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Gualala Arts
Promoting public interest and participation in the arts since 1961.
Archive of past events: 2004 through 2014
The Dolphin presents an exhibit of the oils of Connie Matz and the ceramics of Nancy Morgan from the opening reception on Saturday, March 3 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. to the shows conclusion on Wednesday, April 4, 2012. About Connie Matz
Preferring to work in oils, Matz enjoys the intense, pure colors and a fluid lines the medium offers and feels it gives her control on the canvas so she can achieve exactly the desired effect. She also does ink drawings and some watercolors. A virtual gallery of her work can viewed on the internet at www.conniematz.com. Matz says she loves the wide range of moods and the variety of subject matter on her doorstep. Her subject matter includes portraits, harbor scenes, seascapes, landscapes, wild life scenes, flowers, whatever catches her eye. She says, "The earth is a treasure box to me. I hope my paintings reflect how much I love the world around me." Although she is mainly self-taught, she studied art at Fort Steilacoom Community College in Washington State and credits workshops with William F. Reese from the University of Washington as a formative influence. He taught her not only to paint in a different way, but also to have fun doing it. She strives to have the viewer see her rich subject matter in a new way. Her respect for nature and her enjoyment of the artistic process are apparent on the canvases. Unlike many artists who pursue their vocation in seclusion, Matz seeks out company while she works and enjoys sharing her talents with others. She has taught art to children and adults for over forty years. About Nancy Morgan
For Morgan, pottery combines both artistic expression and functionality. She says, "I really enjoy creating functional pieces that people can use in their homes. I started out by needing a water bowl for my dog and that led to an interest in water fountains and bowls." For Morgan, one idea leads to another and the journey is as interesting as the end product. She strives to retain whimsical and unpredictable elements in her work. Now living in Healdsburg where her work is available at The Three Dog Pottery, Morgan traces her love of clay back to playing with it along the banks of the Napa River. Her first ceramics class was at Napa College where she learned how to throw pots on a wheel. This interest grew at Humboldt State University where she concentrated on ceramics. After a hiatus to raise a family she resumed her interests when she became a lab technician at Santa Rosa Junior College, a job she has held for twenty-one years. "There is something very soothing and centering about creating a beautiful form from a ball of mud, interacting with it as it spins. It seems to evolve in my hands.", she says. "As an artist I find inspiration in lots of ways, looking at the world around me, meeting new people, learning new techniques. One never knows what form things will take. That's the beauty of the creative process."
The Dolphin Gallery is located at
39225 Highway One in downtown Gualala, CA |
Although this show is
Since her last show at the Dolphin in 2009, Nancy Morgan has continued to explore ideas, forms, glazes and techniques connected with clay. The selection of new pieces in the 2012 exhibit provides a good measure of where her craft has taken her in the past three years. She primarily describes herself as a potter but is not limited to throwing pots on a wheel. Her imagination is as plastic as her chosen medium.