Beyond the BFA

When giving your thesis talk the question is invariably asked, "what are you going to do now that you’re graduated?"

grad show, Dec 2011

Like many, I do plan on applying to a Masters program... like many, it may be in a year or two.

I did and do want to keep momentum and find work within the art community.

One of the last classes an art student from SNC will take is Advanced Studio. Among other things we delved into, we explored and developed the tools for practicing as an artist outside of academia.  It can be daunting. It is daunting! Today you have to be diverse and innovative to create and find your niche.

Several years ago, prior to starting my degree, I would not have equated my ski town with having and supporting an art community. I have come to find that the artistic community is surprisingly large, diverse, tenacious, and in places thriving!

I have begun working with  Riverside Studios in Truckee, CA. They are a co-op of women artists and artisans who have created a business from the necessity of needing an outlet for their work.

The co-op was started in 2002 with three people, in a dilapidated house on the Truckee River. Due to zoning restrictions, it was essentially a studio. The space could not be a ‘store’ but could have shows, which they had up to four times a year. Alanna, one of the original members, commented,  “you made a lot of product”, but lacked sales.

In order to have more of a commercial presence, the co-op moved to Brickeltown, a historic area of downtown Truckee, hoping to create a more fiscal outlet. While they still were not able to generate the commerce they had hoped for they did develop a presence and community happenings such as First Fridays. First Fridays was a community gathering for artists to promote themselves and their work. Any artist was encouraged to turn up, bring work and network.

In the summer of 2010, five artists joined together and moved to commercial row in Truckee, again trying to find a better commercial location.


Commercial row storefront



commercial row, Truckee

The studio is presently a co-op of four women who have created a store that showcases their work and that of mainly local artists. The work is primarily handmade and hand crafted. There are two bench jewelers, Sondrea Larson and Mary Guerra, a self described ‘leather lady’, Kahlil Johnson, and a potter, Alanna Hughes. Various 2D artists (painters, printmakers, photographers) sculptors, woodworkers, fabric artists and cottage industry products are sold under consignment.

Heather River, who was a student at SNC, was with the co-op when they moved down town but has recently departed the co-op to open her own store called Bespoke. She hopes to open in early May. She has described herself as a curator, finding ‘one of a kind goods from independent artisans’.

First Fridays is now an established event that is hosted by the Truckee Downtown Merchants Association with multiple business involved.

Riverside Studios now takes the opportunity with First Fridays to showcase an ‘Artist of the Month’. Established and/ or emerging artists are given space to exhibit work. Mary Kenny has participated (and will be ‘artist of the month’ this May!) as well as graduate student Jonah Harjer. Jessica Hayworth will be showing work in early 2013.

Mary Kenny

Jonah Harjer

Jessica Hayworth

I have joined Riverside as shop manager and a contributing artist. I get to delve into the operation of a small business and interact  with a diverse group of artists. I am also learning to create and maintain a studio practice routine and balance new work and production.

I am also this month’s artist. Come down!

Instagram photos of the week!

Here are some of our favorite images that have popped up on our Instagram this week.

Here is Jessica setting up and giving her talk for her BFA show this past Thursday

Glen was also captured getting ready for his BFA show, to be held in the Tahoe Gallery, this Thursday.

And lastly, we have Keith as a horse- one of his New Genres projects.

If you're looking for more pictures of what's going on in the art department, follow "sncfa" on Instagram.

SNC Goes to NCECA to Create Proposed Installation

Photo by Karl Schwiesow

On March 23, 2012, nine students and two faculty headed up north to Seattle, WA to the National Council on the Education for the Ceramic Arts. One student in particular, Karl Schwiesow, proposed a clay installation to Seattle's juried exhibition for public display entitled "Weather or Not?' It was based on NCECA's annual theme, this one entitled: "On the Edge."

The installation brought together 'contrasting elements of the industrial cityscape and organic nature' and focused on the environmental impacts and issues of sustainability.

"The relationship between the clay and refuse from which the effigies are constructed and their industrial counterpart, mankind, becomes apparent through the degradation by the erosive weathering processes of nature. Through erosion, the structural framework of the installation is revealed to create subtle tension between mediums. Raw clay bodies show the fragility and vulnerability of species under the pressure of mankind; rigid sub-structures that supported the species also allude to a darker corner of human bi-products' impact. In this way the effigies stand in a gesture of submission to the surrounding metropolis."

An excerpt from Karl's proposal explaining the intricate details of the process

Interview with Karl Schwiesow

Tell us about the installation.

It was a collaborative project, ‘Weather or Not’ was the title of the show. We extrapolated a formula to create these figures that would deteriorate over time. So we put together a proposal and we sent it off and got it accepted . . . and we were like ‘great,' it’s actually going to happen, so let's do it. Basically we came up with a list of endangered species indigenous to the area, we used those as our statement through the weathering and deterioration of these sculptures. The sculptures were unfired clay that we had sourced locally, and the deterioration symbolized the impact of humans on that specific species. On our trip up we sourced many materials locally and assembled them inside the large cityscape. It was a cool contrast and unique to see when they weathered. When we got there and installed, it sat there for the week of the conference. Then we took it down when we left.

Photo by Karl Schwiesow

Elaborate on the locally sourced materials

Well, we searched on these fire roads and we found a spot that was off the road aways; next to this refuse heap of yard waste we found hypodermic needles and stuff in this one corner. Then we had to hike through the blackberry bushes and up this bog, then up a slope and collected buckets of clay and took them back to the truck. Afterwords, we loaded them into burlap bags.

Photo by Karl Schwiesow

Photo by Karl Schwiesow

We also took fallen trees and other kind of elements

When we built these figures, we wrapped them with chicken wire and stuffed them full of trash. We covered them with clay and formed them into these sculptures of endangered species.

Q: What did spectators think of the installation?

Many people were walking by and they were like, “What the hell are you doing?”

Q: What was going on at the conference?

NCECA is a big meeting place for clay nerds. Basically, we had a booth and met people that were walking around and talked to them about our programs. It is an annual nation wide conference, any school can come and represent themselves. Various east coast schools to Kansas to New York to Florida, Michigan, Texas, California were represented. There were several practicing professional artists and professors. It’s pretty cool to meet all of those people outside of the studio, and just be like, ‘oh they're just real people’ and go and tap them on the shoulder.

Photo by Karl Schwiesow

Q: How was the food and weather at the conference?

There was a burrito window that was good. We had great weather setting up. The weather was nice, it was too not hot and the sun was out. If it was raining or windy, everything would’ve fallen apart.

Interview by Chelsea Christoph & Rachael Robertson

Student Artist Profile: Kasey Hartsock

Concentration: Photography

Graduation Year: 2012

Hometown: LA

Q: Why do you choose to mainly work in black and white?

A: I think it's more real. It seems honest and pure. I can't hide behind colors to distract myself and my audience from what I'm really thinking about.

Q: You have a large background in modeling. When did you realize and decide you wanted to switch from being in front of the camera to behind?

A:When I realized I couldn't push myself as the model to create the intense images that I wanted. As a fashion model, you don't get much say in the final piece, but as the photographer I can inspire, shoot, create, and push the limits. Ultimately, deciding my hopeful future role as an art director.

Q: You mentioned you now want to be an art director instead of a photographer. Why?

A: I think I'd have more control that way, which is exactly what I love. I've had so much experience now as the model, stylist, photographer, and it all adds up to being a director for me. Creating a vision that a team can commit to, put together, and produce.

Q: Where would you like to see your work end up?

A: I would love to be the executive art director of a magazine or publishing company, like Conde Nast. I could even see myself behind a brand name, creating the campaigns, and choosing the layouts for each new season or issue.

Q: Who are you influenced by?

A: Other artists, fashion designers, models, directors, writers, and photographers. I follow blogs from these creative people almost religiously and buy magazines constantly. I aspire to create the emotions inflicted by my favorite works of theirs.

Q: Share a funny story about your art.

A: My parents used to tell me that I couldn't draw; I specifically remember them calling me the scribbler, and teasing that I didn't color inside the lines. Therefore, I was in band for seven years, as a saxophone player, and didn't take an art class until my last year or two in high school.

...Who would have known it would be my major a few years later?

Q: As you recall, what is your first piece of artwork you created?

A: This weird little drawing I found in my parent's desk a few years ago. Why they kept it, I have no idea. It's supposed to be my interpretation of Picasso's work- and turned out as this funny little green, triangle man.

Q: Why do you mainly photograph people?

A: Because I don't understand them. Because they are: beautiful, dangerous, mysterious, and haunting- to me. I enjoy using the body as a vessel to show my frustration about humans, emotion, and beauty. There is something I don't fully understand about all of these things, but I feel a very strong connection to them.

Q: What aspects of the program or school engage you the most?

A: Lots of one on one time with my professors, due to the small class sizes. I love how it feels just like a family. After attending a larger university before coming to SNC, this feels like the perfect fit. Even teachers from other departments support, critique, and provide helpful words of wisdom, which doesn't seem to happen at other larger schools.

Q: Leave us with a quote or words of advice.

A: Don't listen to the wrong people.

To view Kasey's website click here

Interview by: Christy Rasmussen

Jenny Robinson Prints at the CCAI Courthouse Gallery

The Capital City Arts Initiative is currently presenting prints by San-Francisco-based printmaker Jenny Robinson at the CCAI Courthouse Gallery in Carson City.


I interviewed Robinson and wrote an essay for the show – here's the intro paragraph:

The exhibition Elapsed in Time, featuring work by printmaker Jenny Robinson, has a genuine sense of majesty. The prints she has on display are large, most of them over 30 by 50 inches – much larger than the usual print. They command the space they are displayed in, showing off a real technical brio. For Robinson, the scale is mostly a matter of format meeting subject matter. The prints at the CCAI Courthouse Gallery display big, mostly neglected structures: Gasometers, highway underpasses, abandoned rollercoaster tracks, water towers. The structures are massive, but they are also, in the context of their environments, generally unnoticed – hidden either by design or by obsolescence. Robinson’s prints reveal how these giant structures appear after they have stopped being looked after, and stopped being looked at (of course, Robinson herself is still looking).

Read the rest here.

A Workshop with Joanna Frueh: The Glamour of Being Real

Tomorrow (Friday, March 2), visiting scholar, teacher, and artist Joanna Frueh will conduct a workshop in conjunction with her performance tonight at UNR, The Glamour of Being Real. Spots are currently still available, register at www.sierranevada.edu/glamour

Goals and Intentions

Workshops facilitate participants being true to themselves through practices of self-transformation and conscious self-creation. 

I bring to this workshop my 35 years of teaching experience as a university professor, my decades of bodily and scholarly research into soul-and-mind-inseparable-from-body, and my desire to help women in particular transform the negative habits of mind and body that pervade our culture in regard to women. I received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women's Caucus for Art in 2008 for satisfying that desire; as that organization wrote, “for helping forge a positive image of women as they experience life passionately.” 

What We Do in the Workshop

The book The Glamour of Being Real is composed of 5 chapters, Glamour Defined, Change, Body, Relationships, and Everyday Life. The basis of each workshop is the first chapter, which gives participants new ways to think about and activate trust in themselves. Then we focus on one of the chapter topics. Conversation and effectively simple body and mind practices are the methods for exploring self-creation and self-transformation—and for having fun. 

Make yo' World GO PUFF !!


Heres a tiny little tease of the magical creations Ive seen these days around the west coast. It feels as if a second renaissance is well on the way even tho to a majority of the populace it might not be aware of it, people are radiating their love of life and the world thru vibrant colors that express our inner self. This rebirth of creativity is facing great growth - it goes hand in hand with the development of today's music scene with a stronger emphasis in the underground bass culture. Many artists can be seen year round at different events but the high season for the market comes with the large amount of music festivals around the country during summer.


 Its a pleasure to demonstrate here these artists who have taken fashion to new levels. Making one of a kind products they're able to create a unique style of clothing designs as well as other accessories. This is part of a response to a world overwhelmed with corporate commercialism of synthetic and many times booooringgg products that the mainstream offers. Instead they have created great networks of artists who share knowledge and skills to evolve all as one in a very creative and unique way. 


Evan Smith


Evan smith has dropped all aliases and can be found any where the seen has not seen, if u know what I mean. We are collaboratering on a movement that loves to break the boundaries of practicalia and part of the message is , "it's OK" I strive to let people be right, with their own thoughts beliefs and opinions. Society loves to tell people they are incorrect and that" I" know best so you are wrong and over looks the outrageously obvious... If it feels rite to U in ur universe, whats wrong with it? GO WITH IT! The sad fact is people let them selfs be stuck, hindered and uninspired for a living. We all have so much to offer and we are all amazing artist, we just need the right tools, art is life and this is the art of life! How did u create ur life? Is it exciting or are u stuck doing some thing u despise? If ur not happy with what u have painted... Start a new image u would love to portray (NOW). This may sound like a ranting tangent and it may be...but I just want to let u know that puff paint is more than a silly kids arts and craft project, it's one of many mediums that have helped people shred the box of robot society limitations by letting people be right. The potential applications are endless, our friends come up with new skills and tricks we all conglomerate together in to a gnarled out free biter culture. If some one gets upset because some one took "their thing"... Fronxin deal wit it! Because any and all styles/trends are originated from out side influences, people build their lives/personalities based on every thing they have ever seen and related to. We are all ripping off some thing and the point is, it dose not matter, if your the didactic daredevil U claim to be, then u will just come up with some thing new. Sharing is caring, that's write I dropped it! Selfishness is what has got the world in to the squallered out state of being it is in, along side with secrets, deception, lies and ego. For our world to thrive we must teach and be open to learning, to pass on the old wisdom to the youth. So much truth and knowledge has been lost to time, so isn't it about time to share so we can get some where? Puff paint has been an amazing catalyst that has expanded my imagination and taken me so much farther than schools or jobs, it showed me paths to becoming free and completely ME!











Coming Soon ; Nick yings





And much more on the way !!! :) :) :)

Bless <3

Interview with Student Artist Jessica Hayworth

From: South Shore CA
Age: 22
Major: Fine Arts (2D practices)

Interview by Sean Collins and Rachael Robertson

Q: When did you first discover your artistic talent and decide to become an artist?

A: I grew up on comics and illustrations and was heavily inspired by the fine detail of the line work. I was about 8 years old when I knew that art was something that I seriously wanted to pursue.

Q: Do you remember what your first piece of artwork was?

A: It was an 8 page graphic story that I made about a journey to meet the sun. I remember an adult pointing out that the sun's nose looked funny and I was devastated.

Q: Where do you find inspiration? What artists have influenced your work?

A: I find inspiration everywhere. I am a big fan of graphic novelists, especially the works of Stephen Gammell and Dr. Seuss when I was younger. As I grew older, I became more influenced by the work of artists such as Max Ernst and surrealist work.

Q: Describe the style of your work. Do you utilize a lot of symbolic imagery?

A: Yes, I use a lot of personal symbolic imagery. As far as styles go, I often use cross hatching and small, fine lines. Most of my work is in black and white. My work is often described as being dark. I like using the darker stylistic values in my work to transform an image that is humorous in nature. Basically I don't like to make light of otherwise dark subject matter, but I do want to make dark subject matter more bearable.

Q: What is your favorite medium and why?

A: My favorite medium would have to be pen and ink. I like the fine detail and control that I have over the line work.

Q: What role does recognition or awards play, if any, in the creation of your artwork?

A: Awards are not necessarily very important to me, however it is always nice for people to recognize or praise your artwork. Having people notice your work makes you feel like you are doing something right.

Q: What is your favorite critique you have received?

A: My most memorable was from a classmate during a critique in reference to my mural. She said when she walked by it there was "a twinge in [her] heart." It was the sweetest response that I have ever received.

Q: Any words of advice for aspiring artists?

A: Keep at it. Don't be discouraged by any negative feedback. You learn more from your failures than you do from your successes.

(above: Jessica drawing out the number of days she's been alive, on her studio wall; it actually seemed like a lot fewer days than she figured, once she was done)

For posts that Jessica made when she was student blogger of the month, click here. Her blog is at http://jessicahayworthbfa.blogspot.com/

Light On Your Feet: Closing

(An en"light"ening dance choreographed by the chair of the fine arts department, Sheri Leigh O'Connor)

This past Thursday night the closing for the Light On Your Feet exhibition was held in the gallery. The space was full of lots of people, movement, break dancing, t-shirt selling, rapping, and many other activities one wouldn't expect to find in such a place.

(Shadow drawings by Jessica Hayworth)

While attending the opening Kasey and I had the opportunity to interview some students who had participated in creating artwork in the space, or who had collaborated with other students. Jessica Hayworth, who is currently working on her own BFA show, commented on how interesting it was to work in the gallery prior to her own installation. She said how "freeing" this experience was and enjoyed exploring other mediums. She's collaborated before, but never needed the involvement of participants to create the work – for instance, she traced the shadows of other students on the walls.

After spending time in the gallery we migrated into the lecture hall to hear Autumn Beck, the curator of the show, speak and recap on the happenings of the past month.

She described how exploration, synergy, and play in the gallery was vital to the success and concept behind the show.

She set the stage for interactive works, inviting others to join, and left the rest up to the students, visitors, and faculty here to participate while she was gone.

We worked well as a collaborative group, tapped into our friend base and faced challenges and created new ideas about how to activate the gallery space.

Clay Club Pottery Sale

There's an SNC Pottery Sale at Austin's Restaurant Feb. 9-12 – click on the flyer below to see a bigger version, for more info: