It was a dazzling event, quite literally,...

It was a dazzling event, quite literally, as the light was reflected from lushly tinted glass objects among the celebrants during the opening of “Out of New Zealand,” an exhibition of contemporary glass and ceramics by two dozen artists. It is a show full of beautiful objects.

Campbell Hegan, a gifted ceramic artist and past president of the New Zealand Crafts Council, curated the exhibition of nearly 200 works for Craftworks International Ltd., of New Zealand. Many of the artists are natives of that country, but several are from elsewhere, including the United States. Generally the works reflecting New Zealand’s British heritage are the least interesting, expressing as they do a traditional stolidity of character and clunkiness of form. Those reflecting international influences, especially that of Japan, create more pleasing visual and tactile experiences. It is difficult, if not impossible, to perceive what is peculiarly New Zealandish about them. The strongest art in that country, as elsewhere among developed nations, appears to be what is most cosmopolitan.

Hegan is represented by a group of ravishing, plum wine-colored “blossom pots” ranging in size from about 4 to 15 inches in diameter, among the sexiest works in the show. Peter Alger’s “combed urns,” with diagonal striations, and Richard Parker’s “lugged vessels,” with small handles, are fine expressions of traditional forms in earth tones. Cecilia Parkinson’s small carinated, or keel-shaped, objects in their coloration seem to speak of the beginnings of the earth. Steve Fullmer’s large jar and bottle forms epitomize the glory of fiery orange.

Contemporary aesthetic influences are most clearly evinced in the porcelain bowls of Alan Kestle, who uses elegant, minimal swirls of black inlaid in white fields, and John Crawford, who uses festively colored abstract forms in a common bowl and stylized figuration in his “body language” jugs.

Among the glass artists, John Croucher’s pink and amethyst acid etched bowls are marvels of beauty evoking thoughts of perfection. Ann Robinson’s black bowls are equally elegant but densely opaque; her yellow and blue bowl is magically translucent. Finally, Gary Nash’s orange orb branded in red excites immediate covetousness. Indeed, one of the temptations of such an exhibition is that fine works of art that will nourish the spirit, the senses and the emotions for a lifetime are available for reasonable prices.

International Galley concurrently is showing jewelry in sterling silver and other media by Jane Groover and Jane Ferree.

The exhibitions continue through Sept. 13.

A full range of works by Hispanic artist Miguel Martinez, including paintings, drawings, monoprints, lithographs, ceramics and hand-cast paper reliefs is now on view at the Acevedo Gallery (4010 Goldfinch Ave.) in Mission Hills.

The most extraordinary quality of the fifth-generation Taos resident’s paintings is the palpability of his female models. The dark flesh tones, the blush of red on the cheeks and the lips, the brown and hazel eyes are completely beguiling.

The “Eyes of Hope” in oil pastel, cropped at eyebrows, cheeks and chin, is, despite its sentimental title, an image with strong presence. Even portraits much larger than life size, such as “Camilla” and “Tanya,” may be intimate and seductive. They may, however, also fail, as does the heroically scaled “Dolores,” whose face partially concealed in an orange blanket is a cliche of Southwest art.

The presence of diaphanous veils in a number of paintings is an unnecessary distraction. The basic problem with the portraits, however, is that all the women resemble one another and most hold the same pose, head tilted to the viewer’s left.

Overall, it’s an uneven show that might have profited from editing. Nevertheless, the strongest works merit attention and praise.

The exhibition continues through Aug. 30.

Art Site (921 E St.), a recently opened downtown gallery that is seeking not-for-profit status as an alternative space, is offering a group show.

Some attention has been given to organizing the installation so that it is more pleasant to look at than was the last scattered show, but it is still crowded.

Works of interest include Lynette Heitman’s charming and vigorous watercolor “Le Chat Chinois” (The Chinese Cat), Ira Current’s masterful black-and-white photographs of East Coast landscapes and railroad yards, Karen Buell’s acrylic on canvas painting of reeds in a pond titled “Reflections,” Dot Renshaw’s watercolor, “The Presidio,” and David Eidenmiller’s group of color and black-and-white photographs, especially a ravishing “Eucalyptus Grove.”

The exhibition continues through Aug. 30.