Don Reitz & Ben Roti: tran•si•tions exhibition at the American Museum of Ceramic Art, 399 N Garey Ave, Pomona, CA 91767 from January 14 - April 2, 2017. The gallery is open Tuesday-Sunday, Noon to 5pm. This exhibition showcases the ceramics work of the late, legendary Don Reitz and his apprentice/assistant Ben Roti. Opening reception: Saturday, January 14, 6:00-9:00 PM with an artist presentation at 6:30pm. For more information: www.amoca.org or call 909.865.3146.
Image: left side, Don Reitz; right side, Ben Roti
Click here for high-resolution images.
Don Reitz & Ben Roti: tran•si•tions
January 14 – April 2, 2017
Opening Reception: Saturday, January 14, 6:00-9:00 PM
(Pomona, CA) – The American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) announces a new exhibition, Don Reitz & Ben Roti: tran•si•tions. This exhibition showcases the ceramics work of the late, legendary Don Reitz and his apprentice/assistant Ben Roti.
Born in 1929, Reitz received his B.S. in art education from Kutztown State College, Pennsylvania, in 1957 and his MFA in ceramics from Alfred University in 1962. He went on to become a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison until 1988, when he retired after 25 years with the honor of Professor Emeritus and relocated his studio to Clarkdale, Arizona. Few artists of the twentieth-century rival Don Reitz’ versatility and desire to experiment, as evidenced by his ability to create a broad spectrum of work utilizing different firing methods and scale of his work. He was best known for reviving the centuries-old technique of salt firing, in which salt added to a hot kiln yields textured surfaces far different from those made with conventional glazes. Reitz’s later work was born of adversity. In 1982, he was seriously injured in a car crash. He couldn’t work the clay as much and relied on color in his work that he said helped him heal. He recovered sufficiently to resume large-scale projects.
Among his many honors are a gold medal from the American Craft Council the organization’s highest award. His work is in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and elsewhere. Don Reitz died in 2014.
Ben Roti is a ceramic artist originally from Spirit Lake, IA. He attended the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA, from 2006 to 2010 and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics. During college, Ben’s ceramic work concentrated on the elements of world conflict culminating in his BFA show, “The Cost of War.” After finishing his BFA, Ben accepted a position as a studio assistant to ceramic artist, Don Reitz in Clarkdale, Arizona. Over several years (2010-2014), Ben had the opportunity to work with Don Reitz in the studio, assist with workshops in Montana and Florida, and was instrumental in the installations of gallery shows in Chicago, Denver, and Kansas City. At the Reitz Ranch, Ben furthered his knowledge in atmospheric firing with wood and salt types as well as a soda kiln in St. Petersburg, FL. He also was a part of constructing and repairing kilns.
Since leaving the Reitz Ranch, Ben has returned to creating functional works using low-fire earthenware clay and has begun to develop a new body of work. Using reductive techniques, through sandblasting, Ben is able to build variations and create layers, which are inspired by the results that are commonly seen in atmospheric firing.
EXHIBITION AND EVENT DETAILS
Opening Reception
Saturday, January 14th, 6:00-9:00 PM
Free and open to the public.
Artist Lecture
Saturday, January 14th, 6:30 PM
Free and open to the public.
Exhibition Dates
January 14 - April 2, 2017
Ceramic Studio Gallery Hours
Tuesday through Sunday, Noon –5:00pm
Museum Hours
Wednesday through Sunday, Noon - 5pm
Admission: General $7, Student/Senior $5, Members & under 12 Free
Location
American Museum of Ceramic Art
399 North Garey Avenue, Pomona, CA 91767
(909) 865-3146
www.amoca.org
PRESS CONTACT
For additional information and high-resolution images, please contact:
Andrea Rubino, 399 North Garey Avenue, Pomona, CA 91767
arubino@amoca.org • 909-865-3146
Click here for additional images.