Exhibit of Ceramic Works by Dennis Meiners and Paintings by Leslie Lee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
RICHARD ROWLAND
Art Department/Ceramics
Clatsop Community College
rrowland@clatsopcc.edu (503) 325-0184
EXHIBIT OF CERAMIC WORKS BY DENNIS MEINERS AND PAINTINGS BY LESLIE LEE
Works by noted Oregon artists Dennis Meiners and Leslie Lee will be exhibited at the Clatsop Community College Art Center Gallery from January 8 through February 13. The exhibit will begin with a reception on Thursday evening, January 8th, 2009 at 6 pm. All are welcome. Refreshments and music will be provided. The Gallery is located at 1653 Jerome Avenue in Astoria.
Dennis Meiners and Leslie Lee, husband and wife, work and teach at the Hummingbird Studio that they spent over a decade creating, using straw bale and adobe construction methods, in the Applegate Valley outside of Jacksonville in southern Oregon.
In connection with the exhibit Dennis Meiners will conduct a free ceramic workshop, open to all, on Friday, February 13th, from 9 am to 4 pm. Through demonstrations, a slide show, and hands-on practice, the workshop will explore handbuilding techniques, texturizing methods, and glazing approaches applicable to both functional and sculptural ceramics. The workshop, which will take place in the Clatsop Community College ceramics studio, (at 1653 Jerome Avenue in Astoria), will include a potluck lunch with beverages provided. Please bring a favorite dish to share.
DENNIS MEINERS, a native of Walla Walla, Washington, received a B.A. in Fine Arts from Washington State University in 1973, did research in ceramics at the Oregon School of Arts and Crafts in Portland in 1979 and 1980, and has been an Instructor in Ceramics at a number of institutions, including Portland Community College and the Oregon School of Arts and Crafts. A past President of the Oregon Potters Association, and the recipient of numerous awards, Dennis has done workshops throughout the west coast, and has published extensively in Ceramics Monthly and other ceramics periodicals. His work has frequently been featured in solo and group exhibitions, and is part of a number of important museum and gallery collections. Dennis was the recipient of the 2007 Best of Show Award, a work selected by fellow ceramic artists at the annual Ceramic Showcase in Portland. The Ceramic Exhibition and sale showcases work from approximately 350 professional artists.
House Top Teapot by Dennis Meiners
“Dennis’ work has always inspired me,” said local Astoria ceramicist, Richard Rowland. “I worked with Dennis for a few years at the Astoria Dragon Kiln and what I enjoyed about that time with him was his sense of humor, his lifelong commitment to making ceramic arts, and especially his passionate vision that continues to explore the territory between utilitarian and sculptural works. He brings genuine evidence of hard work, play, and strong craftsmanship to his clay pieces. I think that he and his wife exhibiting together will be a good fit for our students and our community to learn from and enjoy”.
Dennis describes as follows the two directions his recent work has been following: “One of those directions is the way of functional pottery intended for daily use, which is a direction I’ve always loved. The other direction is toward semi-functional and sculptural work where I can deal directly with ideas and my feelings about contemporary society.”
LESLIE LEE was born in Eastern Oregon and raised and attended High School in Portland, where she returned after receiving a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from Washington University in St. Louis. “Twenty-some years ago,” Leslie wrote in 2005, “when I decided to cease being a graphic designer and focus only on ceramic art, I was astounded by what that commitment brought me. I’ve enjoyed a sustaining career as a sculptor, but in the last couple of years I’ve detoured into painting enough to realize that I need to choose and commit once again. I’ve chosen to paint, and again I am surprised what a single focus can yield. Whatever the medium, my aim is to draw the interest of the viewer with imagery which then invites, through metaphor, considerations of the individual, the family, society, and the natural world.”
Leslie’s work has won numerous awards, been the frequent subject of media attention, (including a 2004 Oregon Art Beat segment on OPB), and has been included in dozens of solo and group exhibitions throughout the country.
Moonlight Chairs by Leslie Lee
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December 18, 2008
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