Audrey Schmitz exhibits art at Wichita National Exhibition

TONKAWA — Five new ceramic works by Tonkawa artist Audrey Schmitz were selected by jurors Marko Fields and Diego Valles for “Art of Clay – Wichita National Exhibition” currently on view at Mark Arts, 1307 Rock Road, Wichita, Kansas.

According to Fields, “In jurying a competitive exhibition, the stakes are much higher and the work is better, but many of the principles I have embraced remain the same: delivery of content; mastery of materials; technique and craftsmanship; and the visceral, emotional or intellectual response evoked of the viewer.”

Schmitz’s chosen works are from a recent series of nest-inspired vessels made of stoneware clay.  The “nests” are hollow, double-walled vessels thrown upside-down on the potter’s wheel, then carved and/or impressed with complex textures.  After firing the works with select glazes and stains, Schmitz applies a thin layer of real gold or platinum to the interior of each vessel.

“The nest symbolizes a safe place to rest or retreat, and the ‘double-walled’ structure implies fortification for coping with daily life and all that is not in our control,” Schmitz said.

“Art of Clay” includes 87 ceramic works, ranging from functional to sculptural, by 42 artists from around the nation, and will be on view through June 29.

Schmitz is instructor of Three-Dimensional Art and Art History at Northern Oklahoma College, Tonkawa, where she also directs the Eleanor Hays Art Gallery.

She holds the title of DaVinci Fellow awarded by the Oklahoma DaVinci Institute, and is a recipient of the Oklahoma Medal for Excellence in Teaching from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence.