Art Matters: Winter 2022

ART MAT TERS

Magazine of The Art Center of Western Colorado Volume 7, Issue 1 Winter 2022

Thank you to our major supporters!

Gallery sponsors:

Gould Gallery - Chuck & Robbie Breaux Studio Colorado - Dr. Michael Neste & Family Health West North Gallery - Timberline Bank Atrium Gallery - Dr. Tonya Wren

Exhibition 2021-2022 sponsors: Chuck and Kendra McDaniel Dean and Mary Harris Chuck and Patti Shear / Shear Inc The Ron Beckman Estate Bernie and Mary Beth Buescher

Friend, Supporter, Champion, and Title Supporters: Kay & Lee Ambrose Robert Armstrong Judith & Dr. Stephen Axthelm Laura May Bacon Lynn Brownson George & Judy Callison Terri Chinn Gaynell & Doug Colaric Karen Combs Patricia Feinberg Jeremy R Franklin Harry & Joanie Griff Jack Griggs Glen & Evelyn Haley Dean & Mary Harris Jill & Bill Hilty Robert & Lou Jenkins Ken Johnson Melissa & Phil Jones Karen & Dennis Kiefer Bob & Kathy Martin Linda McBride Chuck & Kendra McDaniel Jean McIntyre

Janet McRae Don Meyers Bill Milius Carole Moritz Clifford & Judith Neste Dr. Michael Neste Lynne O'Connell Carol Oglesby Brian & Joyce Olson Sharyl & Bob Peterson Anita Pisciotte Peggy Pretti Tony & Sally Prinster Jonathan Purdy Sue Samuelson Dick & Sharon Scariano Carole Sneddon Jim Sebela & Nina Williams Chuck & Patti Shear Judy Vanderleest & Andy Kelley Georgie Weir Del & Joe Wharton Carolyn White & Robert Noble Mykan White & Dr. Caleb Stepan

Wilson Family Larry Wild Dr. Tonya Wren The Art Center Guild Colorado Creative Industries City of GJ Commission on Arts and Culture Home Loan & Investment McBride Family Foundation Peggy Foster Estate Timberline Bank WCCA Endowment Foundation William & Mai Robinson Charitable Trust

If you haven't already, become a supporter of The Art Center by joining us at the $100 level or higher! More information on all membership and supporter levels is available on our website at gjartcenter.org.

Art Matters

President's Letter About The Art Center Announcements Exhibitions

Shepherd + 1 Alfred Nestler: The Power of the Pen Mesa County Libraries Artist-in-Residence Exhibit The Ron Beckman Art Center Members' Show 2022

Call for Artists

Contemporary Clay Biennial

Youth & Teen Education Youth

Collection Corner Adult Education

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements Workshops 2D Classes Ceramics How to Enroll

On The Cover: Terry Shepherd Art Matters Winter 2022 gjartcenter.org

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WATCH US GROW AND HELP US THRIVE! You may have noticed some changes around The Art Center (TAC) these days. We’re so thrilled to share these developments with you, and hope you’ll join us as we celebrate our successes!

The addition of the Kephart Gallery is an exciting moment in the history of TAC. Not only will this space enable us to bring more exhibits to the community, but it will also free up other areas of the building for classes and instruction. We’ve leveraged the momentum of this project to support the improvement and beautification of our current facility: a fire mitigation system, new carpeting, improved HVAC systems, roof repairs, new signage, upgraded storage to protect our permanent collection, and more! Our generous donors and endowment foundation are the backbone of these improvements – improvements which will ensure greater access to the arts for our community.

Stay tuned for future announcements as we get ready to break ground on the Kephart Gallery, and keep an eye out for other improvements on our campus over the next few months. In the meantime, I want to thank those of you who support TAC and its mission: THANK YOU to our donors and members – Your belief in our organization this year invigorated our mission and gave us hope for the future. Your generous support was critical to our success! Not only could we provide essential arts programming for more than 2,000 kids, but we could also ensure access to the arts through instruction, exhibitions, and our permanent collection was available to everyone in our community.

THANK YOU to our staff and volunteers – We couldn’t have achieved these goals without the hard work and dedication of our staff, instructors, and volunteers. Together, you helped make the arts accessible to everyone in our community.

THANK YOU to our community – We are here for you! Funds raised for operations help support our mission as an organization dedicated to enriching lives by promoting the enjoyment and understanding of the arts. We are dedicated to bringing the arts to our community because we believe that Art is for Everyone.

THESE ARE EXCITING TIMES! While we have seen tremendous success in our fund development efforts this year, we still need your support. Together, we can ensure our Art Center has a vibrant, thrilling future. We can’t wait for you to join us!

Please, donate, pledge, or sponsor today, and watch us not just grow – but thrive.

Ronya Anna President, Board of Trustees 4|

WELCOME

Our Mission: The Art Center of Western Colorado is a regional arts organization dedicated to enriching lives by promoting the enjoyment and understanding of the arts.

Board of Trustees

Ronya Anna - President Dr. Michael Neste - Vice President David Price - 2nd Vice President Terri Chinn - Treasurer Anita Pisciotte - Secretary Gisela Ferguson Ajay Gustafson Joseph Gonzales Pavia Justinian Kendra McDaniel Lynne O’Connell Sheri Ray Mykan White Cathy Zippert – Art Center Guild President Jeremy R Franklin - ex-officio WCCA Endowment Foundation

Art Center Staff Lee Borden

Executive Director

Matt Jones

Curator, Programs & Exhibitions

Rachel Egelston

Director of Youth Education & Art for All

Terry Shepherd

Artist-in-Residence, Ceramics Director

Damien Sweet

Membership & Gift Gallery Coordinator

Haley Van Camp

Design and Communications Manager

Charley Gordon

Facilities Manager & Exhibition Preparator

Anna Walters Accounting

Sarah Dishong Gift Gallery

Art Center Hours 9am to 4pm Tuesday through Saturday Admission $3 (free to members and children under 12) There is no charge to visit the Gift Gallery Tuesdays are free to everyone thanks to a generous sponsorship by Home Loan & Nationwide Insurance

Operational funding provided in part by

ABOUT US

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COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS While at The Art Center, be a hero and please: Do not visit The Art Center if you or anyone in your household is ill or has been ill recently

Wash those hands frequently Wear a face mask

Follow posted occupancy limits for Maintain a minimum each gallery/ six-foot distance classroom between yourself and others not in your party

Do not shake hands or engage in unnecessary physical contact with others

Show proof of vaccination for adult classes

Use provided hand sanitizer when entering the building

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TAC will make sure high-touch surfaces are cleaned frequently and will continue monitoring CDC and MCPH guidelines to stay up-to-date with protocols.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

"Art is a wonderful gift."

– Jac Kephart

MAXIMIZE YOUR IMPACT! Right now, your donation to the Kephart Project can have double the impact!

Thanks to a matching challenge grant from the Western Colorado Community Foundation, all donations made to the Kephart Project between now and January 21, 2022 will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $20,000.

Donations of $200+ qualify donor for the enterprise tax zone credit

Western Colorado Community Foundation The Jac Kephart Gallery and related improvements will: • Bring our facility up to current building codes • Protect our patrons, property, and permanent collection • Improve spaces and programming vital to students, artists, visitors, tourists, and our community • Enrich lives through greater accessibility to the arts

Visit gjartcenter.org/KephartProject or make checks payable to THE ART CENTER with Kephart Project in the memo line ANNOUNCEMENTS | 7

SHEPHERD + 1 An Exhibition Featuring the Ceramic Art of Terry Shepherd and Eric Brinkman December 3- January 29 Sponsored by Chuck & Patti Shear / Shear Inc. Terry Shepherd, The Art Center’s Director of Ceramics, has led The Art Center of Western Colorado’s ceramic studio since 1984. With a career spanning over 50 years, he is a respected ceramic artist and educator, and has studied and worked with Paul Soldner and many other accomplished ceramic artists. Before moving back to Grand Junction in 1983, Shepherd developed and worked out of his first studio in El Jebel, Colorado, from 1972 to 1983.

Each year in December, Shepherd exhibits new work alongside a selected guest artist. This year he has chosen Eric Brinkman, a

Terry Shepherd 8 | EXHIBITIONS

fellow ceramic artist and former student hailing from Manhattan Beach, California.

Shepherd will have on display a wide variety of vessel forms and platters for this exhibition, some purely functional and others with a subtle sculptural stance inspired by natural forms such as river rock, plant forms, and stylized figurative contours. His firing process is extensive, incorporating reduction-fired stoneware, porcelain, Raku, saggar firing, and salt-vapored ceramic work.

Shepherd draws inspiration from Chinese, Japanese, British, and

Eric Brinkman

American stoneware traditions as well as Native American ceramic practices. Shepherd’s curiosity and pursuit of serendipitous results lead him to take risks and embrace alternative firing methods. His personal approach to firing some work includes deliberate placement of pieces in the direct flame path of the kiln where the vapors from sodium and copper metal oxides result in sublime and dramatic embellishments. The contrasting colors of Shepherd’s over/under glazes combined with his gestural brush strokes form a counterpoint to the energy of his throwing and the softened geometry of slab forms. His functional work is a testament to his demands for high craftsmanship and celebration of gestural brush work in design and color.

Shepherd states, “I like the work to communicate a personal visual language while celebrating the strength and essence of form

and the lively spirit of clay and its ability to dress up, titillate our senses, and embellish life as enhanced by the hand! I especially like to embrace the unexpected and serendipitous results of the firing process, as it can embellish the work beyond my intent!”

Shepherd says, “I’m pleased and honored to have Eric show with me. This is the first time I’ve invited a ceramic artist and not a painter or glassblower to show with me! I was excited when Eric agreed to this exhibition, as his work in clay is in such contrast and counterpoint compared to mine.

He will bring an exciting dynamic to this exhibit! I’ve followed his career and development of his work since he graduated from CMU in 2009 and eventually relocated to Manhattan Beach, California, where he is the Cultural Arts Supervisor and is engaged in curation, exhibition operations, and pottery program/ EXHIBITIONS | 9

studio management at the City of Manhattan Beach Art Center.

When he was still in his teens and a student in my classes I was struck by his courage to explore creating in clay and his unique and often unconventional approach to working in clay. He was constantly challenging clay and process to perform in ways that embraced high risk of failure, but he was directed by a confident attitude of discovery. He had a kind of insatiable level of curiosity about clay and firing processes. Years later it’s satisfying to see he is executing such coherent and conceptual ideas about design in clay. He has clearly developed his own personal voice and language as it relates to the role clay plays in his interpretation of our current culture and his engagement with creative activity. I think the public will find his work provocative and challenging to their expectations of what clay can be! I enjoy having one of his lamp pieces in my personal collection. So, come on down, take a break from the nearly two years of Covid-19 stress, and whet your appetite with this visual feast of form, color, and contour in clay. Guaranteed to not disappoint!!!”

Brinkman states, “My personal art practice is largely research-based. I endeavor to push ceramic materials past their formal language while acknowledging their cultural context. I like to make both functional and sculptural objects 10 | EXHIBITIONS

that engender new aesthetics and solicit questions about process.

“Pottery has many complex structural arrangements: physically, functionally, and culturally. I look for entry points into talking about these relationships through the use of aggregations, still lifes, molecules, classical forms such as amphoras and bowls, as well as tableaux. Each of these layouts demonstrates the possibility of how arrangements can be both organized and complex, narrative and functional, personal and abstract.

“Aside from being an artist, I am currently working as a curator and educator. I have taken on these roles because I believe in the utility of art to create healthy communities. Furthermore, I believe the artist is beholden to the people to report his findings.

Working towards this end, I have found curating and teaching to be extremely useful.

“Finally, I’d like to acknowledge my excitement in being included in this exhibition. I have a long history with The Art Center and specifically with Terry Shepherd.

Terry ushered me into a world of clay as a teenager, and he has remained a mentor since. Many people have contributed to my life as an artist through being involved in this institution, and I am humbled to have the opportunity to present my work here.”

Alfred Nestler: The Power of the Pen

An Exhibition from The Art Center’s Permanent Collection December 3- January 29 The Art Center of Western Colorado’s Permanent Collection Committee presents a display of Alfred Nestler drawings. Nestler’s ability to capture landscapes with gestural marks is truly astounding. These felt-tipped pen drawings carry an essence of plein-air yet are made using the tool of a scribe.

then allowed the landscape to speak is what make these works powerful. Their absence of color leaves the viewer wondering about his intention. Were these works meant to be sketches for future paintings in oil or some other medium, or are they simple drawings meant to record the moment and sharpen the skills?

Whatever their intention, we will These little black-and-white never know, but we can muse at sketches illustrate his remarkable what is left for us to enjoy and skill to translate sight into discover. gracefully rendered pages, conveying his experience and The Art Center welcomes all recording his visitations along members and patrons to join the way. These works act as a us for the opening of this journal, telling the story of his exhibition to celebrate the work life where he was and when. His and life of Alfred Nestler. Prints attention to detail and willingness of Nestler’s work will be available to silence the inner voice that for purchase in the gift gallery.

EXHIBITIONS | 11

Mesa County Libraries Artist-in-Residence Group Exhibition An Exhibition by Savannah Ashmore and Rachel Campbell-Osborne December 3- January 29

Sponsored by Bernie & Mary Beth Buescher The Art Center is pleased to have on display works by Mesa County Libraries Artists-in-Residence Savannah Ashmore and Rachel Campbell Osborne. As the hub for arts on the Western Slope, The Art Center continuously supports art endeavors by its many community partners. This exhibition serves as a unique opportunity to encourage and

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foster greater awareness of the arts to individuals and organizations outside of the fine art community.

Nestled in the bosom of the Colorado National Monument with desert peaches blooming in the palisades, Savannah Ashmore found herself inspired by the flourishing nature that filled her childhood. Her artistic expression began as a young child

Savannah Ashmore

and evolved as she grew older into a ritual of self-care and healing.

The continuous expression of self is an important theme in her artwork and a genuine, organic stream of creation is crucial in the work she makes.

Ashmore graduated from Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration in 2018.

She currently resides in Grand Junction, Colorado. With her calico and mixed breed border collie by her side, Ashmore will continually create and illustrate her way through life.

Rachel Campbell-Osborne is a graphic designer and illustrator who lives in Grand Junction.CampbellOsborne has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design from Colorado Mesa University and is grateful to have grown up surrounded by Mesa County’s rich and beautiful landscape. She lives with her two cats, Pinkie and Chester, and enjoys roller-skating on sunny days.

Campbell-Osborne states, “I create my whimsical and vibrant art in watercolor and through digital media. A lot of my work involves quirky character designs. To me, the most inspiring thing in the whole world is nature, especially plants and animals, and I often incorporate these elements into my work. Whether I’m designing my own hybrid creatures, or creating custom portraits, I am always looking for opportunities to add a creative twist.”

Mesa County Libraries 970West Studio Artist In Residence Mesa County Libraries provides studio space in the 970West Studio through the Artist-In-Residence Program. Artists are encouraged to use this fourteen-week residency as an opportunity for growth and development while engaging the community through scheduled presentations, workshops, and open studio hours. Artists selected for this program are at all stages in their careers and work in one or more of the following media: drawing, painting, fiber arts, sculpture, photography, video, music, fiction and nonfiction writing, and poetry.

Artists working in other mediums are considered based on limitations of the studio.

The Artist-in-Residence Program aims to support the endeavors of our local artists who connect with the community through a variety of arts. Selected artists will receive a $500 stipend courtesy of the Mesa County Libraries Foundation.

Applications for the summer and fall residencies will be accepted from December 13, 2021, through January 24, 2022.

Visit mesacountylibraries.org for more information.

EXHIBITIONS | 13

The Ron Beckman Art Center Members’ Show 2022 February 4-26

Sponsored by the WCCA Foundation Board, the Ron Beckman Estate, and Chuck & Kendra McDaniel Artwork drop off: January 31 & February 1, 10am-2pm Artwork pick up: February 26, 10am-2pm Artwork dropped off outside of these hours will not be exhibited Calling all artists! Registration is now open for The Ron Beckman Members' Show 2022. Artists must be current members of The Art Center. Each artist can submit up to 2 works. All mediums and styles are welcome.

For many artists, the reclusive lifestyle is an essential part of the art making process. Much of their time is spent in deep meditation focusing on what they see and how they feel. They communicate through art. Their passions, thoughts, and emotions are channeled through a variety of mediums and conceptions.

This visual language is not just a product of the process but essential to it. The artist provides a layer of depth to the world that

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is sensed, not heard; perceived, yet not known. They challenge, they express, they enrich.

Part of this process is to share their creations with the world. It is human interaction that brings life into the artwork. Without the final component of exhibiting works of art, the artwork becomes neglected and a mere abstraction devoid of the vitality developed with the relationship between artist, artwork, and community.

The Ron Beckman Art Center Members Show’s purpose is to highlight the artists throughout the Western Slope and provide a location for them to connect with the community through their artwork. Join us in sharing your voice with the world.

2021 People's Choice Awards Top to bottom, left to right: Third place: Russell Mendelson, The Color of Peace First place: Marilyn Swann, Emmy Second place: Loyse Hinkle, In Honor of the Moose Best of Show: James Dawson, Shade Tree GMC

EXHIBITIONS | 15

Contemporary Clay Biennial 2022: Call for Artists Entry deadline: January 21, 2022 Juror Fong Choo The Art Center invites all artists working with clay as a primary medium to apply to Contemporary Clay 2022. The juror for this exhibition is Fong Choo. Choo is known for his teapot forms and stunning glazes. His unique works are both elegant and innovative, evoking the beauty of classical functional ceramics and the freshness of experimental colors and handles.

former and latter excite the intrinsic spirit. And, most of all, this opportunity to recreate and redesign has allowed me to revisit my utilitarian beginnings, continuously allowing me to still practice my conscious life as a studio potter. I’m a teacher with clay, having taught many workshops both nationally at Penland and The Bascom in North Carolina, Arrowmont in Tennessee, the Atlantic Clay Conference in Virginia and internationally at Gaya Ceramics in Bali, Indonesia, at Tel Hai College in Israel, the Fusion Conference in Canada, and in Singapore.

Choo’s biography states, “As a studio potter, I embrace creativity yet I simultaneously crave focus.

One part of me [the person I am, my essential core] cherishes the idea of doing one thing really well while another part of me stresses wandering creativity, constantly “Since 1990, I’ve been an adjunct taking my thoughts to alternatives, faculty at Bellarmine University to other possibilities. in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, but have always mindfully “My diminutive teapots have maintained the conscious life of been the core signature pieces in a practicing studio potter. My my career; however, of late, I’ve signature diminutive teapots have dedicated a significant amount received numerous awards at The of time on other vessels of Smithsonian Craft Shows, The interest like teacups, mugs, and, Philadelphia Museum of Art and as Dr. Lagerstrom described, Craft Show, and at The American ‘Eccentrically Beautiful’ bowls.

Craft Exposition.”

“I am finding lately that I want my audience that acquire these pieces to enjoy and embrace the sense of sight and touch. The 16 | CALL FOR ARTISTS

All submissions are held online through The Art Center's website.

Visit gjartcenter.org for more information and to apply.

Fong Choo CALL FOR ARTISTS | 17

Image by Pixaline from Pixabay 18 | YOUTH

HOLIDAY BREAK DAY CAMP

Sponsored by The Art Center Guild and Alpine Bank Ages 5-13 8:30am-4:30pm Tuition per day, per child: $25 member / $30 non-member All materials provided Don’t forget to bring a snack, a lunch, and a water bottle!

Monday, Dec. 20: Find your inner superhero, the ins and outs of painting, snow painting, art with anything Tuesday, Dec. 21: Soft sculptures, color theory, how to build a painting, snowball shooters Wednesday, Dec. 22: Watercolor, abstraction, one-point perspective, snow globes Thursday, Dec. 23: Sewing, deluxe paper airplanes, working with markers, card making, drawing Monday, Dec. 27: Starry night escape room, mixed media, dot-and-smear art, snowstorm in a bottle Tuesday, Dec. 28: Painting with winter themes, make your own calendar, how to use colored pencils, printmaking emojis Wednesday, Dec. 29: Origami, kids' art books, "faux" alcohol ink, surprise animal art, sugar painting Thursday, Dec. 30: Draw your own selfie, zentangles, how to create a cartoon character, painting with oil pastels Friday, Dec. 31: Celebrate New Year’s Eve at The Art Center – we will make paper “firecrackers,” Chinese drums, party hats, good-luck clay Chanachitos from Chile, create our own “firework” explosion with paint, and celebrate with refreshments.

COVID-19 Precautions on page 6

YOUTH | 19

AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM: LET'S CREATE Ages 5-13, all materials provided Rachel Egelston Fridays 2:30-5:30pm $40 member / $55 non-member per session Need-based scholarships available

This class focuses on a process-oriented art experience, nurturing the developmental and artistic growth of students through creative expression and learning. We encourage experimentation and discovery in a supportive, fun environment. This class is a place filled with possibilities where children can collaborate, explore, and grow. This class introduces a wide range of art materials to students.

Session 1: Jan 7-28: Working with clay, mixed media, and how to use markers.

Session 2: Feb 4-25: Papier-mâché banks, drawing, and sailor valentines (made with seashells).

SCHOOL'S OUT DAY CAMP

Sponsored by The Art Center Guild and Alpine Bank Ages 5-12 8:30am-4:30pm Tuition per day: $30 member / $35 non-member All materials provided Experience an entire day of in-depth art exploration! Subjects range from drawing to painting, sculpture, process art, and more, and all involve hands-on learning. Each day includes some sort of physical activity and balances open-ended creative exploration with art instruction. Students are asked to bring a lunch, snack, and water bottle.

Highlighted projects below: Monday, Jan 3: Self-portraits, weaving, tempera painting, ocean art Friday, Jan 7: Puppets, still life painting, "faux" alcohol ink, Jackson Pollock space search Friday, Jan 14: Art with the influence of masters using watercolor, tempera paint, ink (markers), paper Monday, Jan 17: Animal mixed media, the magic of crayons, bird-themed watercolors, and more 20 | YOUTH

Tuesday, Jan 18: STEAM – bee pollination, chain race, NASA projects, Foosball challenge Friday, Jan 28: Foil painting, collagraph, trash landscape, Student Rebuild project Friday, Feb 4: 3-D interactive painting, how to work with color, kinetic sculpture, watercolors Friday, Feb 11: Jim Dine-inspired artwork, valentine cards, heart fingerprint tree, process art Friday, Feb 18: STEAM – index card challenge, catapults, marble track challenge, resist painting Monday, Feb 21: Mushed paint, fly swatter painting, salt painting, spray bottles, painting with bubbles Friday, March 4: Landscapes, perspective drawing, assemblage art, Decalomania prints

HOME SCHOOL: ART EXPLORERS Ages 5-13, all materials provided Rachel Egelston Thursdays 1:00-2:30pm Jan 6 – Feb 24 $110 member / $150 non-member Need-based scholarships available

Join us for an exciting class where your child will create enjoyable pieces of art. Each lesson focuses on a different medium allowing students to learn new, creative techniques, explore art history and fine art terminology. Mediums that will be used in this class include pencil, watercolor, mixed-media, acrylic, charcoal, clay, and acrylic plexi-glass. Students will also learn about the many ways to use their creativity and artistic abilities in the future. Projects will vary from previous classes.

COVID-19 Precautions on page 6

Tyler Rich YOUTH | 21

COLLECTION CORNER Highlighting works from The Art Center's Permanent Collection

The Insider's Look Written by Peninah Feldman: A deep dive into a bronze sculpture titled Siksiká constructed by Paul Pletka and donated by Dr. and Mrs. Robert Sammons, Dr. Larry Copeland, Harold and Ruth Moss, and Ann Mosier and stored in The Art Center’s Permanent Collection.

Within the Art Center of Western Colorado there is an assortment of spectacular pieces in the Permanent Collection. The intention of Collection Corner is to explore and shine a light on these works. One piece from the collection that drew fascination was the bronze Ute (head) sculpted by Paul Pletka.

This bronze head was modeled with realistic proportions and in tune with Pletka’s style of hyperrealistic features. Executed at a high-class foundry, Pletka molded the original form in clay but didn’t cast and pour the 3-D pieces himself. He did, however, oversee the entire casting and was present for the actual pouring of the bronze heads, a group of 12 cast heads. The Ute Indian sculpture heads were then cleaned and shaped from the casting and patina added with a natural, realistic color scheme, all done by experts at the foundry. The final pieces are flawless bronzes, floating heads, of a realistic Neolithic Ute Native American on stone bases.

to create the initial form without using a single model or reference.

“The heads come to life, crafted from my own imagination,” Pletka states. “I prefer it this way. I have been creating without models for over 50 years, I am happier to do it this way. I am able to put more of myself into the final piece.” His process allows him to show a true reflection of himself in his art.

Staying true to the realistic theme, Pletka constructed this sculpture with love and respect, putting countless hours into the carving and modeling of the clay. He spent time assembling the clay head with care, thinking of how to shape the clay for a seamless pour so the molds of the head could fill without any air pockets when pouring the Pletka first spent countless hours molten bronze into them. crafting the head in oil base clay

22 | COLLECTION CORNER

The molded clay was then transferred into wax, then dipped in many stages forming a thick exterior layer of ceramic and sand.

This process is known as the Lost Wax Method. The molds were then heated to over 1000°F in a kiln to melt out the wax from the interior casting, leaving the exterior ceramic shell mold. The empty ceramic shells were then reheated, and bronze was poured into them, creating the final sculpture. After breaking away the exterior shell, any imperfections that were left by the casting process could be ground down. Finally, the base was attached and patina process completed. The patina process is a fine science that includes perfect temperature gauging to achieve the desired colors. If the metal is slightly overheated, discoloration

will occur and affect the outcome of the final piece. Immense skill was required with the patina process to achieve the natural hues of color evenly and enhance the natural shadow of the face of these bronze Ute heads.

It was an honor to highlight Paul Pletka’s work and to bring light to this piece alongside the other greats of history. Also, this is a reminder to dive deep into the history of art. You will always be surprised at the worlds hiding away within overlooked areas of art.

COLLECTION CORNER | 23

PROOF OF

COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIRED FOR ALL ADULT CLASSES & WORKSHOPS In order to safely increase class sizes to pre-pandemic numbers, The Art Center will require proof of Covid-19 vaccinations in order to register for the 2022 Winter class session.

The Art Center has suffered substantial financial losses for a year and a half due to social distancing guidelines which required significantly smaller class sizes. The Art Center cannot continue to incur these losses and still remain financially viable. At the same time, several of our instructors and students, as well as our entire Artability program student base, are at high risk for complications from COVID-19. In order to help protect the health of instructors and students, proof of full vaccination will be required for all adult classes. Some classes will also require the use of face masks, in addition to proof of vaccination (at the instructor’s discretion). Face masks will still be required throughout the rest of the building.

Winter Registration Opens Tuesday, Dec 7, at 9am 24 | COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS

Raku and Low-Salt Firing Workshop Part of World Stoke, March 11-14, 2022, Penryn, CA Terry Shepherd College student $250 / Non-College student $300

Terry Shepherd will be conducting a 3-day Raku and Low-Salt firing workshop as part of “World Stoke 2022,” an International Symposium of wood-firing, artist demonstrations, and discussions to address social equities in ceramic art. This workshop is being staged by Rodney and Gina Mott at their Penryn Studio and Gallery in Penryn, California; no travel expenses are included.

Keep an eye out for updates on this workshop in the Spring issue of Art Matters and at worldstoke.org

WORKSHOPS | 25

Fong Choo 26 | WORKSHOPS

Designing Forms for Creative, Unorthodox Glazing Methods Ceramic workshop Fong Choo Saturday & Sunday, June 4 & 5, 9am-4pm Tuition TBD The study of form has always been a core interest in Fong Choo’s clay career. As a result, for over 25 years he has focused consciously and meticulously on a single form: the teapot. At this workshop, there will be wet work demonstrations on his signature teapot forms, teacups, bowls, cylinders, and all it takes that’s specifically made to harness and accommodate the flowing nature of Choo’s glazing techniques.

Glazing has significant dynamic potential as the crucial final step.

Envisioning glaze interplay with both other glazes, and with heat, is a laborious and patiently acquired skill. Ideally, glazes become as creatively fluid, colorful, and vibrant as a painter’s palette.

You will learn his unorthodox approach to using pre-made, easily available, low-fire and mid-fire glazes. For over three decades, Choo experimented with hundreds of combinations of both glazes and firing techniques; you will see the few, special survivors. All of these glazes are “at home” and comfortable in the typical Cone 6 oxidation environment most potters use.

It is difficult to envision beauty coming from over-firing low-fire glazes given the inevitable problem with running. However, what if we take these "faults" to the edge and make these characteristics more predictable tools in the art of glazing? Can usual enemies – overmelting, running, and flowing – become friends? Can we harness the effects of over-melting?

In fact, perfectly exquisite effects can come from over-firing lowfire and mid-fire glazes together. When glazes run in the directions and ways you know, layering and over-firing can produce a variety of intriguing, exciting, and luscious combinations. When in harmony with one another, they create a marbling effect with deep and lustrous, jewel-toned hues.

And if time permits, Choo will demonstrate how to attach a dyed reed handle to finish off a teapot. There will also be homemade tools and a selection of his work available for purchase.

For Choo’s full biography see page 16.

Keep an eye out for updates on this workshop in future issues of Art Matters and on our website at gjartcenter.org.

WORKSHOPS | 27

Painting 1

Communicating Through Watercolor Beginner/Intermediate Loren Eakins Monday 6-9pm, January 3 – February 28 $150 member / $190 non-member Watercolor is an extremely brave and beautiful way to paint, with a history as rich as its colors. The way pigment and water flow on a piece of paper can create near-magical effects that truthfully describe the world as we experience it. Often these effects happen when and where we least expect them. When first painting in watercolor you can feel as if you need to restrain the medium. This class is designed to help move you past that to unlock the hidden mysteries of watercolor and allow you to communicate freely with this exquisite medium.

Oil Painting

Dan Logé Mondays 9am-12pm, January 3 – February 28 $150 member / $190 non-member This class is open to everyone interested in learning how to create a beautiful oil painting from beginning to completion.

This will be a fun, casual class full of information, and Dan will be there to answer any questions that you might have about making art. Dan teaches a method that is simple and easy to understand which will bring you positive results. All skill levels are welcome!

Because of added interest in this course, Dan will teach at an additional time on Mondays from 1pm to 4pm for students on the wait-list (in excess of 5 students).

28 | CLASSES

Figure Drawing

Loren Eakins Tuesdays 6-9pm, January 4 – March 1 $150 member / $190 non-member Whether you are looking for in-class drawing instruction or just want to participate in open studio for figure drawing, this is the class for you.

This 9-week course focuses on dynamic instruction for drawing figures. The course will include a different model for each class so that students can develop the fundamentals for drawing a variety of different body styles, utilizing nude and clothed models. Loren will give group and one-on-one instruction that will maximize your ability to render lifelike drawings.

Open Studios for Mixed Media Gayle Gerson Beginner/Intermediate Wednesdays 9am-12pm, January 5 – March 2 $150 member / $190 non-member

Join Gayle Gerson in the Red Door Studio for three hours of moodling and puttering in mixed media projects. This class is designed for the experienced student and artist who would like to spend some time in an environment of camaraderie and inspiration. Please bring your own projects and supplies for mixed media and collage. Ideas and creativity will be shared with generosity and abandon by all. Gayle will provide coaching, some demos, and lively conversation on the latest trends in the world of mixed media art. Participants should be prepared to work, laugh, and provide feedback to their fellow artists.

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Fundamentals in Wheelthrowing Beginner/Intermediate $230 member / $270 non-member Ashtonn Means Mondays 6:30-9:30pm, 9am-12pm, January 3 – February 28 Supplies required: basic pottery toolkit, towel This course is designed for both beginning and intermediate students.

The projects and demonstrations will be geared toward the skill level and interest of each student. Throughout this course students will learn techniques for wheel-throwing and glaze application, while forming a strong understanding of materials and firing practices associated with the medium. We will discuss in detail, during demonstrations and projects, the design principles for functional pottery, the fundamentals of form and form alteration, as well as aesthetic surface design techniques. Beginners will be encouraged to focus on bowls, cups, and mugs as a method for gaining comfortability with the materials. Intermediate students can continue to explore these basic forms or stretch their abilities with more complex forms and techniques.

Instructor email: potterybyashtonn@gmail.com

Robbie Breaux Tuesdays 1-4pm, January 4 – March 1 Thursdays 6:30-9:30pm, January 6 – March 3 Supplies required: basic pottery toolkit, towel This course is for both beginner and intermediate students. Beginners focus on simple forms (mugs with handles and bowls), glazes, and glazing techniques. Intermediate students receive instruction on techniques they want to hone, such as lidded vessels, plates, or stacked forms. Throughout the session, students are introduced to different surface designs to enhance one’s work. Instruction will be tailored towards the students' interests!

Instructor email: chuckrobbiebreaux@gmail.com

Gary Andrews Tuesdays 6:30-9:30pm, January 4 – March 1 Supplies required: basic pottery toolkit, towel Escape into the world of clay. Students learn the basics of handbuilding, then dive into the skills needed to throw fundamental forms which have been used through the ages. At times Gary will provide pre-thrown pots for students to practice glazing. Come relax and tap into your right brain.

Instructor email: garyartc@gmail.com 30 | CERAMICS

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Terry Shepherd 32 | CERAMICS

Fundamentals in Wheelthrowing Beginner/Intermediate $230 member / $270 non-member Terry Shepherd Thursdays 1-4pm, January 6 – March 3 Supplies required: basic pottery toolkit, towel, notebook This course is for entry level beginners and intermediate students with some previous experience in throwing and hand-building. Students will focus on the fundamentals of technique in throwing forms and explore hand-building skills and surface design including decorative slip techniques and a wide variety of surface design approaches.

Instruction in glaze application and material properties of glaze elements and firing process will be studied. Basic vessel forms for mugs, bowls, pitchers, oil bottles, and other forms will be studied in detail. Instruction is tuned to the individual to help students develop confidence in exploring the boundless and curious potential of clay and ceramic process in their pursuit of creative expression! Students will make work for a Raku firing scheduled for the 8th week of class.

Students will engage in constructive critique and challenge themselves in order to improve their skill level.

Instructor email: tshepherd@gjartcenter.org

Intermediate Wheelthrowing Terry Shepherd Wednesdays 9:30am-12:30pm, January 5– March 2 $230 member / $270 non-member Supplies required: basic pottery toolkit, towel, notebook Take this course if you are confident when it comes to wedging and centering, can throw a 6-8" cylinder using 2-3lbs. of clay, and have experience with basic hand tools and slab rollers. Techniques such as altered throwing are introduced. Come with an open mind, ready to engage in constructive critique and explore and develop a more in-depth approach to ceramics.

Instructor email: tshepherd@gjartcenter.org

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Advanced Wheelthrowing Terry Shepherd Wednesdays 6:30-9:30pm, January 5– March 2 $230 member / $270 non-member Supplies required: basic pottery toolkit, towel, notebook Take this course if you meet the requirements for intermediate ceramics, have confidence when it comes to throwing a 10-14" cylinder using 5-10lbs. of clay, and have a desire and willingness to acquire a deeper understanding of the material properties of different clays (such as cone 10 stoneware and porcelain) and glazes, as well as alternative firing processes. Students engage in constructive critique and challenge themselves in order to improve their skill level.

Instructor email: tshepherd@gjartcenter.org

All Levels Hand-building Nina Williams Mondays 1-4pm, January 3 – February 28 $230 member / $270 non-member Not all beautiful ceramic work is thrown on a wheel! Students will join together slabs of clay, forming exquisite pieces using a variety of techniques and surface patterns. This course will focus primarily on decorative and ornamental work. In addition to slab-building, there will also be coiling and extrusion projects throughout the class.

Sculpting in Clay Ron Cloyd Fridays 9:30am-12:30pm, January 7 – March 4 $230 member / $270 non-member Whether you are a novice or seasoned clay artist, this course is one that will help you transform your visions into finished fired forms. With a focus toward whimsy and humor, Ron’s sculpture class will consist of demos and discussions about project inspiration (“where did you come up with that idea?”), use of tools, clay manipulation, firing, and finishing. You will be able to work through instructor-guided projects, or immediately begin sculpting from your own ideas. Some tools are available, but students are encouraged to bring their own as well.

Instructor email: roncloyd@gmail.com Included in every ceramics tuition is one, 25-lb. bag of clay and 3000 cu. in. of glaze firing (firing fee after 3000 cu. in. is 2 cents/cu. in.)

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The Nitty Gritty Winter registration opens Tuesday, Dec 7

Students must register three days before the start of a class to secure a spot.

Registration: Registration can be completed online at gjartcenter. org, over the phone, or in person at The Art Center. For phone registration, call 970-243-7337, x. 2. To register in person, stop by during gallery hours, TuesdaySaturday 9am-4pm.

Payment:

Payment can be made by American Express, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, check, or cash. Class space will not be reserved without full payment.

Please be aware that classes require a minimum number of students and are subject to cancellation.

The best way to ensure that the class you are interested in does not get canceled is to register early, and don’t forget to urge a friend to sign up!

Cancellation Policy: To cancel

a class or workshop registration, notify The Art Center at least 14 days before the start of the class or workshop. If given the required 14-day notice, The Art Center will issue class credit in full or will refund your payment minus the registration fee ($15 for adults and $5 for children).

No refunds or class credit will be issued for cancellations made

within 14 days of the start of the class or workshop. If you register for a class or workshop within the 14-day period, you will receive no refund or class credit for cancellation. Sorry, no refunds or class credits for no-shows.

This registration policy helps instructors plan and prepare for upcoming classes, ensuring you receive ample notice if a class has insufficient registration.

Art Supplies: Supply lists

for each class are available on our website. Unless otherwise specified, the student is responsible for purchasing art supplies. Some supplies are available at The Art Center Gift Gallery.

Tuition for ceramics classes includes one, 25-lb. bag of clay and 3000 cu. in. of glaze firing (firing fee after 3000 cu. in. is 2 cents/cu. in.) Ceramics students will need a pottery tool kit, not covered by tuition and available from The Art Center Gift Gallery for $20.99 plus tax.

Need-based scholarships are available. Visit our website’s scholarships page for more information!

We love early registration!

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1803 N 7th Street Grand Junction, CO 81501

Volume 7, Issue 1 Winter 2022 NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PA I D GRAND JCT, CO PERMIT 162