Third Annual McGroarty Art Center Ceramics Exhibit

The third annual McGroarty Arts Center Ceramics Exhibit opens on Sat., June 17, 5 p.m. at the McGroarty Arts Center, 7570 McGroarty Terrace in Tujunga. The exhibit runs through July 7 and is free and open to the public. The exhibit will feature the work of both professional ceramicists and students of McGroarty Arts Center. All proceeds from the exhibit will benefit McGroarty Arts Center.

Curator Brian Peshek has carefully chosen a wide variety of figurative, sculptural, and practical ceramic works for this show. The exhibit will be very appealing to those familiar with the work of professional ceramicists, including the work of Luis Bermudez. Those with little or no exposure to ceramic art will be equally pleased with the esthetics of the work and with the beauty of the Center itself. McGroarty Arts Center, nestled on 12 acres in the Verdugo Hills, is a beautiful setting in its own right. As a gallery, it is breathtaking and worth the trip.

In addition to the work of professional artists and adult students, the show will feature work completed by children enrolled in ceramics classes at McGroarty Arts Center. “I’m delighted to see work from our Advanced Children’s Ceramics class in the show this year,” said Claire Knowlton, assistant director of McGroarty Arts Center. “It really says to the kids, ‘your art is just as important as the art from adults.’ If you think a child is proud when their art goes up on the fridge, just wait until you see a child whose art is in an actual gallery!”

The McGroarty Arts Center is a little-known gem located in the Sunland-Tujunga community, just off of the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Plainview Avenue. The McGroarty house was first put into operation as an arts center in 1974 by the City of Los Angeles. However, budget cuts in 1995 forced the City to divest McGroarty. Since then, the Center has been run by the Friends of McGroarty Arts Center (FOMAC) in partnership with the City of Los Angeles. Aside from shows and exhibits, the Center offers affordable art instruction for children and adults in music and performing arts, creative writing and a variety of visual arts, including ceramics.

For further information, contact McGroarty Arts Center at 352-5285 or visit its website www.mcgroartyartscenter.org.