The Complexities of Clay

From September 16 – December 17, The Bell Gallery will feature “The Complexities of Clay,” the work of ten talented Jewish ceramic artists who have each explored the diversity of their medium. Whether the resulting art is a vessel, figurative, or abstract sculpture, when the ten California ceramists in this exhibit work in clay, the complexities of this most humble of materials are revealed.

The figure is presented in a narrative context by Susannah Israel, Leslie Rosdol and David Furman. Israel’s are devoted readers. Rosdol’s shy women hide behind curious disguises. And Furman brings the common art school mannequin to life in a series of intimate moments.

For Nancy Selvin and Steven Portigal, the ubiquitous bottle takes center stage. Selvin works the surface with curious texts and diagrams, while Portigal sees the possibility of transformation within this familiar form.

Neil Moss, Peter Shire and Anna Silver explore clay as a vessel. For Moss, the timeless tea cup holds comfort and context. The colorful surface patterns of Silver’s totems have a jazz-like expressiveness. And Shire’s teapots are whimsical interpretations of Cubism.

Clay goes global in the work of Phyllis Green and Karen Koblitz. For Green, the form of ancient Peruvian stirrup jars merges with hints of feminine anatomy, while Koblitz blends the patterns and ornaments of Azerbaijan with images of her native California.

In the hands of these ten talented artists, the complexities of clay are not only revealed, but elevated.