Harald Nordvold, pottery & North Coast Photographers Group Opening Reception: Saturday, April 6, 2013, 5:00 p.m. Exhibit remains through May 1 Dolphin Gallery

The April, 2013, exhibit at the Dolphin Gallery features Harald Nordvold and the North Coast Photographers Group. The opening night reception is on Saturday, April 6 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and the show runs through Wednesday, May 1. Admission is free.

Harald Nordvold

For over thirty years Harald Eric Nordvold has been refining his skills as a potter. He employs a two-firing process under vey controlled conditions and uses glazes that he has personally developed by testing literally thousands of formulations. The result is a collection of hand crafted stoneware and porcelain pieces that contain both an artistic richness and a practical use.

He draws inspiration from a variety of sources, principally his Norwegian heritage and Tibetan Buddhism and uses both Viking runes and Asian mantras to decorate plates and other pieces. The shapes he chooses also reflect Asian influences. With each piece Nordvold strives to bring an inner significance to the surface.

Working out of his Santa Rosa studio, Viking Pottery, Nordvold uses an intricate process for each piece. First he shapes the clay by hand on a wheel and allows it to dry to the consistency of leather. He then trims the piece, adds features such as handles or assembles separate parts. After the object is dry he fires it for the first time at a low temperature, a step called a bisque firing.

Next, he applies his own hand crafted glazes before a second firing at 2400° F in a large kiln in a reduction atmosphere. His wood ash glazes employ a process that dates from the Shang dynasty in China. The result is a permanent glazed surface with a vitrified finish. Each piece is dishwasher, microwave and oven safe. He does not use any lead or toxic materials.

In recent years Nordvold has begun making serving plates and flower containers. He finds that their square and rectangular shapes provide an interesting surface for exploring different decorating possibilities. Many examples of his creations can be found on-line at his website www.vikingpottery.net.

North Coast Photographers Group

This exhibit marks the first time the North Coast Photographers Group has exhibited as a group, although many members have participated in other venues such as Art in the Redwoods and some have had one-person shows both on the Mendonoma Coast and elsewhere. The exhibit photos consist primarily of nature photographs taken along the majestic Northern California coast.

Formed over five years ago the North Coast Photographers Group meets monthly at the Gualala Arts Center to provide a forum for anyone interested in photography, regardless of their skill level, to exchange information about the entire process of taking pictures. They discuss how to capture desired images, how to process those images in both digital and film formats, and how to distribute and display the finished product.

In this exhibit the visitor can see the wide range of subject matter and treatments the group's members employ to capture the ever evolving beauty that those living in the area experience daily. Craig Tooley is acting as curator for the show. Other well-known local photographers participating include Paul Brewer, Bryant Hichwa and Rozanne Rapozo.

Currently over 50 people who live between Jenner and Fort Bragg participate in the group, twelve to fifteen of whom will show up at a given meeting. Some are full-time and others part-time residents. For more information, see the North Coast Photographers Group.

The Dolphin Gallery is located at 39225 Highway One in downtown Gualala, CA
(behind the post office on the south side). Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Please call (707) 884-3896 for more information.