Biennial "State of the Art" Ceramics Invitational
Ceramic works by US, Canadian artists at Giertz Gallery through Feb. 1
"Masters of Material" curated by Heidi Preuss Grew
Exhibit: Monday, November 11, 2019–Saturday, February 1, 2020, Giertz Gallery
Reception: Thursday, November 14, 5:30–7:30 p.m., with curatorial talk at 6:30 p.m. and music by the Parkland Guitar Ensemble
Gallery Closed: November 27 (5 p.m.)–December 1 for Thanksgiving; December 20– January 12 for Holiday Break; and January 20 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Ceramic works by nationally recognized US and Canadian artists will feature in a Giertz Gallery at Parkland College exhibition next month.
Artist and educator Heidi Preuss Grew of Salem, Oregon, curates the 2019 State of the Art: Ceramics Invitational. The exhibit, with its "Masters of Material" theme, opens Nov. 11 and will run through Feb. 1, 2020.
An opening reception for the participating artists will take place Thursday, Nov. 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will feature a curatorial talk by Grew at 6:30 p.m. and music by the Parkland Guitar Ensemble. Grew will also provide a lecture about her artwork earlier that day at 11 a.m. in Room L111, just down the hall from the gallery.
"It was a pleasure to curate this exhibition with works from artists I respect for their distinctive creative output and their mastery of the material," said Grew, who teaches drawing and sculpture at Chemeketa Community College. "Each forwards their artistic vision using ceramics in a manner that acknowledges the versatility and tactile physicality of the material. There is a dominance of material in some cases and subservience of material in others; in the end, I aimed to curate a show where each piece reveals a specific and tangible presence."
Exhibit participants comprise artists and faculty from the US and Canada including Mary Barringer of Shelburne, Mass.; Thaddeus Erdahl of St. Petersburg, Fla; Robert Harrison of Helena, Mont.; Lindsay Montgomery of Toronto, Canada; Lisa Orr of Austin, Tex.; Dirk Staschke of Portland, Ore.; Shalene Valenzuela of Missoula, Mont., and Adero Willard of Chicopee, Mass.
Cups Fundraiser. In tandem with the Ceramics Biennial exhibition, Giertz Gallery will host its biennial fundraiser, "Coffee & Tea: Cups & Dessert," on Thursday, Dec. 5, 4 to 7 p.m. in the gallery lounge. Ticket includes a ceramic cup by Parkland College Ceramics faculty and students. Delicious desserts, tea, coffee, live music and a silent auction are part of the event’s festivities; the auction items make perfect holiday gifts. Tickets are $30 each or two for $50, with advanced purchase recommended; guests will choose cups on a first-come, first-serve basis. For tickets, contact the Giertz Gallery office at 217/351-2485, go to parkland.edu/gallery, or email us at giertzgallery@parkland.edu. Tickets are limited, and proceeds will support Giertz Gallery at Parkland College.
Giertz Gallery fall hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to 2 p.m. Saturday. The gallery will be closed from 5 p.m. Nov. 27 through Dec. 1 for Thanksgiving Break; Dec. 20 through Jan. 12 for Winter Break; and Jan. 20 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
To find the gallery when classes are in session, we suggest using the M6 parking lot on the north corner of the campus. Enter through any door and follow the ramps uphill to the highest point of the first floor, where the gallery is located. The gallery windows overlook the outdoor fountain area.
Programs at the gallery are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Parkland College is a section 504/ADA-compliant institution; for accommodation, call 217/353-2337 or email accessibility@parkland.edu.
For more information on the invitational, please call the gallery office at 217/351-2485 or visit www.parkland.edu/gallery.
[Image: Robert Harrison; Goose House; combination of handmade clay and vintage manufactured ceramic pieces, glaze and decals; 2017; 9” x 10” x 6”]