Ceramics 
HIDDEN BUT NOT FORGOTTEN(0)
August 14, 2011 —
The Wichita Art Museum has brought out from its collection works that have been in storage for years; though there is no stated theme beyond “unseen for a while,” careful curation has grouped the 40-plus pantings, prints, and sculptures into vignettes that provoke thoughful connections. Many even have the timely feel of summer; it is well worth your time to come and see Calder, Cottingham, Christopher, Leon Kelly, Grilley, and more. Opportunity knocks through October 23.
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Clay Play: Myrna Minnis
Myrna Minnis’ ceramic art is a reminder that small things can inspire as deeply as anything monumental.
Artistic Express(ion): Jan Gaumnitz
Jan Gaumnitz’s “Pony Express” has charm to burn, and a clear regional connection, but there’s more to the sculpture than that.
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Ceramic artists Calder Kamin and Julie Malen present animals as playthings, companions, spectacle, and metaphor in their collaborative exhibition, “Urban Still Life,” on view at the KCAC’s Underground Gallery through June 10. The centerpiece installation contains 26 sculptures by both artists, and their other individual works are challenging and well-crafted as well. Being born out of a collaborative urge to document their experiences with animals, Kamin and Malen have tugged at a thread of how humans relate to animals.
She’s a Storyteller: Bernadette Esperanza Torres
Whether free-standing or mounted against the wall, Bernadette Esperanza Torres’ works share common qualities … but “commonness” isn’t one of them.
Tugging at the Strings:Yaina Kulp
Yaina Kulp’s work, while beautiful, contains a strong undercurrent of haunting (or, perhaps, haunted) introspection.
BLUE CHIPS AND BIG TRUCKS
It’s now then-and-gone for “America: Now and Here,” which honored KC with being its first national venue on what is hoped to be a years-long project journey. It provided a month’s-worth of discussions, of music, film, poetry, and theatre events to inspire — from Eric Fischl’s colleague “blue chip” artists and our equally brilliant pool of local talent.
THE SPARKLE THAT FEEDS
“Bread and Glitter” is a local arts journal (online and in print) providing a forum where the “relationship between art, faith, cultural renewal, and local community can be celebrated.” Stemming from the Kansas City Boiler Room / Monarch Gallery artists’ interests and open to anyone, “B & G” hosted a release party and exhibition for its Volume 1, Issue 2 edition this spring. The resulting presentation provided a variety of thought-provoking, fascinating, and even humorous works — a show of glimmering stuff to feed an art-hungry soul.
An Artful, Heart-full Outreach: Emily Collins
There is art which is good, art which does good, and art which lands firmly in both territories. Emily Collins’ work falls into that last category.
The Nature of Nurture: Linda Ganstrom
One doesn’t have to be familiar with Linda Ganstrom’s source inspirations to find her ceramic sculptures affecting and accessible … while still retaining an aura of mystery that makes them even more compelling.
Keeping the Past Alive: Daisy J. Muff
Daisy J. Muff’s hand-painted porcelain creations, many of them executed in 18th-century designs from her native Switzerland, are lovely, delicate and timeless.
Simply Intuitive: Colby Tavernaro
Colby Tavernaro’s process is as intuitive as his arrangement: Scavenge and collect first, then see what wants to be with what.
Holding History and Inspiration: Susan Nelson
No matter what item or substance each of Nelson’s works is designed to hold, it also carries with it her appreciation for history and determination to keep pottery vibrant and vital.
The Clay Under His Feet: Ross Murphy
Ross Murphy has taken his home-dug raw material and turned it into deeply hued, calming (even centering) pieces. But as the example above shows, the variances in color add swirling, billowing energy to all of that depth. His creations might be serene, but they’re far from stagnant..
Strength in Diversity: Loreta Feeback
One common thread running through all of Loreta Feeback’s work — representational or abstract, flat or in the round — is her command of structure.