Stories From The Earth exhibition featured in Ceramics Monthly

Stories from the Earth: Voices of Contemporary Ceramic Artists

Beth Lo’s Then and Now, 26 in. (66 cm) in height, porcelain, epoxy, paper, acrylic, 2008.

“Stories from the Earth: Voices of Contemporary Ceramic Artists,” a group exhibition of narrative works, was on view recently at Old Dominion University’s Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Galleries (http://al.odu.edu/art/Gallery/gallery.shtml) in Norfolk, Virginia.  Curated by Art Education professor Richard Nickel, the exhibition included works by Erin Furimsky, Carrianne Hendrickson, Marlene Jack, Lori Mills, Beth Lo, Virginia Scotchie, Carol Schwartz, Michaeline Walsh, Jenny Mendes and Anna Freeman. Each artist, using a wide variety of storytelling, explores personal views on a variety of topics from relationships between significant others to childhood memories. Personal symbols, carved, molded, painted and thrown onto each form, invite the viewer to relate their experiences with those present in the works. Beth Lo describes her work as “revolving primarily around issues of family and my Asian-American background. I commemorate major events in my family’s history, the day to day challenges of parenting and my own childhood memories of being raised in a minority culture in the United States. I also enjoy investigating, celebrating and sometimes satirizing traditional Asian aesthetics; I often make visual reference to calligraphy, origami, scrolls, Socialist Realist artwork, mahjong, as well as the many rich traditions of Chinese pottery and Tang and Han dynasty figurines.”

Breaking News Ceramics Student HARUKA TAKEMOTO in National Juried Exhibition

Ceramics Student HARUKA TAKEMOTO in National Juried Exhibition

Old Dominion University Ceramics Program student HARUKA TAKEMOTO recently was juried into CLAY & CONTEXT: NATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION at Indiana University.

Clay & Context looks to draw new attention to clay as material with fresh significance in contemporary studio practices, while acknowledging the historical foundation from which it evolved. Whether the media takes on a utilitarian or non-functional form, the playing field has never been so level. We encourage submissions to address the vast scope of ceramic art being created in today’s context in hopes of an exhibition of exemplary works reflecting the personal vocabulary of the individual artists creating in our present cultural climate.

The Juror was SHERMAN HALL editor of CERAMICS MONTHLY. The exhibition will be from JANUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 6, 2009 HARUKA’s BFA Exhibition is now on display at Borjo Coffeehouse in the ODU Village on Monarch Way.

About the Juror: As editor of the worlds leading ceramic art magazine, Sherman Hall is a staunch advocate for ceramics as a promoter and practitioner. Hall received his BFA in Ceramics from Ohio State University in 1996 after studies at New York University and Columbus College of Art & Design. Following undergrad, Hall was the sole proprietor of Sherman Hall Studio from 1996-2003 in Ohio. He has worked with Ceramics Monthly since 1999, and as editor from 2003.
Juror Sherman Hall Lecture, and Awards Ceremony, January 16, 2009, 5 – 7 PM

Anna Freeman at the Selden Gallery

Image: Freeman, Detail, “Irrigation,” hand built stoneware clay with slip, underglaze and glaze

Anna Freeman at the Selden Gallery

Norfolk’s Bureau of Cultural Affairs presents “Of Nature and Necessity” an exhibition of artwork by ODU Adjunct faculty member Anna Velkoff Freeman and Roanoke artist Brett LaGue. There is an Opening Reception Friday evening Nov. 14, 2008 from 5 PM –7PM and a Gallery Talk Friday November 21, 2008 at 6:30 PM. The exhibition runs from Nov. 7 – Dec. 19, 2008.

The Exhibition is a thoughtful juxtaposition of LaGue’s two dimensional work with Freeman’s three dimensional work and installation. Both artists navigate the troubled waters of the delicate balance between man and nature.

The Selden Gallery is located on the second level of Selden Arcade’s Plume Street end and is managed by Norfolk Cultural Affairs. The gallery is open during Selden Arcade regular operating hours, Mon.-Sun., 8 AM-6 PM.

The Selden Gallery, 208 East Plume Street, Norfolk VA 23510

Visiting Artist Erin Furimsky Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st

All Faculty and Students are invited to participate in the Visiting Artist Workshop This coming Monday and Tuesday from 9-4:30 in the  ODU Ceramics Studio

The artist Erin Furimsky recently exhibited her work in the curated Stories From the Earth exhibition at the ODU Art Galleries.

Erin will be demonstrating handbuilding methods for sculpture in clay. She will also be demonstrating printmaking or image transfers on her completed scultures. Her work is a unique blend of elegant form and thoughtful surface design. All students will benefit from this informative demonstration.

The workshop starts at 9:00 monday and tuesday and ends at 4:30 each day.

The slide lecture will be announced ASAP

ODU/NSU Graduate Student Exhibition at the CAC in Virginia Beach

ODU/NSU Graduate Student Exhibition
on view through December 7 Reception this thursday at 6:00

Richard Nickel Magic Dirt Exhibit at the CAC in Virginia Beach

Magic Dirt Exhibition at The CAC in Virginia Beach
October 16-December 30This Thursday the recprtion for the exhibition at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia Beach
starts at 6:00

Richard Nickel

Richard Nickel is a local ceramic artist who addresses themes of love, power and absurdity through folk-art inspired pieces. Bright, fun and colorful slab constructions mimic traditional ceramic vessels and sculptural wall platters use figuration and pattern to draw narratives dealing with family dynamics and power structures. Nickel’s clay works have been featured in several group and solo exhibitions including Cup: The Intimate Object IV, Fort Wayne, ID; HALIZO Art Festival, Norfolk, VA and The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, Biloxi, Mississippi. His work has been seen in multiple publications including Clay Times, 500 Animals in Clay and Ceramics Monthly. Currently he is an Associate Professor and Program Director of Art Education at Old Dominion University.

SAL and SALNAEA go to First Friday trip To Richmond

Last Friday the Student Art League and The Student Chapter of the National Art Education Association with Professors, John Roth, Richard Nickel and Patty Edwards CAR POOLED for a First Friday Event in Richmond.

Students and faculty went to Quirk Gallery, Ghostprint Gallery, Visual Art Studio, and Metro Space, and art6 We saw Flame Dancers.
Our last trip was to 1812 W. Main St to the Visual Arts Center
to meet up with Katherine Huntoon the new Gallery Director.

Pictures from the trip:  FLKR

SCULPTURE trip to National gallery Washington DC

L to R  Tess Amorusso, Prof Nickel, Betsy Kieckhaefer, Katie Mclaughlin,
Ryan Mann, Haruka Takemoto, Jane Ritchie, Prof. Roth, James Anderson.
Sept 26th

This past Friday John Roth, Assistant professor of Sculpture and his students attended a SCULPTURE trip to National gallery Washington DC to see Martin
Puryear’s sculpture and see the contemporary collection at the Hirshhorn.

Images from the trip:

Ian Jewel Exhibition at The Walls Gallery

Ian Jewel Exhibition at The Walls Gallery

Ian Jewell an artist and educator in his senior year at Old Dominion University currently pursuing a B.F.A. in ceramics combined with a B.A. in art education has recently become a member of the Walls Fine Art gallery located down town Norfolk.

The Walls gallery is located inside the Monticello Arcade at 204 East Plume Street suite 2.  Five pieces of Jewell’s ceramic sculpture are currently on display and can be viewed during the gallery’s business hours Monday through Friday 11 am- 4 pm and Saturdays by appointment

Jewell describes his work as “vessels for the imagination” as his intention is to create objects which evoke feelings of possibility and pose questions to the viewer leaving them to create their own conclusions as to how and why these objects have come into existence.  These vessels are created in the tradition of wheel thrown pottery but soon evolve into something more as he works spontaneously while embracing disaster and turning mistakes into techniques.

Opening reception will be held Saturday October 4th 6pm-9pm.  For more information call gallery director James Corcoran (757) 508-1932 or visit the website at http://www.wallsva.com/

Students Receive Awards for Ceramic Work

Students Receive Awards for Ceramic Work

This past spring, ceramic work by ODU art students Haruka Takemoto and Johanna Colijn was included in “Genesis 2008”, an exhibition of regional college student artwork at the Peninsula Fine Art Center. Haruka’s piece “An Imperfect Dream,” a wheel-thrown porcelain bowl with hand painted underglaze imagery was selected for the Genesis 2008 Award in Ceramics. Johanna received the exhibition’s Award in Sculpture for her piece titled, “Still Limber,” a hand-built figurative sculpture made from unglazed white stoneware clay. The exhibition included work by students at other local colleges and universities, including William and Mary, Hampton University and Christopher Newport University. This was the first year that the annual exhibition was expanded to include Old Dominion University and other Norfolk area colleges. The work submitted for the exhibition was completed in Anna Freeman’s Advanced Ceramics course, and both students are continuing their work in clay this semester.

Johanna Colijn, “Still Limber”
Genesis 2008 Award in Sculpture

Haruka Takemoto, “An Imperfect Dream”
Genesis 2008 Award in Ceramics