ART REVIEW : FUNKY PIECES DOMINATE ‘CLAY + MORE’

The resources in fine ceramics and unique jewelry works seem to be as inexhaustible as Wita Gardiner’s enthusiasm and energy.

“Clay + More” is another exhibition equal in quality to one just closed at her downtown gallery, with a different group of artists.

Among the artists represented in this show are some based in the San Francisco Bay Area, whose works generally evince a “funky” quality.

Bill Abright of San Rafael assembles raku fired pieces in a group of somber and sinister helmeted, or hooded, heads. Some of the gray and black forms, with the occasional coruscation of lusters, appear to have animals’ snouts. “Add-Visor” looks cadaverous. “Ascension” could be the visualization of a scream. These nightmarish heads are not for everyone to live with, despite their strengths as art. It’s a surprise to find “Gina,” a beautiful woman, among them.

Juta Savage of Berkeley is exhibiting a variety of wildly colorful and humorous mixed-media wall and standing pieces representing tables and crockery. Ann Christenson, also a Berkeley artist, models clay in curtain and drapery forms that hang from steel wall supports. Nancy Selvin’s “dumb”-looking still lifes on wood supports look like homages to the great Italian painter Giorgio Morandi. Beverly Saito’s exquisite works--she’s also Bay Area-educated--look like traditional lacquer box forms. But everything--including cords, ivory handles and brass fittings--is made of clay.

Three Southern California ceramic artists assemble works in unique forms--Will Herrera surrealistically, Aurore Chabot geologically, and Les Lawrence narratively. The latter continues the engaging tale of his fictional character “Fern” with the text: “Fern always thought she was just like everyone else, but with her large . . . she always stands out in the crowd.” The joke is that the works are as beautiful as they are, along with the humor.

Finally, Los Angeles artist Stephen Kafer is represented by six elegant minimal works combining ceramic with glass and metal. The tall compositions in their natural colors of rose, green and gray are seductive presences, the character of whose components, however, prevents any sense of preciousness. “Place/Displace” is especially daring for risking visual imbalance. Some of the same sort of energy is conveyed by the free-standing, chin-high “Site-Line,” composed of a negative rectangle and a positive triangle.

Among the jewelers in the show, Leslie Leupp makes small polychrome sculptures as well as adornments, and Randy Long inventively combines traditional with contemporary forms. The most spectacular works are those created by Hiroko and Gene Pijanowski from Japanese metallic papercord.

The exhibition continues through June 20.