Ink & Clay 45th Sapphire Anniversary
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The Art of Type
Open Call for Entry Period: Thur. April 1 - Sun. May 30, 2021
Kellogg University Art Gallery, Cal Poly Pomona
Revised March 25, 2021
Established in 1971, Ink & Clay is an annual juried competition of printmaking, ink drawing, ceramic ware, clay sculpture, mixed media and installation, utilizing any variety of "ink" or "clay", or combination, as material. The competition results in its highly-regarded exhibition sponsored by the W. Keith & Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery of Cal Poly University, Pomona and underwritten by the generosity and support of the late Col. James Jones, Mr. Bruce Jewett, and Office of the University President, Soraya Coley.
The Ink & Clay annual competition is opened to artists working throughout the US, making it a nationwide competition. The exhibition is documented through an on-line printable catalog. Unique among juried exhibitions, Ink & Clay is annually celebrated and recognized by artists and collectors for its quality and diversity.
This year, 2021-22, Cal Poly Pomona and the Kellogg University Art Gallery are proud to celebrate the 45th Sapphire Anniversary of Ink & Clay . In honor of this milestone, this year's competitive event will be celebrated with a special theme: Ink & Clay 45: The Art of Type . This means that ALL submissions must have been made using the same required material elements of "ink" or "clay" in the creative process in some way, or in combination, with the added requirement of including type, text, words, phrases, writings, script, words, letters, letterforms and/or symbols in some way, shape or form. So, in effect the work can be of any subject matter, but must also have the inclusion anything you might find in written language, in handwriting, or on a keyboard, including any international letters, words in foreign languages, special characters, visual communication symbols, emojis, graphic symbols, icons and logos.
Due to the on-going changes in exhibition programming because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and continued limitations with on-campus access expected for the 2021 Summer and Fall, this year's (2021) annual jury-reviewed exhibition will be a "virtual exhibition" with its prospective physical iteration/exhibition moved from the previously planned Fall 2020, to Fall 2022. Please note: dates and events, submission terms and procedures may be subject to change, or postponement, based on current California State and/or University directives. If this occurs, there will be additional notifications sent through our mailing list and informational postings on our websites. Go to our websites below for most-up-to-the-date information.
Starting in 2018, Ink & Clay launched its "on-line only" submission format through the Western States Arts Federation's (WESTAF) Call for Entry (CaFE) platform. All submissions are entered, and juried, on-line through the CaFE site: www.callforentry.org. Check back for full prospectus to be launched on April 1st, 2021.
Past Ink & Clay Artworks
Howard Steenwyk
Howard Steenwyk, Industrial Impressionism, 2018. Two-color silkscreen print on canvas mounted to board, ed. 1 of 3. 18 x 24 x 1". Ink & Clay 44, August 22 - November 21, 2019. Courtest of the artist.
Howard Steenwyk, Industrial Impressionism, 2018. Two-color silkscreen print on canvas mounted to board, ed. 1 of 3. 18 x 24 x 1". Ink & Clay 44, August 22 - November 21, 2019. Courtest of the artist.
Cecilia Torres
Cecilia Torrez, Ampersand Three, 2013. Steve's White Low-fire Clay, Metal coating and Patina. 9.5"h x 14"w x 4"d. Ink & Clay 40, September 13 - October 23, 2014. Courtesy of the artist.
Cecilia Torres, The artworks filmed, photographed and presented herein were used courtesy of each participating artist, with their individual permission. Some images used in the logo design and graphics may be from a previous year's competition. Copyright of all artwork used or reproduced is owned by each individual artist and cannot be copied or reproduced without each artist's individual permission.
Ink & Clay 45
Kellogg University Art Gallery, Cal Poly Pomona
August 19 - November 18, 2021
© 2020-21 Kellogg University Art Gallery
Cal Poly Pomona
Theme Announcement
In honor of the 45th Sapphire Anniversary of Ink & Clay, Ink & Clay 45: The Art of Type is re-scheduled as a "virtual exhibiton" for Fall 2021: August 19th - November 18th, 2021, with its prospective physical exhibition moved from Fall 2020 to Fall 2022.
Cal Poly Pomona and the Kellogg University Art Gallery are proud to make a special announcement in honor of our 45th Sapphire Anniversary of Ink & Clay. Our current Ink & Clay 45 Prospectus is launched as of April 1st 2021 on CAFE I CallForEntry.org with Artwork Prizes and Purchase Awards amounting to $7,000.
In honor of this Sapphire Anniversary, Ink & Clay will be celebrated with a special theme: Ink & Clay 45: The Art of Type. This means that ALL submissions must have the material elements of ink or clay used in the creative process in some way, or in combination, with the added requirement of including: type, text, words, phrases, writings, script, letters and/or !@#$%&*+= (symbols) in some way, shape, or form.
So, in effect, the work can be of any subject matter, but must also have the inclusion anything you might find in written language, handwriting, or on a keyboard.
Some artists automatically do this as part of their body of work, and this notice is being given well in advance, so that all prospective participants can have adequate time to make applicable work for this year's entry submission deadline of May 30, 2021. Topics can be anything from poetic, lyrical, narrative, to biographical, auto-biographical, socio-political commentary, pop-cultural, or abstraction - simply based on the love of shape and form.
See examples in the illustration below:
The same techniques that are acceptable each year for Ink & Clay are applicable for Ink & Clay 45: all traditional media (painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture), mixed media, collage, assemblage, book-making, installation, video and any avant-garde artforms are acceptable for submission, as long as ink and/or clay are featured in some way.
And with this, we hope to see eligible participants in next year's show for this special event!
Please follow us on Facebook at Kellogg University Art Gallery, on Twitter @cppartgalleries, and lnstagram @kelloggandhuntley, or sign up for our e-blast mailing list for notifications and updates as they come by sending an email request to artgalleries@cpp.edu.
Past Ink & Clay Artworks
Mariona Barkus
Mariona Barkus, Inspiration. Please. Inspiration, 2017. Ink-generated digital text on paper collaged into wooden box, acrylic paint and plastic letters on box, praying hands made using Paperclay in a candy mold. 11.5" h x 8.875" w x 2.625" d. Ink & Clay 43, September 16 - October 26, 2017. Courtesy of the Artist.
Mariona Barkus, Inspiration. Please. Inspiration, 2017. Ink-generated digital text on paper collaged into wooden box, acrylic paint and plastic letters on box, praying hands made using Paperclay in a candy mold. 11.5" h x 8.875" w x 2.625" d. Ink & Clay 43, September 16 - October 26, 2017. Courtesy of the Artist.
Kathryn Cirincione
Kathryn Cirinione, All, 2014. Mixed media lithograph. 11" h x 17"w. Ink & Clay 43, September 16 - October 26, 2017. Courtest of the artist.
Media/Eligibility
Any artist living or working in the United States may enter this competition. The Jurors make the final decision on which works are acceptable among all the entries received by the posted deadline. Artwork Submissions must have been completed within the last 3 years (2018-2021). Entries CANNOT have been submitted in a prior year. Generally, any artwork utilizing any type of ink or clay, in whole, or in part, is acceptable. Artworks must be original —no giclée prints, reproductions, or solely digitally-based prints. We seek entries that have been created by the artist’s hand in some way, shape or form. There are no size restrictions. Past exhibitions have included non-traditional media including installations (both site-specific and not), freestanding and hanging sculptures, technology-involved media, kinetic or light-based works, mixed media, as well as the more traditional artforms such as printmaking, drawing and painting, sculpture and pottery. All artforms are encouraged for submission.
Fees
In honor of our 45th show and Sapphire Anniversary, this year's Ink & Clay Entry Fee is reduced to $45, for no more than 3 entries. Please note that checks are no longer accepted. All fees must be paid by credit card through the CaFÉ site payment platforms. The entry fee is non-refundable, nor prorated, if less than 3 entries are submitted, or selected.
In the case there were to be any postponement due to the continuing pandemic, all entries will not lose consideration, nor will collected fees be lost. All fees and artwork submissions will be held for the next possible time when the jurying selection process, exhibition implementation and awards, can be re-instated for any postponed show.
Sales
All artwork will be considered for sale unless otherwise indicated as NFS (not for sale) in the submission. A 25% commission on all sales will be added to the “Artist’s List (Sale) Price” and retained by the Kellogg University Art Gallery to support programming of future exhibitions. Please price artwork entry accordingly. Completed W9 form will be required in the event of sale.
Awards
The Kellogg University Art Gallery is pleased to offer $7,000 in cash awards this year. These include: the James H. Jones Memorial Purchase Award(s), generously sponsored by the trusts of the late Mr. Bruce M. Jewett and Col. James Jones; the University President’s Purchase Award(s), sponsored by the Office of the University President, Soraya Coley; as well as Jurors’ Choice and Director’s Choice Purchase Awards sponsored by both the President’s Office and the Jones and Ink & Clay Endowments. Additional monetary (non-purchase) awards include Awards and Honorable Mentions totaling up to $2,500.
Accepted Works
Jurying will be completed by end of June 2021. Acceptance and Non-Acceptance notification letters will be emailed by the second week of July 2021. Applicants may contact Kellogg Gallery at artgalleries@cpp.edu after July 13 if a notification letter is not received prior. Acceptance letters will include instructions to selected participants for completion of an "Exhibitor Digital Media Release Form" which will need to be completed and returned by no later than July 15, 2021.
Purchase Prize Eligibility
This year, monetary purchase awards may be as much as $1000 for any purchase prize (but not less than the artist’s asking price) and will be given in exchange of artwork being added to University’s Permanent Collection. If an artwork is priced at more than the possible purchase prize amount ($1000), it will be assumed that the artwork is not “Eligible for Purchase Prize”, otherwise the artist should reduce the price for purchase consideration.
In addition, to be eligible for purchase prize, any selected artwork CANNOT be marked “Not For Sale” (NFS). In turn, if an artist wishes to not include their work for Purchase Prize Eligibility, please indicate that the work is “Not For Sale” (NFS) upon submission.
Loan Agreements / Exhibitors Digital Media Release Form
Due to the nature of this year's initial "virtual exhibition" all artists selected to participate will be required to complete an Exhibitors Digital Media Release Form in lieu of the usual "physical lending" Loan Agreements.
In general, the Exhibitors Digital Media Release Form gives the Gallery/University the artists' permissions to utilize the participating artists' artwork images and biographical information in this year's "virtual" exhibition, as well as for digital catalog publication, educational and promotional purposes. In our effort to provide an intellectual and cultural experience to the University and our community, while drawing local, national, and international public attention to the quality of our academic programs at CalPoly Pomona, we will ask all participating artists for permission to use any biographical information and digital assets (i.e. photos, videos, VR/AVR) and resources provided by entrants, as well as other media produced by CalPoly Pomona in conjunction with artist participants, to create and promote our event, on-line, for vitual and/or physical exhibition. Any use of artist biographical or digital information and media produced by CalPoly Pomona will be credited and used exclusively for non-commercial, promotional and educational purposes.
Once the dates for the Fall 2022 "physical iteration" of the exhibition are confirmed in 2022, all 2021 selected artists will be notified and required to complete Loan Agreements of the “physical” artwork selected, with an authorized signature, to be signed and received prior to shipment or delivery of artwork. Loan agreement forms will be emailed along with shipment/delivery instructions at that time. Artwork not covered by a valid Loan Agreement will not be eligible for "physical" exhibition and will be retracted from the digital catalog publication unless the Loan Agreement is completed in its entirety and signed prior to the “physical” receiving deadline.
Insurance, Liability, and Shipping Requirements
All accepted works, once "physically" received and certified under a valid Loan Agreement, will be insured for the duration of the exhibition. Although due care will be taken in handling of all entries, neither the Kellogg Gallery nor Cal Poly Pomona accepts responsibility for the damage of work submitted to the exhibition which is improperly framed or packaged, or without secure hanging devices, or without displaying instructions when needed. Out-of-area artists, or those local artists choosing to ship their work, will be responsible for costs of shipment of art to and from the exhibition venue.
Insurance coverage for artworks will be in place once Loan Agreements are finalized after selection notification, and while artworks are under the Gallery's care.
Insurance Replacement Value v. Price
Insurance Replacement Value (IRV) is the cost of materials and expenses involved in the reproduction or replacement of a work. It is necessary for proper insurance coverage, even if the artwork is “not for sale”. Artist’s Sale Price is the price at which artwork sells, based on the marketplace used, and the strength/weakness of the market at the time of sale. In other words, Sale Price (to cover artist’s expenses + time + profit) is not the same as Insurance Replacement Value (to cover costs to “replace” artwork in order to recreate the work again).
In your artist’s submission entry indicate the Sale Price as indicated through CaFE. The Gallery will automatically add 25% to any Artist’s Sale Price provided. Local Sales Tax will also be added to the Final Retail Price.
Insurance Replacement Value (IRV) will need to be clearly stated on the Loan Agreement for the subsequent 2022 “physical exhibition”. Loan Agreement paperwork with further shipment/delivery instructions will be provided to all selected entrants in mid-2022 when the “physical exhibition” is to be implemented.
In honor of our 45th show and Sapphire Anniversary, this year's Ink & Clay Entry Fee is reduced to $45, for no more than 3 entries. Please note that all proceeds go toward some key prizes and supplementation of costs for the show's implementation. In the case there were to be any postponement, all entries will not lose consideration, nor will collected fees be lost. All fees and artwork submissions will be held for the next possible time when the jurying selection process, exhibition implementation and awards, can be re-instated for any postponed show.
Special requests or changes to any of the above deadlines and dates will not be allowed unless changed for all applicants. All artwork shipping costs (delivery and return) are to be incurred by the participant in order to participate.
Insurance coverage for artworks will be in place once Loan Agreements are finalized after selection notification. and while artworks are under the Gallery's care.
Artwork Prizes and Purchase Awards this year are projected to be to $7000.
This prospectus may be photocopied, emailed and distributed as needed to any and all professional artists. or students completing their BFAs or MFAs, but all submissions must be entered on-line through the CaFE site: CallForEntry.org
Prospectus Cards
Snow at Eat-Rite
Anthony Lazorko, Snow at Eat-Rite, 2013. Color Woodcut, 11" x 17". Ink & Clay 39. Sep 14 - Oct 26, 2013. Courtesy of the Artist.
Ampersand Two
Cecilia Torres, Ampersand Two, 2013. Steve's White Low-fire Clay, Metal Coating and Pating. 9.5"h x 14"w x 4"d. Ink & Clay 40.
Submission Requirements
Submissions without the ALL of the required items will be disqualified. All data provided becomes property of Kellogg Gallery to be used for promotion, educational and non-commercial, archival purposes. Artists retain copyright of images and intellectual property, however, as part of this submission the artist is agreeing to give permission to the Gallery and University to use and post these for purposes of promotion, education and for archiving exhibitions and events. Details for this will also be indicated in writing on Exhibitors Digital Media Release Form and Loan Agreements.
The following items are required as part of your submission through CaFE:
1. A Curriculum Vitae (CV) (or Resume) in PDF form. Resumes/CVs of selected artists may be used as a digital “pop-up” for the “virtual exhibition” and, for the “physical exhibition” it is printed for reference at the Gallery's Front Desk Pricelist Binder along with the Artist Statement about each artwork selected (specified below).
- Due to potential formatting concerns, the CV/Resume MUST be provided as a PDF document and emailed as an attachment. The CV/Resume MUST include the Artist's Name at the top of page 1. Send CV/Resume with “Your Artist’s Name – Ink & Clay 45 CV/Resume” in the Subject Line to artgalleries@cpp.edu. Ensure correct editing, proofing and spelling of CV/Resume prior to submission.
- If the artist/artwork is jury selected, but the artist's CV/Resume is not received by the May 30, 2022 submission deadline, all the entrant’s artwork submissions will automatically be withdrawn from consideration.
2. An Artwork Statement about each artwork describing, in specific or general terms, what each submitted artwork is about, is required to be included as part of entrant’s CaFE “Statement” submission. No less than 100 words/artwork; recommended 200 words/artwork; no more that 300 words/artwork; in paragraph (prose) form. If multiple artworks are being submitted, entrant must provide an artist statement for each item entered. This is to prevent exclusion of a statement in the case one artwork is selected, and another is not.
- Please submit individual statements per each artwork submitted regardless if artworks belong to the same series. No more than three (3) artist statements (one per entry) is allowed. Please clearly indicate which statement goes with which artwork by including the artwork title in the statement, or at the top of each statement submitted. Bio graphical info should only be included if it helps to inform the work.
- Do not use artist name in the statement. Entry must remain anonymous. If artist's name is used in any artist statement submitted, it will automatically be withdrawn from consideration. To avoid artist’s “name use” within any statement, entrant may replace any reference to the “artist name” with "XXXX" to retain anonymity.
- Please ensure correct editing, proofing and spelling of all statements prior to submission. Statements of selected artists will be printed and included for reference on “physical” show didactics, in a binder during the exhibition and digitally used in the “virtual” exhibition as “pop-up” features, and published in an on-line catalog. Artist self-proofing is required and essential.
3. One (1) hi-quality-resolution (.jpg or .jpeg) Artwork Image for each entry is required. With no more than three (3) artwork entries per artist allowed, it means that for one (1) entry, one (1) image is required; for two (2) entries, two (2) images are required; and for three (3) entries, three (3) images are required. Images must be professional in quality - no informal shots please.
If artwork is selected for exhibition, these photos may be used “as is” for the “virtual exhibition”, website on-line gallery, print on-demand digital catalog and any and all promotional materials. Please DO NOT provide any image file other than JPEG/JPG. Images sizes and specifications must fit within CaFÉ's image requirements.
Depending on whether artworks are 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional, please follow the following recommendations and requirements for your image entries:
- Works that are 2-dimensional require a hi-res image of each artwork seen from a frontal view. A second "detail" image of any significant part of the work (artist's choice) may be included by combining both images into a single “binary” image with the “detail view” indicated as such.
- Works that are 3-dimensional require a hi-res image of the artwork seen from any view (artist's choice). A second "3/4 view", "backside view", "side view" or "close-up detail" image of any significant part of the work (artist's choice) may be included by combining both images into a single “binary” image with the “alternate image” indicated as such.
- Installation Art/Site-specific Art is considered 3-dimensional, and must follow the same requirements as any 3-dimensional artwork (see bullet point above). Please note: Installation/Site-specific Artworks have separate designated Delivery and Installation Dates for the physical show. (See Important Dates below.)
- Artworks that are kinetic, light-based, video-based, or include any type of optical illusion, virtual reality or augmented virtual reality component may supply a video link illustrating the necessary effect. Please email only relevant and necessary video-link(s) to artgalleries@cpp.edu with “Your Artist’s Name – Ink & Clay 45 Video Link” in the Subject Line. Only relevant links will be supplied to jurors for consideration.
- In order to properly represent all artworks in a “virtual” exhibition, 3-dimensional works, or those with 3-dimensional component parts, may require provision of additional images from all 4-6 sides, depending on need. If this is the case, artists will be asked to provide additional good-quality images of all visible sides of their artwork at a later time. Stay alert for an email from artgalleries@cpp.edu after jury has made artwork selections and artists are notified (week of July 5-12).
4. Artists (or their Authorized Proxies) must be available on the designated dates for “physical” Artwork Delivery and Retrieval Dates when it comes time for the “physical exhibition” in 2022. Installation Artists will have separate designated “physical” Delivery and Installation Dates in 2022. (See Below for Important Dates.)
Proxies representing artists for purpose of “physical” delivery and/or retrieval of artworks, must have written authorization from the Entrant/Artist to do so. In the written authorization, Entrants/Artists must also Authorize their Proxy to Sign for them (the Entrant/Artist) in their absence. Proxy will also be required to supply a photo ID to verify their identity. Sample Proxy Authorization:
- Dear Kellogg Gallery Staff: (enter Proxy First and Last Name) has my authorization to Deliver (or Retrieve, or both, choose one) my artwork and sign any necessary paperwork for me in my absence. (Must be signed and dated by Entrant/Artist)
The above will only be necessary if entrant is NOT available to deliver or retrieve for the “physical” exhibition in 2022. There is no need to provide proxy request this at this time. This info is only included for future reference. More information regarding using an Authorized Proxy will be provided to all 2021 jury-selected artists when the dates for the Fall 2022 "physical iteration" of the exhibition are confirmed in 2022, and Loan Agreement for the “physical” artwork is to be returned.
Chuka Susan Chesney, My Last Meal, 2017 watercolor, pen and ink, pastel, 12 x 16”Courtesy of the artist
Past Ink & Clay Artworks
Marcus Thibodeau
Marcus Thibodeau, And If You Gaze Long Into An Abyss. Screenprint, Plexiglass, Mixed Media. Ink & Clay 39, September 14 - October 26, 2013.
John Monsma Bradley
John Monsuma Bradley, Mason Jars. Clay, glaze, PBO, and spray paint. Ink & Clay 39.
Elizabeth Bennett, Bag, Banana, and Carrot from the series of Grocery Stories, 2018. Screen print on
brown "shopping" bags. 17 x 12 x 7" each. Courtesy of the artist.
Revised March 25, 2021
Call for Digital Entry Submissions Opens: Thur. April 1, 2021
Call for Digital Entry Period: Thur. April 1 – Sun. May 30, 2021
Deadline for Digital Entries: Sun. May 30, 2021, 11:59:59pm (Mountain Time Zone) / 10:59:59 pm (Pacific Time Zone)
Digital Jurying and Selection Processing Period: June 1 - July 2, 2021
Notification Letters/Exhibitors Digital Media Release Forms Emailed: Week of July 5-12, 2021
Completed Exhibitors Digital Media Release Forms Return Required by not later than: Thur. July 15, 2021
Virtual Exhibition Dates: Thur. August 19 through Thurs. November 18, 2021
Virtual Opening Reception Zoom Event: Sat. September 11, 2021, 2-5pm
Virtual Exhibition Tour & Talk: 2pm
Awards Announced: 4pm
Special Event Zoom Meeting Link will be provided via Eventbrite. Posting to be provided and promoted at a later date. Eventbrite RSVPs required to get Zoom Link and passcode. Event is free and open to the public.
Physical Exhibition Exhibitor Loan Agreements Emailed: Week of July 5-12, 2022 or prior
Completed Physical Exhibition Exhibitor Loan Agreements Return Required by no later than: Thur. July 15, 2022 (prior to shipment or delivery of physical artwork)
Local Hand-Delivery of Works to Gallery (for local-area participants only) for 2022 Physical Exhibition Iteration: Sat. July 16, 2022, 10am-12pm and 1-4pm (mandated 12-1pm lunchtime closure)
Postmark Deadlines for Shipped Artwork (for out-of-area participants only):
Earliest Postmark for Shipped Artwork: Tues. July 5, 2022
Latest Deadlines for Shipped Artwork: Mon. July 18, 2022
Pre-delivery/shipment NOTE: Must have completed Loan Agreements co-signed by UniversityRepresentative prior to shipment or delivery of artwork. Do not ship prior, or any damages upon receipt will not be protected. See Notification Letter/Loan Agreement Emailed Week of July 5-12, 2022.
Installation Art and Site-Specific Installation Drop-off and Installation Day (Artist-Led): Sat. August 6, 2022 (cancelled due to lack of need) Any "installation art" will either be shipped, or can be installed on the Sat. July 16th delivery date with gallery staff assistance.
Physical Exhibition Dates: Thur. August 18 through Thurs. November 17, 2022
Opening Reception (dependenton campus “SafeReturn Guidelines”): Sat. September 10, 2022, 2-5pm
Awards Announced: 4pm
Retrieval of Hand-Delivered and De-Installation of Site-Specific Installation Works (for local-area participants only): Sat. November 19, 2022, 10-12pm and 1-4pm (mandated lunchtime closure: 12-1pm
Return Shipments of Work: (for out-of-area participants only): Weeks of November 28 and December 5, 2022.
Please allow for up to 10 days after the end of the last week, or December 16, for return shipments to be re-received by participant, depending on your choice of shipping method provided upon delivery. Check tracking with carriers before contacting gallery for non-received items.
Jeff Reed, All Kinds of Truth, 2015. F.W. ink on wood panel. 36" x 48". Ink & Clay 41. Courtesy of the artist.
2021 Ink & Clay 45 Jurors
Keiko Fukazawa, Clay Juror (Photo credit: William Short)
Keiko Fukazawa
Keiko Fukazawa was born in Japan and educated at the Musashino Art University in Tokyo. Fukazawa also studied at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles where she taught ceramics for four years. She currently lives and has her studio in Pasadena, California, and is an associate professor and head of the ceramic department at Pasadena City College.
Fukazawa's mother introduced her to art and encouraged her to pursue painting as a career. However, the young artist was discouraged by the cultural conservatism that made it particularly difficult for women painters. She turned to her mother, who was an excellent and creative cook. As the two women discussed the relationship between food and the vessels it is stored, prepared, and served in, Fukazawa's interest slowly moved to ceramics. While working as an apprentice at the ceramic studio in Shigaraki, she was again dismayed by the rigidly gendered practices. Intrigued by the California Clay Movement led by artists like Peter Voulkos, Fukazawa decided to come to California 1984. Today, her work reflects a California outlook that includes diverse cultural hybrids and an “anything goes” attitude. She has worked for over 30 years as a bicultural artist with an eye of an outsider. Fukazawa's recent residencies in China have given her new perspectives and innovative platforms with which to experiment with conceptual art.
Keiko Fukazawa’s work has been widely exhibited. US gallery exhibitions include six one- person shows at Garth Clark Gallery, Los Angeles and New York, and numerous group shows at Dorothy Weiss Gallery, San Francisco and Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York and Portland. Museum exhibitions of Fukazawa’s work include Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles; American Craft Museum, New York; and the Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington, TX. Her work is in permanent collections of National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA; and Racine Art Museum, Racine, WI. In 2005 Fukazawa received grant from the Peter S. Reed Foundation, Inc. New York as well as grants from the California Arts Council, the City of Pasadena Arts Commission, the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs. Fukazawa is also the recipient of the 2015 Artist in Residency Grant from the Asian Cultural Council in New York City and a 2016 COLA Individual Artist’s Fellowship from the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles. She has also had exhibitions in countries as diverse as Colombia, Canada, Taiwan, and Italy. - The Artful Teapot: 20th Century Expressions from the Kamm Collection, The George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Toronto, CANADA (2003), - From the Earth/Dalla Terra, Palazzo dei Consoli, Gubbio, Perugia/ITALY (1999), - Heartists in the Marketplace, Centro Colombo Americano, Medellin COLOMBIA (1998), - International Invitational Ceramic Competition Exhibition, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan (1992).
Her work has been featured in the following publications; Sex Pot: Eroticism in Ceramics by Paul Mathieu, Contemporary Ceramics by Susan Peterson, Color and Fire – Defining Moments in Studio Ceramics 1950 – 2000, Rizzoli, I. P. I. by Jo Lauria, The Artful Teapot by Garth Clark, Postmodern Ceramics by Mark Del Vecchio and numerous magazines and papers including: Ceramic Monthly, Ceramic Arts and Perception, American Ceramics, art ltd, Huffington Post, and Los Angeles Times. Most recently, An Outsider Sends Message by Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times. Her newest works have been exhibited at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles, El Camino College Art Gallery in Torrance, and The Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery in 2016.
Dave Lefner, Ink Juror (Photo credit: Jen Serena)
Dave Lefner
As a native-born Angeleno, artist Dave Lefner has always had a love for the city that surrounds him. From an early age, he embraced the sunny disposition of the Left Coast, as well as the California “car and motor inn” culture of mid-century optimism. In his work, he yearns for the day when the beauty of American design and craftsmanship was king. From his subject matter to his process, he pays his respects to a time gone by, but finds a way to re-invent its relevance in this contemporary world. His work reflects the beauty for the city that surrounds him, with a nostalgia for its aging, but unique storefronts, signage and architecture from all areas of Los Angeles including the Valley, glamorous Hollywood, and especially his current home in Downtown LA. For Lefner, the urban landscape, complete with its burnt-out, broken neon, faded and peeling movie posters and advertisements, the web of power-lines and telephone wires overhead, as well as the occasional graffiti piece, serve as the perfect inspiration for his detailed, very limited-edition, reduction linoleum block prints.
He received a BA in Art from California State University Northridge, where he discovered a love of typography and its many faces, the graphic prints of the German expressionists of the 1940s, and, his biggest inspiration, Picasso’s series of linocuts from the 1950s. For over twenty years since, Lefner has dedicated himself to preserving and perfecting what seems to be the dying artform of reduction block printing. Because of the immediacy of today’s world, this technique is being lost in the face of a digital age. But it is the mystery of this labor-intensive process that intrigues him most. There is no room for error as the piece slowly reveals itself through a series of carving/printing stages from a single block of linoleum. To him, the journey is definitely as important as the destination.
Lefner’s work has been exhibited in notable solo exhibitions including the LA Redux: Reduction Linocuts by Dave Lefner at the Pasadena Museum of California Art (PMCA), August 20, 2017- January 7, 2018. His work is held in the Prints & Drawings Permanent Collection of Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and he has been featured on KCET’s Artbound episode titled American Purgatory.
Kristine Schomaker, Art Industry Curatorial Juror (Photo credit: Kristine Schomaker)
Kristine Schomaker
Kristine Schomaker is an Art Historian, Curator, Publisher, Art Manager and multidisciplinary artist living and working at the Brewery artist complex in Los Angeles, California. She earned her BA in Art History and MA in Studio Art from California State University at Northridge. In 2014 Kristine founded Shoebox Arts to support and empower artists while building community and creating new opportunities.
Schomaker started an open critique meet-up that takes place every 2-3 months, runs an alternative art space, Shoebox Projects at the Brewery and is an Art Activator for the organization Artists Thrive. She founded the Facebook groups: Artists Trading Co and Artist Classifieds, created a researched subscription program for calls-for-art for artists and started a free peer mentorship program.
Schomaker is also the publisher of Art and Cake a contemporary L.A. Art magazine, formed an artist collective in Los Angeles and has organized and curated numerous art exhibitions throughout Southern California. She is currently the president of the California State University Northridge Arts Alumni Association.
