The art department held an opening reception for their new art exhibit called “Vessel and Visage” on Thursday.
Located in the Art Gallery, the exhibition featured ceramic pieces from Sacramento artists Roy Lizama and Katri Uno. The event also held a live event in which a ceramic piece was made for the audience’s entertainment.
“We have such a blooming art industry here in Sacramento,” said Antonio Osorio Santiago, a 26-year-old art history and studio art dual major. “Just in the past 10, 15 years, Sacramento is just blooming with color, all of the murals, it’s inviting, it’s a destination.”
Both artists featured at the event focused on the ceramic medium with masks and vases placed throughout the gallery for viewers’ enjoyment.
Uno, a retired school teacher, said her love for art is rooted back to her childhood.
She said that her first ceramic mask project was assigned to her at Sierra College in 1969. Uno said she’s been passionate about creating masks ever since that assignment.
The exhibition featured dozens of Uno’s masks on the walls, with some of them being made by Uno as early as 2012.
Uno had a hard time picking a favorite amongst her pieces, but acknowledged the first mask that she had put ears on.
“That guy right there is the first time I started putting ears on them,” Uno said. “Because I want to become a better listener, I need to start putting ears on the masks.”
The other featured artworks at the exhibition were vases and other pottery creations done by Lizama.
Lizama said he fell in love with art at a young age after growing up on the island of Guam.
“We had this monsoon in which all the red dirt becomes red clay and I loved to play in that as a kid,” Lizama said.
Lizama went on to study art in high school and college, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts in painting.
Lizama said he appreciates the lack of boundaries in the art world as well as the opportunity to be creative.
“There’s no expectation, I can assemble what I did before, but it’s never going to be the same,” Lizama said. “That’s what I like about (art), it’s always different.”
Lizama pointed out his favorite piece which was a flower display inspired by a trip to Gualala. Unlike his other works, this piece was a shallow bowl that featured a glaze to mimic water with flowers sprouting out of the center.
Lizama said this artwork was his favorite in the exhibit because he created all of the texture by hand. He said this process took him roughly a day to complete.
“I create art because it is a way for me to express my art in me,” Lizama said.
Arts, Media and Entertainment Clerk, MollyAnna Robinson emphasized the in-person experience of the exhibit.
“Honestly, it’s more amazing in person,” Robinson said. “It’s better in person than seeing pictures of it.”