BELONGING: THE 2022 NCECA ANNUAL, CURATOR ANGELIK VIZCARRONDO-LABOY

Belonging, the 2022 NCECA Annual

Alex Anderson, Spiraling, 2020
Earthenware, glaze, and gold luster, 22" x 17" x 2"
Photo credit: Crocker Art Museum, John S. Knudsen Endowment Fund, 2021.49

Implying an affinity or connectedness with a place or group, social or cultural, a sense of belonging is a powerful feeling that shapes identity. Although achieving a sense of belonging is fulfilling, the effort can be laborious and even painful due to the risk of rejection or lack of acceptance. After all, belonging is survival.

Belonging also strongly signifies spatial relationships. From navigating new territories to remaining rooted to formative places long vacated, the quest for belonging can evoke nostalgia and dissonance. For millions, a sense of belonging is profoundly affected by patriarchal, colonialist experiences that have resulted in gaps of lineage, loss of material culture and narratives, and disconnection from land.

Janina Myronowa, Come with me, 2022
20” x 7.4" x 5.5", Stoneware and underglaze
Photo credit: Janina Myronowa

Belonging to any entity also comes with its associated histories and realities, the righteous and the problematic. Historical and contemporary systemic denial of belonging disproportionally affects people of color, members of the LGBTQAI+ community, women, and immigrants in North America. In this context, Belonging showcases bold and quiet forms of resistance that focus on ideas of self, space, kinship, and community.

Artists invited by the curator: Alex Anderson, Natalia Arbelaez, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Salvador Jiménez-Flores, Habiba El-Sayed

Artists selected by the curator through the call for submissions: Japheth Asiedu-Kwarteng, Ashwini Bhat, Horacio Casillas, Adam Chau, Patsy Cox, Jessika Edgar, Nazare Feliciano, Jasmine Fetterman, Raheleh Filsoofi, Eleanor Foy, Alina Hayes, Kevin Kao, Clay Leonard, Cindy Leung, Linda Lopez, Janina Myronowa, Kelly O'Briant, Danielle O'Malley, Aimée Papazian, Deshun Peoples, George Rodriguez, Patricia Sannit, Joshua Schutz, RJ Sturgess, Phyllis Kudder Sullivan, Lydia Thompson, Daniel Alejandro Trejo, Amythest Warrington, Kathy Yoshihara

2022 NCECA JURIED STUDENT EXHIBITION

The 2022 NCECA Juried Student Exhibition runs concurrently with Fertile Ground, the 56th annual conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts, Sacramento, California, March 16–19, 2022. Ceramic artists Patsy Cox and Andres Payan Estrada selected works for the exhibition. Tony Baker, Chase Barney, Amanda Barr, Danqi Cai, Daniel Clauson, Laura Dirksen, Molly Duff, Noah Greene, Danielle Hawk, Maxwell Henderson, Laura Jenels, Nick Kakavas, Yi Young Kim, Ray Lewis, Tasha Lewis, Mathew McIntyre, Paige O'Toole, Alisha Porter, Leonard Reidelbach, Logan Reynolds, Mary Rhein, Sage Rucci, Elizabeth Scott, Katie Stone, Haley Summerfield, Alex Thomure, Hye Rin Woo, Alice Zerini-Le Reste

BALLROOM A ROOMS 2–4

25th ANNUAL NATIONAL K–12 CERAMIC EXHIBITION
Ceramic artist John Gill selected works included in this premier annual juried ceramic competition for Kindergarten through Grade 12 (K–12) students in the US. Designed to highlight outstanding creativity with clay by school-aged youth, the exhibition takes place in a different city each year in conjunction with the annual conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA).

MEETING ROOM 12

GROWING SEEDS: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Virtual Clay Collective unites forces to create an exhibition focusing on broad cultural diversity and trajectories transitioning out of universities, flourishing into new emerging artists in the ceramic field. Organized by Dina Perlasca. Audrey An, Rice Evans, Emily Irvin, Matthew O’Reilly, Brooke Armstrong, Danielle Hawk, Ian Pemberton, Aaron Caldwell, Jennifer Masley, Marianne Chénard

MEETING ROOM 16

LUMINARIES
A group exhibition featuring Northern California ceramic artists who have attained eminence and provided inspiration through their dedication towards shining a light on others at this year's NCECA conference. Organized by Ray Gonzales. Artists include Anthony Gill, Mary Catherine Bassett, Scott Parady, Rick Parsons, Marc Lancet, Ianna Frisby, Marsha Schindler, Dania Lukey, William Ishmael, Ray Gonzales, and others.

CARMEL ROOM A

SERENDIPITY
This exhibition is an exploration of relationships that connect us with love, loss, friendship, and shelter using animals as subjects. The innovative installation blurs the boundaries of space, art, and experience. Rebekah Bogard

CARMEL ROOM B

ONE SQUARE FOOT
Looking at the ethical consequences of humans exploiting non–human animals for consumption and interconnections between meat eating and the patriarchy, Misty Gamble and Marina Kuchinski exhibit work about chickens. Organized by Misty Gamble.

BIG SUR B

CLOUD 9
The Cloud 9 are artists stemming from diverse communities exploring the conceptuality behind the cloud. This exhibition contextually converges the liminal states of the cloud and intersectionality of identity. Organized by Katie Stone. Katie Stone, Chelsey Albert, Austin Coudriet, Vanessa Norris, Taylor Whyte, John Shea, Tyler Quintin, J. Casey Doyle, Joe Page

BATAGLIERI ROOM

A FLOWER BLOOMS IN THE DESERT: INVESTIGATIONS OF AGRICULTURAL MICROCOSMS
Eight artists respond to agriculture and its far-reaching effects through connections with California-based organizations. They engage the creative process to construct new realities, form bonds, communicate, and plan. Organized by Amanda Bury and Bridget Fairbank. Amanda Bury, Bridget Fairbank, Lindsay Rogers, Nathan Murray, Eliza Au, Carole Epp, Juan Barroso, Lauren Shapiro

BEAVIS ROOM

RUBY O’BURKE’S LEGACY
The Sheraton portion of this two-venue exhibition is a celebration of the unique half-century history of Ruby’s Clay Studio and shows a sample of the excellence of O’Burke’s studio artists. A partner exhibition is on view at Ruby’s Clay Studio and Gallery in San Francisco. Organized by Ruby’s Gallery Committee and juried by John Toki. Artists include Ruby O’Burke, Jeanne Friscia, Marnia Johnston, Emil Yanos, Andrew Dewitt, Barbara Vanderbeck, and others.

CAMPAGNO ROOM

DIVINATIONS
Inspired by the earliest known library and cuneiform clay tablets, the collaborative OortCloudX superimposes ancient Sumer onto Sacramento. Taking our cue from divination practices that foretell the future by scrutinizing animal viscera, we employ ceramics as a protagonist to conjure narratives of past, future, and place. Organized by Neil Forrest. John Roloff, Neil Forrest

DURANG ROOM

NEW GENERATION
Creativity Explored artists have the freedom to explore and independently generate bodies of artwork. New Generation brings together a selection of artists who share their vision and unique take on clay. Curated by Joseph McGovern. Andrew Bixler, Alissa Bledsoe, Peter Cordova, Ricardo Estella, Paul Gee, Alan Ku, Nubia Ortega, Miyuki Tsurukawa, Gerald Wiggins, Andrew Wong

FALOR ROOM

VENTURA CLAY
A survey of the dynamic contemporary ceramic art created in Ventura County by educators, students, and alumni of some of the region’s academic and community clay programs. Artists include Jenchi Wu, Marianne McGrath, Alina Hayes, Carlos Kessler, Janet Neuwalder, Diana Pini, Sandra Torres, Chris Bate, Scott Chatenever, and others.

FERTILE EXCHANGE

This exhibition highlights work by Taproot Collective, a group that supports each other through shared mentorship and professionalism, planting seeds for artistic expression. Presented here is an exploration of fertile exchange. Curated by Jo Lauria. Chris Gustin, Randy Johnston, Tricia McGuigan, Ruth Douzinas, Molly Peacock, Anne Traver, Diane Brown, Ruri, Bonita Klein, Victoria Hicks

CULTIVATION THROUGH CLAY: THE WORK OF MARGUERITE WILDENHAIN

Marguerite Wildenhain established the ceramic studio Pond Farm in Northern California in the 1940s. For 40 years, students were inspired by her teaching the tenets of fine pottery and nature. Curated by Forrest L. Merrill.
ON VIEW: Mar 9–Apr 1

PRECIOUS CARGO

Residencies are fertile grounds for cross-discipline exploration and collaboration. At the Kohler Arts/Industry Residency, anthropologist Dr. Adrian Van Allen and artist Marnia Johnston experimented with 3–D modeling and casting techniques. Organized by Marnia Johnston.
ON VIEW: Mar 14–May 1

Body Image

Showcases sculptural works of ten artists who reimagine the figure in various styles, ranging from surreal and highly stylized interpretations to extraordinarily realistic approaches. Organized by Hannah Pierce and Clarissa Pezone. Soojin Choi, Kourtney Stone, Autumn Veggiemon Wallace, Jason Briggs, Yana Payusova, Joann Quiñones, Doug Jeck, George Rodriguez, Clarissa Pezone, Hannah Pierce

MELCHERT, SHAW, AND BRADY

b. sakata garo mines the fertile ground of age and experience with an artist group of Northern California’s most esteemed veteran clay artists. Curated by Barry Sakata. James Melchert, Richard Shaw, Robert Brady.

DISTINCTLY HER OWN: SCULPTURES BY VIOLA FREY

This exhibition highlights Viola Frey’s (1933–2004) iconic artistic style using a range of techniques and her mature sculptures, which reflect timelessness and fragility. Curated by Cynthia de Bos.

EXPLORE ARTE

Explore the fantastic range of Latinx clay art. Curated by Casa de Español. Artists include locals: Gabriel Isaiah Gonzales, Freddy Santana, Daniel Alejandro Trejo and Ecuadorian artist, Cristian Velastegui

BOUNTIFUL

Five artists, each with their distinct heritage and voice, have all found inspiration as educators. They appreciate the bounty of living and teaching in this fertile valley of diversity. Curated by Merle Axelrad and ARTHOUSE. Sandy Fong Whetstone, Frankie Hansbearry, Maggie Jimenez, Robert Schumacher, Sonya Peterson Schumacher

JURIED FUNCTIONAL TEAPOT SHOW II

A juried selection of world-class teapots, including work by the jurors and guest artist Pete Pinnell. Organized by Hamish Jackson. Mary Cotterman, Elisa Helland-Hansen, Sandy Lockwood, Ted Neal, Inge Nielsen, Reid Ozaki, Sean Scott, Annie Schliffer, Petr Sklenička, Augusta Smith.
ON VIEW: Mar 13–20

NEW CERAMICS

A group exhibition featuring work by Karen Shapiro, Jeff Nebeker, Julie Clements, and others. Curated by the Elliott Fouts Gallery.
ON VIEW: Mar 5–31

SPONTANEOUS RESPONSE: THE INNOVATIVE CERAMICS OF DON REITZ

The exhibition spans the breadth of Don Reitz’s career. From early functional pieces to later sculptural masterpieces, the 78 works in the exhibition spotlight Reitz’s innovative approach to clay. Curated by Chris Rupp.

EARTHLY DELIGHTS: FARM TO TABLE POTTERY AND CUP SHOW

The exhibition is a celebration of potters and their imaginative tableware to highlight the Farm to Fork movement, which began in Northern California. Artists will also exhibit a wide variety of cups for sale. Curated by Mary Beierle and Cj Jilek. Artists include Lorna Meaden, Sandra Torres, CJ Niehaus, Bobby Free, Careen Stoll, Susie Rubenstein, Wendy Eggerman, Andrew 'Augusta' Smith, Mandy Stigant, Kristen Erickson, and others.

COBB MOUNTAIN RESIDENT ARTIST’S EXHIBITION: OUT OF ASHES COME BEAUTY AND LIFE

Potters and sculptors from the Cobb Mountain Art and Ecology Project present work fired in various techniques, including salt, soda, and wood. Curated by Mary Beierle and Cj Jilek. Anna Vaughan, Casey Burton, Darren Cockrell, Jonah Fleeger, Jules Stout, Josette Patterson, Matt Sloan, William McKinney, Jacques Adams

EARTHSCAPES: INVESTIGATIONS INTO CALIFORNIA'S FLORA, FAUNA, AND TERRAIN

This exhibition brings together ceramic artists working in a variety of clays and firing techniques. These artists explore the unique terrain, flora, and fauna of California. Organized by Mary Beierle and Cj Jilek. Cj Jilek, Gina Lawson Egan, Grayson Fair, Heidi Kreitchet, Mary Beierle, Mitch Springer, Scott Parady, Scott Ross, Alberto Lozano Ruvalcaba, Anna Vaughan

MAIN GALLERY

FRAGMENTS
A solo exhibition by Gabriel Isaiah Gonzales of constructed male and female torsos. These are then deconstructed through a series of elaborate steps of water and fire.

EAST WING GALLERY

WATER
Trompe l'oeil sculptures of water in unlikely forms. This universally recognized and expected element in the improbable form of a brick or ship or more is what this artist explores. Ray Gonzales

NO END IN SIGHT

Curated by Daniel Alejandro Trejo, the exhibition is a cross-disciplinary inquiry into contemporary clay and its relationship with developing works that reconcile intertwined personal biographies, memories, and socio-environmental impact. Debra Broz, Cathy Lu, Paolo Mentasti, Cristina Tufiño, Jordan Wong

TILTH AND TIDE: MARIAN BAKER AND RUCHIKA MADAN

The exhibition highlights two distinctive approaches in functional pottery form and surface, with imagery exploring the wondrous biology and fecundity of land and sea. Organized by Marian Baker.

LORETTA MONTIEL, CERAMIC ARTIST

I wish to display the best of my pieces in order to celebrate my vision and those of my instructors. My forms and colors bear witness to their heritage, as well as the developing edge of contemporary art.

BELONGING: THE 2022 NCECA ANNUAL, CURATOR ANGELIK VIZCARRONDO-LABOY

Implying an affinity or connectedness with a place or group, social or cultural, a sense of belonging is a powerful feeling that shapes identity. Although achieving a sense of belonging is fulfilling, the effort can be laborious and even painful due to the risk of rejection or lack of acceptance. After all, belonging is survival.

Belonging also strongly signifies spatial relationships. From navigating new territories to remaining rooted to formative places long vacated, the quest for belonging can evoke nostalgia and dissonance. For millions, a sense of belonging is profoundly affected by patriarchal, colonialist experiences that have resulted in gaps of lineage, loss of material culture and narratives, and disconnection from land. Nevertheless, many seek reconnection to their ancestors and their homelands regardless of distance.

Belonging, the 2022 NCECA Annual, surveys the complexity and depth of the concept of belonging and its many interpretations. In this exhibition, artists explore the intangible and tangible approaches people engage in while developing and maintaining their sense of identity and connectedness across time and space. The word “belonging” also relates to ownership or possession, an interpretation that has caused much harm to humans, non-human species, and the natural world. However, the exhibiting artists subvert these inequities by prioritizing people’s desires to belong to something instead of things belonging to them and acknowledging others’ right to belong.

Belonging to any entity also comes with its associated histories and realities, the righteous and the problematic. Historical and contemporary systemic denial of belonging disproportionally affects people of color, members of the LGBTQAI+ community, women, and immigrants in North America. In this context, Belonging showcases bold and quiet forms of resistance that focus on ideas of self, space, kinship, and community.

Artists invited by the curator: Alex Anderson, Natalia Arbelaez, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Salvador Jiménez-Flores, Habiba El-Sayed.

Artists selected by the curator through the call for submissions:

Japheth Asiedu-Kwarteng, Ashwini Bhat, Horacio Casillas, Adam Chau, Patsy Cox, Jessika Edgar, Nazare Feliciano, Jasmine Fetterman, Raheleh Filsoofi, Eleanor Foy, Alina Hayes, Kevin Kao, Clay Leonard, Cindy Leung, Linda Lopez, Janina Myronowa, Kelly O'Briant, Danielle O'Malley, Aimée Papazian, Deshun Peoples, George Rodriguez, Patricia Sannit, Joshua Schutz, RJ Sturgess, Phyllis Kudder Sullivan, Lydia Thompson, Daniel Alejandro Trejo, Amethyst Warrington, Kathy Yoshihara.

STEPHEN DE STAEBLER: MASKS AND MONUMENTAL FIGURES

Stephen De Staebler (1933–2011) was a pivotal artist in the Bay Area Figurative and California Clay movements. An exhibition of masks and bronze figures demonstrates his unorthodox material approaches.
ON VIEW: Nov 21, 2021–Apr 3, 2022

HANDS AND EARTH: CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE CERAMICS

Featuring an in-depth selection of essential works by master Japanese ceramic artists of the last 80 years, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see significant examples of avant-garde approaches to clay.
ON VIEW: Sep 12–Apr 24

THE CANDY STORE: FUNK, NUT, AND OTHER ART WITH A KICK

Presenting the work of Robert Arneson, David Gilhooly, Sandra Shannonhouse, and others who exhibited at the Candy Store Gallery in Folsom and championed the funk aesthetic of California’s Central Valley.
ON VIEW: Jan 30–May 1

SOWN

Seeds carry the life cycle; lives rise from fertile ground. Eight ceramic artists working in installation, sculpture, and pottery explore migration, experiences of immigration, and cultural hybridity. Organized by Hideo Mabuchi. Ashwini Bhat, Cara Faye Earl, Saly Lee, Cathy Lu, Hideo Mabuchi, Ibrahim Said, Hitomi Shibata, Takuro Shibata

LAYERS UPON LAYERS

Showcases artists working in complex and diverse ways whose approach to building methods and surface techniques explore how layers evoke meaning and add intricacy to their content. Organized by Shenny Cruces. Jennifer Brazelton, Gary Carlos, Shenny Cruces, Peter Harris, Tiffany Schmierer, Shannon Sullivan, Tomoko Nakazato, Sharon Virtue

AND SALT THE EARTH BEHIND YOU

Emily Gordon and Whitney Vangrin’s work connects themes of death and rebirth to environmental and cultural landscapes of shared reality through performance, time-based, and video installations by activating the senses. Organized by Emily Gordon.

DEEP ROOTS; FRESH SHOOTS

We are clay people deeply rooted in Sacramento for more than 45 years. This exhibition shares diverse work by past and present members of Art By Fire, Sacramento’s oldest ceramics group. Organized by Sacramento Potters Group: Art By Fire. Dania Lukey, Chris Efstrantis, Sharon Bloom, Lee Kavaljian, Deborah Pittman, Roberta Almerez, Debbie Moore-Yip, Lynn Wood, Robyn Brakel, Marianne DeMartin

2022 NCECA JURIED STUDENT EXHIBITION

The 2022 NCECA Juried Student Exhibition runs concurrently with Fertile Ground, the 56th annual conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts, Sacramento, California, March 16–19, 2022. Ceramic artists Patsy Cox and Andres Payan Estrada selected works for the exhibition. Tony Baker, Chase Barney, Amanda Barr, Danqi Cai, Daniel Clauson, Laura Dirksen, Molly Duff, Noah Greene, Danielle Hawk, Maxwell Henderson, Laura Jenels, Nick Kakavas, Yi Young Kim, Ray Lewis, Tasha Lewis, Mathew McIntyre, Paige O'Toole, Alisha Porter, Leonard Reidelbach, Logan Reynolds, Mary Rhein, Sage Rucci, Elizabeth Scott, Katie Stone, Haley Summerfield, Alex Thomure, Hye Rin Woo, Alice Zerini-Le Reste.
ON VIEW: Mar 1–Apr 15

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE; NOTHING IS PROBABLE: THE LEGACY OF THE CANDY STORE GALLERY IN THE SACRAMENTO STATE ART COLLECTION

Celebrates the enduring influence of the Candy Store Gallery, Folsom, California (1962–1992) through works in the Sacramento State art collection. Curated by Kelly Lindner. Artists include Clayton Bailey, Robert Brady, Arthur Gonzalez, Irving Marcus, Joan Moment, Jim Nutt, Jack Ogden, Sandra Shannonhouse, Chris Unterseher, Peter VandenBerge, and others.
ON VIEW: Mar 14–May 27

SCOTT PARADY, SCOTT ROSS, WILLIAM SCHWOB

Scott Parady is the founder of the Cobb Mountain Art and Ecology Project, a ceramic residency that evolved from his 25-year pursuit of wood-fired ceramics. Bill Schwob and Scott Ross have been collaborating with Parady since 2020 on lengthy wood firings to create large-scale ceramic sculpture. Organized by Scott Parady.

PRIMAL GESTURES

Featuring the work of legendary artist M.C. Richards and contemporary artist Anthony Maki-Gill, this exhibition is an exploration and a search for creative resonance and linkages across time. Organized by Marsha Schindler.

MC RICHARDS TRIBUTE

Richards pioneered many of her influential ideas about cross-disciplinary experimentation in the arts at Black Mountain College in North Carolina (1945–1953). This exhibit features works from California collections and Black Mountain College Museum.

LEGENDS AND LEGIONS: A SURVEY SHOW OF CALIFORNIA WOOD FIRING

Countless wood kilns in California, this firing technique has found “Fertile Ground.” Old-growth, fully grown, and sprouts highlight generational growth, honoring legends, celebrating leaders, and inspiring the next generation. Curated by T. Robert Pacini. Artists include Sam Clarkson, Richard Hotchkiss, Catherine Hiersoux, Heidi Kreitchet, Marc Lancet, Rodney Mott, Fred Olsen, Scott Parady, Josette Patterson, Nick Schwartz, and others.

OF THE EARTH

This exhibition highlights the diversity of clay by showcasing a group of artists who use various techniques to explore traditional and figurative works. Curated by Patricia Wood. Ray Gonzales, Sandy Fong Whetstone, Kris Marubayashi, Deborah Pittman, Linda Fitz Gibbon, Rodney Mott, Tom Bartel, Andy Blanchard, Edmund Blackburn, Linda Gelfman, Bonnie Rascon, Grace Tuthill

PIPES: SCULPTURES FROM THE MISSION CLAY ARTS AND INDUSTRY RESIDENCY PROGRAM COLLECTION

An exhibition of work created on six to eight-foot clay pipe extrusions by artists who participated in the Mission Clay Arts and Industry residency program. Organized by Fulcrum Property and Mission Clay.

NOT SO GUILTY PLEASURES

This group of artists explore the duality of guilty pleasures, highlighting the internal struggle. Artists explore this theme by embracing, exposing, or spurring us to action when experiencing guilty pleasures. Organized by Rebekah Bogard. Rebekah Bogard, Linda Ganstrom, Ovidio Giberga, Bryan Hiveley, Clayton Keyes, Bethany Krull, John Oliver Lewis, Jessica Putnam-Phillips, Alison Ragguette, Taylor Robenalt

FROM GROUND TO SURFACE

This exhibition features Northern California ceramic artists expressing their unique relationship with the land and culture they call home in the mountains and valleys of Napa and Sonoma. Organized by Benjie Heu.
Sunshine Cobb, Forrest Lesch-Middelton, Kala Stein, Bobby Free, Sarah Brown, Owen Nelsen, Anela Ming-Yue Oh, Benjie Heu

MARC LANCET –- A HOUSE DIVIDED

An exhibition of wood-fired sculptures featuring the physics of drying clay to create fragmented images of beauty, pathos, and fertile ground for reintegration.

RELICS AND REBIRTH

The artists explore the many aspects of the feminine archetype, particularly its analogy to the earth, the body as vessel, nature, and the supernatural and subconscious worlds. Organized by Christa Assad and Sharon Virtue. Christa Assad, Michelle Gregor, Josie Jurczenia, MaryMar Keenan, Erin McGuiness, Sara Paloma, Whitney Smith, Sharon Virtue

2021 ARCHIE BRAY FOUNDATION RESIDENT ARTISTS

The Archie Bray Foundation presents new work by the 2021 Residents Artists. Curated by Maura Wright. Soojin Choi, Sydnie Jimenez, Uriel Caspi, Kristy Moreno, Yeh Rim Lee, Alessandro Gallo, Yeonsoo Kim, Candice Methe, Kelsie Rudolph, Steven Young Lee

BENEATH THE SURFACE – ORIGIN STORIES

This exhibition presents the non–figurative work of six women originating from different parts of the world. Each artist explores pertinent ideas using organic forms infused with diverse meanings. Curated by Nancy M. Servis. Ashwini Bhat, Bean Finneran, Babs Haenen, Eva Kwong, Lauren Mabry, Elyse Pignolet

WOMXN OF ALFRED

Artists highlight mentorship, intersectional feminism, and empowerment through artworks by female/trans/femme graduate candidates and their faculty, teaching fellow, and technicians at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred. Organized by Katie Fee. Linda Sikora, Megan Smythe, Hannah Thompsett, Adero Willard, Javaria Ahmad, Margeaux Claude, Katie Fee, Noah Greene, Jackie Head, Jolie Ngo, Paige O’Toole, Rose Schreiber-Stainthorp, Victoria Walton

OF EARTH AND FIRE

The exhibition centers on ceramic art from the earth through fire partnered with the organic beauty and freedom of blending function with innovation. The tactical pleasure of clay combine with unique designs cultivated from nature and our blended region’s diverse cultural and unique role. Curated by Sandee Hancock. Linda Gelfman, Sandy McCann, Terry Watson, Mark Slick

UNSETTLED LAND

A solo exhibition of Elliott Kayser’s figurative animal sculpture addresses modern agriculture.

MARSHA SCHINDLER: LIFE WHISPERS, LISTEN CAREFULLY

Marsha Schindler displays figurative ceramics exploring the connectivity between the natural world—particularly trees and animals—and the human world. Through her installations and drawings, Schindler creates a world of cyclical growth and decay. Curated by Natalie Nelson.
ON VIEW: Mar 14–May 15

TINDERBOX: WATER IN THE WEST

Through ceramic diptychs, Bay Area sculptor Jeff Downing addresses the critical water shortage affecting the natural habitats of the Western US. Curated by Eileen Hendren.
ON VIEW: Mar 14–May 15

ON THE EDGE: CCA CLAY

Viola Frey played a considerable role in the Bay Area’s historic ceramic revolution. As head of the ceramics studio at California College of Arts, Frey fostered spirits of innovation and experimentation that continue to thrive. Organized by by Nancy Selvin and Nathan Lynch. Viola Frey, Nathan Lynch, Derek Weisberg, Cathy Lu, Tracy Ren, Arthur Gonzalez, Woody De Othello, Vicci Jang, Crystal Morey, Mary Alison Lucas
ON VIEW: Mar 16–May 15

TREE OF CERAMICS

Davis is the home to one of the most prominent agricultural schools in the nation and the longest-running gallery in Northern California showing ceramics. This exhibition will have the ancestral tree showing the ceramics family from its beginnings to the present. Robert Arneson, Robert Brady, Victor Cicansky, Donna Billick, Esther Shimazu, Margaret Keelan, Patti Warashina, Irina Zaytceva, Beth Lo

NCECA 2022 MULTICULTURAL FELLOWSHIP EXHIBITION, CURATOR SANA MUSASAMA

The NCECA Multicultural Fellowship Exhibition highlights the expansive work of past NCECA Multicultural Fellows. Abiam Alvarez, Japheth Asiedu-Kwarteng, Yael Braha, Summer Brooks, Grace Gittelman, Rika Kova, Walter Moore, Neha Pullarwar, Silvia Ritterling-Alvarez, Antra Sinha, Hye Rin Woo

CONSTRUCTED LANDSCAPES: BRICK, TILE, AND PILLAR

Artists explore the interface between nature and culture through the liminal space of architecture. The artworks in this exhibition are explorations of architectural ornamentation influenced by natural forms and patterns. Organized by Eliza Au. Eliza Au, Grace Nickel, Audrey An, Sarah Heitmeyer

SIERRA FOOTHILLS CLAY ARTS

SFCA potters and sculptors in this exhibition are a significant force in realizing the art center’s mission to engage the community with the creative power of ceramic art. Curated by ASiF Art Center. Deborah Bridges, Yvon Dockter, Claudia Jeffers, Carmen Lang, Chic Lotz, Amanda Paoletti, Risa Roseman, Jennifer Rugge, Rene Sprattling, Susan Steinbarth

SIDE-BY-SIDE: HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY CERAMICS

How does the medium of clay express the impact and influence of people and history? We invite visitors to look at historic ceramic objects through the lens of contemporary artists inside the landmark Gibson House. Curated by Iulia Bodeanu. Shenny Cruces, Zen Du, Linda Fitz Gibbon, Ianna Frisby, Ray Gonzales, Michelle Kern, William Peterson, Sandy Whetstone

AFTER VIOLA

This exhibition features five Bay Area artists engaging with the Viola Frey Archives. These response works create cross-generational conversations that bridge the fertile past of ceramics with its exciting future. Organized by Ashwini Bhat and Kari Marboe. Ashwini Bhat, Nicki Green, Cathy Lu, Nathan Lynch, Kari Marboe

THE PRESENCE OF THE ABSENT

These artists explore how objects can represent or act as a proxy for human presence through the key concepts of the body, the ephemeral, and the passage of time. Curated by Eliza Au. Du Chau, Parvin Peivandi, Jihye Han

THIS IS THE ANTHROPOCENE

Five artists respond to the current geological age, through which human activity has a dominant influence on the climate and the environment. Organized by Jenni Ward and Cynthia Siegel. Cynthia Siegel, Jenni Ward, Wesley Wright, Shannon Sullivan, Susan Whitmore

SMALL FEATS OF CLAY, A LEGACY REIMAGINED CERAMIC COMPETITION 2022

In honor of the 2022 NCECA conference in Sacramento, our show's theme is “Well-Grounded,” celebrating the organic effect of working with clay as an expressive art.

VISIONS IN CLAY INVITATIONAL

Jurors selected the artists in this exhibition from the past ten years of Visions in Clay, an annual juried show. The ceramic work presented is inspired by food culture, the landscape, and its inhabitants, inviting viewers to investigate our relationship to the natural world and each other. Organized by Jan Marlese. Ted Adler, Amanda Barr, Dylan Beck, Brian Caponi, Linda S. Fitz Gibbon, José Flores Nava, Adrián Gómez, Ryana Lawson, Kathy Pallie, Carlos Enrique Prado

TAP ROOTS: CERAMIC ARTIST EDUCATORS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Arts Benicia and Epperson Gallery of Ceramic Arts join forces in an extensive exhibition of more than 60 ceramic artist faculty from Northern California Colleges and Universities. Curated by Suzanne Long, Celeste Smeland, Lisa Reinertson, and Lordy Rodriguez. Artists include Tiffany Schmierer, Richard Shaw, Ehren Tool, Wanxin Zhang, Laura van Duren, John Roloff, Yoshio Taylor, Pancho Jimenez, Peter Vandenberge, Michelle Gregor, and others.

TAP ROOTS: CERAMIC ARTIST EDUCATORS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Epperson Gallery of Ceramic Arts and Arts Benicia join forces in an extensive exhibition of more than 60 ceramic artist faculty from Northern California Colleges and Universities. Organized by Suzanne M Long, Celeste Smeland, Lisa Reinertson, and Lordy Rodriguez. Artists include Lisa Reinertson, Jeff Downing, Michelle Gregor, Clayton Bailey, Wanxin Zhang, Arthur Gonzalez, Nancy Selvin, Shenny Cruces, and many more.

WAKING IS DREAMING: MARGARET KEELAN AND SUZANNE M LONG

We invite the viewer on a journey of self-reflection and discovery that investigates mortality, melancholy, and issues of innocence, beauty, aging, and decay.

R’EVOLUTION

Juried by Antonia Lawson, this exhibition presents figurative and non-figurative works by 30+ artists from the Terra Linda Ceramic Artists vibrant community. Each artist presents their interpretation of the theme R'Evolution, a compound word that offers exciting opportunities in clay. Organized by Nadia Tarzi Saccardi and Jo Clarke. Artists include Jo Clarke, Becky Ordin, Cathie Blackstone, Geraldine GaNun, Melissa Woodburn, Nadia Tarzi-Saccardi, Nicolas Vasquez, Brianna Woodward, Cornelia Nevitt, Susan Hontalas, and others.

CULTIVATING CLAY: A SURVEY OF CHICO STATE CERAMICS SINCE 1996

A bountiful harvest of the current work in ceramics by California State University, Chico alumni, drawn from the last quarter-century of Chico State ceramics students. Curated by Cameron Crawford. Linda Lopez, Rickie Barnett, Meaghan Gates, Michael T. Hurley, Kristy Moreno, Kelly Daniels, Adam Redd, Kelly Berning, Chaz Martinsen, Brian McNamara

A DELICATE BALANCE

Built at a monumental scale, Jun Kaneko’s heads as sculptural forms are timely because anyone and everyone can personally identify with a non-gendered, abstract head. And yet, the artist loads them with a vast array of traditions, meanings, and associations. Presented through a partnership between Sonoma Valley Museum of Art and Sonoma Community Center.

OUT OF OUR MINDS: THE ART OF CLAYTON BAILEY AND TONY NATSOULAS

Bringing together two giants of California Bay Area ceramics, this exhibition is also a mini-retrospective honoring Bailey, who passed away in 2020 in Port Costa.

MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY BAY AREA CERAMICS

This exhibition, highlighting modern and contemporary ceramics, includes work by Peter Voulkos, Viola Frey, Clayton Bailey, Stephen DeStaebler, Maija Peeples-Bright, Manuel Neri, and others. Organized by Modern Art West.

A culmination of ceramic work by Kala Stein, the artist explores motifs of water, fragility, and the changing California landscape through vessels, wall work, and experimental design. Organized by Kala Stein.

TABLE FLARES: SIGNALS OF SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

Featuring a crop of local artists, the group examines craft and foods’ direct ties to the earth by illuminating social and environmental justice issues. Curated by Sara Morris and Matthew Limb. Ehren Tool, Julie Cloutier, Ilana Crispi, Nicki Green, Abiam Alvarez, Jose Manuel Flores Nava, Anela Ming-Yue Oh, Cathy Lu, Kala Stein.

DREAMFORMS: CERAMIC VISIONS OF LAUREN ARI AND JULIO DEL RIO

From vibrant and textured ceramic figures to abstract and storied works on paper, these artists open a conversation between the imagined form and the material form. Curated by Roberto Martinez.

SPROUTED ROOTS: A TRAX INVITATIONAL

33 TRAX invited potters who have previously exhibited at TRAX. A six foot Clay Qvevri; for fermenting Natural Wine, Dan Anderson, Wayne Branum, Linda Christianson, Julia Galloway, Randy Johnston, Jan Mckeachie Johnston, Jenny Mendes, Ron Meyers, Mark Pharis, Kevin Snipes, and 23 others.
ON VIEW: Mar 3–27

BAY CLAY

Seven Bay Area sculptors each show three pieces in the studio of Robert Brady. Some work is in color, some in the narrative, and some in the abstract, all with diverse and energetic outcomes. Arthur Gonzalez, Mary Alison Lucas, Stan Welsh, Bill Abright, Claudia Tarantino, Andy Ruble, Robert Brady
ON VIEW: Mar 15–20

A PLACE AT THE TABLE

ACCI Gallery presents an exhibition juried by Maria Porges featuring individual table settings by regional artists. The included artists explore the concept of “place” and the artists’ visual connections between food and ceramics. Organized by Kathy Kearns and Vince Montague.

RUBY O’BURKE'S LEGACY

Celebrating the unique, half-century history of Ruby’s Clay Studio, and showing the breadth of contemporary and historical work by Ruby’s artists, t:his dual-venue show takes place at the Sacramento Sheraton and at Ruby’s Clay Studio and Gallery in San Francisco. Organized by Ruby’s Gallery Committee; Juried by John Toki. Ruby O’Burke, Ruth Asawa, and others.