FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Playing with Fire: James Lovera's Ceramic Artwork Featured in Crocker's Exhibition

Crater's from Fire: Ceramics by James Lovera

May 10, 2006 – Sacramento, Calif. – On view from July 22 – October 8, 2006 at the Crocker Art Museum, Craters from Fire: Ceramics by James Lovera is the most comprehensive exhibition of ceramics by the native Californian artist. Lovera welcomes the chance effects created in the kiln. “I’m playing with fire every time,” he jests.

Lovera is passionate about color and the magic of transforming bland chemical powders into vibrant hues of glaze. The look of Lovera’s vessels make them immediately distinctive—earthy and raw in some instances, exploding supernovas of lustrous color in others. The clarity of 20th-century Modernism appears in his vessels, but his forms also relate to historical achievements in Chinese porcelain. Lovera is clear, however, that he does not aim to copy or emulate either tradition. Instead, he shares a deeply felt regard for simplicity and the distillation of form to its essence.

On the faculty of San Jose State University for nearly 40 years, Lovera has exhibited widely and shared his talents with generations of students. From his earliest decorative wares, dating from the late 1940s, to his masterfully thrown bowls and bottles, Lovera has been central to the Golden State’s development of a vibrant and innovative ceramics tradition.
 
Craters from Fire features more than 50 works in stoneware and porcelain. Assembled from the artist’s own collection and those of private collectors, early and mature works are brought together for the first time in celebration of Lovera’s accomplishments.

EXHIBITION RELATED PROGRAMS

Second Saturday for Families: Clay Pottery
SEPTEMBER 9, NOON-3 PM
Sculpt and pinch a small pot from clay. To transform your clay pot into ceramics, pay a $5 firing fee and return at a later date to pick it up. Free with admission.

Highlight Tours
THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER
THURSDAYS 6:30 & 7:30 PM; SATURDAYS NOON, 1, 2 & 3 PM; SUNDAYS NOON, 1 & 2 PM
Enjoy a guided tour through this special exhibition. Free with admission.

Workshop: Sculpt with Clay
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 10 AM-3 PM
$35 MEMBERS ● $50 NONMEMBERS
Sculpt clay using hand building techniques and explore wheel throwing with artist Paul Stein. Participants must return at a later date to pick up fired pieces. To register, contact Emma Moore at (916) 264-1961 or emoore@cityofsacramento.org by September 29.

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The Crocker Art Museum was founded in 1885 and continues as the leading art institution for the California Capital Region and Central Valley. The Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events and programs to augment its collections of Californian, European and Asian artworks. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday – Sunday; Thursday until 9 p.m. For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 264-5423 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

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Media Contact: LeAnne R. Ruzzamenti
Media: (916) 264-1963
Mobile : (916) 213-9402
Public: (916) 264-5423
216 O Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.crockerartmuseum.org