techniques, various forms of thrown and altered vases, large thrown jar forms and cups. Sandy will demonstrate how she works with porcelain, focusing on lids of all kinds and how to make inside and outside flanges. We’ll be working with Cone 9/10 stoneware and porcelain. Expect lively conversation and discussion about life as full-time potters, running a gallery and the different ways they approach working in clay.

Bob Brady is a San Francisco Bay Area sculptor who works in ceramics and wood. Brady came out of the California Clay movement and the Bay Area Arts scene of the 1950’s and 60’s, which includes artists such as Peter Voulkos, Viola Frey, Stephen de Staebler, and Robert Arneson, who was his mentor and teacher in college. Brady attended the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland before entering the University of California, Davis, where he received his MFA in 1975. Brady has lectured and taught workshops nationally and internationally and was a Professor of Art at California State University, Sacramento for 33 years. His work is in numerous private and public collections.

Sandy Simon was a student at the University of Minnesota in the late 60′s studying under Warren MacKenzie and Curt Hoard, having contemporaries such as Mark Pharis, Wayne Branum, Michael Simon,and Randy Johnston as her classmates. Sandy is a studio potter and in 1994 opened TRAX Gallery in Berkeley, CA to provide greater representation for ceramicists dedicated to utility.

Advanced-Beginner to Intermediate Wheel-Throwing Skills are required.

Cost: $500  (PS members & PS students $425)

Enrollment is limited.

To Register for this workshop:

email events@berkeleypottersstudio.org.

Submitted by Sandy Simon

Take a great  hands on workshop with Kathy Skaggs from AMACO in February. In this 2 day workshop everyone will learn and practice a number of wonderful techniques from stencils, silkscreens and much more. Leave the workshop with new skills and samples to further the creative clay journey on your own. And what a bargain as well, only $95. Check it out at: OVCAG.org

“This year’s edition of A Generous Kingdom is a bountiful feast for the eyes. It serves as a reminder that generosity is an extension, a form of reaching (if you will), and the ability to go beyond expectation. Many of the selected works describe stories and metaphors that extend toward something; whether through the reaching out of arms, rays of light from screens, the reach of tree limbs, and stairwells that ascend to the unknown. The environment looms large with towering trees, the magnetism of the moon, or wind chimes of seeds (which translated is a song that plays the future)! The realms portrayed describe the fabric of our culture, technology, and the vastness of our accumulations. These thoughtful works put us in a moment of caring and consideration of our place in the world.  How will we thrive in this new frontier and what components, algorithms, and hieroglyphics will it take to truly comprehend the massive impact of our footprint? As always, I am drawn to questions and process, more than answers and controlled outcomes and this Generous Kingdom is riddled with inquiry, diverse materials, and unpredictable outcomes…enjoy!”

—Jennifer Gillia Cutshall, Curator

A Generous Kingdom is an exhibition of Verum Ultimum (meaning the Ultimate Truth) Juried & curated by Jennifer G Cutshall.

“Mother Nature, depicted as African, represents our common origins. Her hair is entwined with African flowers & fish, prehistoric gingko leaves, stars, seaweed & a yellow cautionary canary. Earth is cradled in Mother Nature’s arms — the Sanctuary for all known life. Subtly kinetic, tears fall from her eyes into earth, as ice slowly melts. I create sculpture inspired by our Generous Kingdom’s beauty to enchant people into guardianship.”

—Vicki Gunter

TOP TO BOTTOM

Vicki Gunter, Clay Mariposa Lily – 12 x 28 x 14.25

Vicki Gunter, Our Poppy 2 – 21 x 21 x 7

Emil Yanos, Rumble – 1.4 × 14.3 × 7.3

“Natural Elements” is an art exhibition that pays homage to the varied forms and forces of nature. This collection features artists whose work directly reflects natural themes or is inspired by the environment. The art displayed ranges from literal interpretations to abstract expressions, all rooted in the natural world’s influence. ACGA members showing in this exhibition include Vicki Gunter and Emil Yanos

 Blue Line Arts

405 Vernon Ave. Roseville CA
Juror: Marianne McGrath

Emil Yanos, Tempest I, 2.8 × 15 × 15

Greater Bay Area Open: Potentiality / Actuality

Nov 17, 2023 – Mar 9, 2024

The Greater Bay Area Open (GBAO) is a juried fine-art-only competition and exhibition presented by the Los Gatos Art Association (LGAA), designed to promote fine art and artists from the greater Bay Area. Starting in 2015 and held biannually, the GBAO is now in its fifth showing and is presented biennially. This exhibition forges an exciting and dynamic association between the LGAA and NUMU, host to this collaboration.

Spanning twelve Bay Area counties, from Sonoma to Monterey, this juried event draws artists to compete for awards and recognition but also brings exposure to respected jurors, galleries, and art collectors from the region. The GBAO embraces artistic excellence, accepting both two-dimensional and three-dimensional fine art into a premier venue.

In every moment of creativity, there is an option to explore one’s perspective and expression. For this exhibition, LGAA invites artists to push work past usual boundaries to embrace the movement between potentiality and actuality. All artists are encouraged to interpret the theme, “Potentiality / Actuality” in their own way.

Vicki Gunter, Wild Iris (Iris douglasiana) …In Everything Series — clay, underglaze, stains, beeswax – 13 x 17 x 15 in

“While hiking in East Bay Regional Parks the pizazz of this native Iris captured me and caused a departure from my usual color palette. I also departed from my usual slab built technique to working solid, hollowing out and reassembling. This allowed me to push the clay into the arc of leaves and meeting of earth and sky. It is inscribed with several DNA helixes and is 7x’s natural size in clay.”

—Vicki Gunter

Emil Yanos, Super Storm
Ceramic Wall Sculpture
17″ x 17″ x 3″

How we connect with our outer and inner worldsExhibition Dates:

Saturday, Jan 13 – Sunday, Feb 11, 2024
Reception and Awards:

Saturday, January 13, 3-5 PM

Gallery Route One
11101 Highway One, Ste. 1101
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Including works by ACGA Artists

Melissa Woodburn and Emil Yanos

Juror:  TaVee Lee, Gallery Manager, Transmission Gallery; Exhibitions Director, Gearbox Gallery, Oakland, California

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