S’mores Cart Visits the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art

This weekend was my first visit to Omaha with the S’mores cart. S’mores cart was invited to return to the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art to provide treats for visiting artist, Tatsuya Nakatani’s performance, and for the commencement of the Regional Exhibition. Yours truly made a very charismatic s’mores girl bringing home the big tips. S’mores cart offered an assortment of combinations including coconut encrusted marshmallows, peeps and Nutella.

The Bemis staff was so accommodating and kind during our visit. We want to especially thank Joel Damon, the Underground gallery’s curator. Both Joel and Heather, the residency program manager, expressed interest in my project the Synanthrope Station. This could mean a possible commission or the chance to break in the new ceramic/sculpture facilities.

It was an enriching experience to be a visiting artist. Kurt and I settled in the largest studio apartment during our stay at the residency and for the first time fantasized about a more transient lifestyle as artists.

NCECA 2011 Tampa

This year I went to NCECA in Tampa and St. Petersburg with Red Star Studios. Our team did a terrific job with the exhibition space featuring all Kansas City area artists. I was on duty most of the conference, so the wonderfully interesting and fantastically talented came to introduce themselves to Red Star’s gallery and to me!

I also had the chance to visit some incredible shows in St. Pete. I visited the Morean Arts Center and St. Petersburg Clay Company. I adopted a Narwhal from Lea Zoltowski Ertz‘s exhibition at the Collective Gallery. I also had enlightening conversations with some of my favorite ceramic artists, Bryan Hopkins and J.J. McCrackin. Shockingly enough, NCECA demonstrator, Esther Shimizu, is now sculpting puppy bellies! I also want to congratulate Meredith Host for winning an Emerging Artist Award at this year’s NCECA.

Austin Art

SketchBook Project in Austin

The Family and I were able to check out the Brooklyn Art Library’s SketchBook Project Tour while it was on display at the Austin Museum of Art. We were not privileged to peruse the books ourselves, but we could request books by artist’s name, motif or location. We saw visions from all over the country, and world, including Japan, Italy and France. It was exciting to share my scribbles with my hometown.

Selections from Collections: The Field Museum

Early bird fossil from the Field Museum, Chicago, IL.

Missouri Clay

Color me California

Carol Sauvion, Executive Producer and Creator of Craft in America, welcomed all of the KCAI alumni in town to her home on Sunday. It was the most dreamy and unexpected surprise of my trip. She has a beautiful little home in Beverly Hills. Timo, Mega, Ryan, and I couldn’t help but milk the experience spending the early afternoon sipping on wine under a persimmon tree.

The afternoon also included checking out Carol’s collection of pots from 30 years of owning a ceramics galley.

I finally met KCAI and ULCA alumni Nikki Lewis. She works, teaches and is raising her family in LA. She was incredibly cordial to me during my first curatorial experience for Red Star Studios’ exhibition Then and Now KCAI Alumni. She and I have been in correspondence since. I’m glad to match a smiling face to her kind words and works of art.

Later in the afternoon we made it up to the Getty Museum for a stunning view. It’s the perfect place to be when you feel on top!

Visions of lime green everywhere, much different than the cold and rainy KC I came back too.

Object Lesson

I want to be a jet set artist! Opening night for Object Lesson : Recent Student and Teacher work from The Kansas City Art Institute at the Craft in America Study Center in Los Angeles.

Friend, Ryan Fletcher, 2nd semester junior at KCAI, Freehand gallery director and Craft in America Producer Carol Sauvion, and moi inside Freehand gallery in Hollywood. Carol has been an incredibly generous patron to the Art Institute; featuring the students and professors in both the TV special and exhibition.

Featuring Paul Smith’s bust.

The coolest part was that we could be there, including Cary Esser. The gallery was super tiny, but there was all of our work together in Los Angeles. I’m so proud of everyone! I spoke with one of Craft in America crew, Rose, at the opening. She had been by my blog and was so excited by the connectivity I was generating by posting all of the Craft in America YouTube clips and show cards. I’m a fan of the information age.

Visit the Craft in America Study Center
8415 W. Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Open Thursday – Saturday 12 – 6pm and by appointment
310-659-9022

Who let us out? : The NCECA Phnx 2009 Highlights

I heart Arizona!
Before the conference in Phoenix, Tyra Forker and I road tripped it up to the Grand Canyon, because the boys just can’t keep up!

White Freaking Buffalo

NCECA Biennial at ASU Ceramics Research Center

Tip Toland

Sarah Lindley

Jason Loik

Archie Bray Show

Friend Ryan Fletcher on Nathan Craven’s extruded floor

I remember it all so fondly.

My Interview with Lumi Tan Director of Zach Feuer Gallery

Click on the link below to hear my interview with Lumi Tan, part of my McKeown Project trip to NYC last March. Good news for young artist and future curators.

http://www.mariabuszek.com/KalderMcKeownInterview.mp3

It’s finally up, thank you Maria Buszek!