MACC Hosts Three NCECA Exhibits in Fertile Ground
Mar 08, 2022 12:00AM ● By Story by Margaret Snider
Artist Ashwini Bhat with one of her artworks, "Devil's Post-pile, Assembling California 1," part of Beneath the Surface: Origin Stories exhibit. Bhat is originally from India and has been in the United States for four years. Photo by Cheryl Gleason
RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The MACC is one of the hosts for the 56th National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) show, Fertile Ground. Their 2022 annual convention will be held in Sacramento. The show contains three exhibits showcasing 36 nationwide artists. There are a total of 56 host locations and 86 exhibits around the greater Sacramento area.
The MACC is on the collector’s tour. “They rent . . . a motor coach, and they bring collectors from all over the United States, museum experts, acquisitions people from universities and different things,” said Cheryl Gleason, MACC Event Coordinator/Curator. “We’re going to provide lunch for them out on the patio and they get an hour to look at the art as well. We really lucked out, and we’re making a huge splash for Rancho Cordova with this show."
The three exhibits included in the show are “Beneath the Surface: Origin Stories,” “Womxn of Alfred,” which features artwork from Alfred University in New York, and The Archie Bray, a residency program in Helena, Montana. The show is curated by Nancy Servis, an NCECA board member who for 10 years ran the Pence Gallery in Davis.
Earlier, Gleason had received a call from a representative asking if she knew about NCECA. “What’s NCECA?” Gleason said. She was asked to call Ray Gonzales, Sacramento 2022 Onsite Liaison, received paperwork and met the submission deadline, which was the next day, to be a host gallery. Gleason received two visits from NCECA people during which they inspected and learned about the MACC from top to bottom. “Then you wait to see if you’ve been selected,” Gleason said. “And we were selected. Not only were we selected, we got three of the top shows.”
Marc Sapoznik, president and CEO of Visit Rancho Cordova California, visited the exhibits during the opening week, accompanied by Anastasia Gaspay, both of Roseville. “Cheryl really has done a phenomenal job with the MACC here, putting different exhibitions in. I can’t say enough,” Sapoznik said. “These pieces are very evocative and creative and it’s always fun to come in here and see the different artworks.”
Mike and Allison Rosenberg of Rancho Cordova were also in attendance the first week. Mike is a general education teacher for a charter school in Roseville and Allison is a teacher’s aide. “Every time we see there’s something new, we like to pop in and check out another new exhibit,” Mike said. He likes, “more abstract, outsider art. The weirder the better for me.” Allison particularly likes sculptures and loves to see the work created by children.
Fertile Ground is at the MACC Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from March 3 through March 19. Because of the hosting status, there are expanded days and hours the last week of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, and 1-9 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, with an artist reception from 6-9 p.m. on the 17th. Other than that week, regular hours are 3-8 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays. Admission is free. The MACC is located at 10191 Mills Station Rd., Rancho Cordova. For more information, call Cheryl Gleason, 916-273-5712, or e-mail [email protected].
