Articles by Natasha Dikareva

Happenings in the year of the Yellow Dog

Lots of momentum in the new year and I am looking forward to sharing work in shows all over the country!

 

Deconstructing the Conversation

Several of my pieces will be at the 52nd Annual Conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. CrossCurrents: Clay and Culture, is the theme for NCECA’s 2018 conference and reflects Pittsburgh as a city of rivers, bridges, complex immigrant history, gritty perseverance, and reinvention.

Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery is hosting a collection of fantastic ceramic artists and I am honored to be included in the show:

February 2 – March 31, 2018

http://www.morganglassgallery.com/shows.htm


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Art Palm Springs

Also in February, my work will be represented by Maria Elena Kravetz Gallery at Art Palm Springs, the premier art fair in the Southwest presenting post-war and contemporary art. The seventh annual edition will bring nearly 80 galleries from Asia, Europe, North and South America representing hundreds of artists to the Palm Springs Convention Center. I’m excited to be part of this cultural mecca and meet some of the 15,000 visitors of the Fair!

Palm Springs Convention Center

Thursday, February 15: 5-9pm VIP
Friday, February 16 to Monday, February 19

http://www.art-palmsprings.com/

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Three Generations: Moving Beyond Boundaries

In March, I am very excited to share the gallery at Abrams Claghorn with my stepfather and my daughter, a painter and a fiber artist, respectively. This exhibition showcases three different approaches to the question of place. All three of us carry our worlds within, irrespective of our geographic location. Yet we each find a distinct path, transcending limitations of language and focusing on our individual gift of imagination, sharing our worlds of possibilities and transformation.

Abrams Claghorn Gallery

March 6 – April 1

http://abramsclaghorn.com/three-generations-of-immigrant-artists-moving-beyond-boundaries/

 

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Fahrenheit 2018

My work was chosen to be included at Fahrenheit 2018, a juried exhibition at the American Museum of Ceramic Art in Pomona, CA. Patti Warashina served as the juror and selected work from 80 artists from across the country. I am very honored to be sharing the museum gallery with so much talent!

March 10, 2018 – July 22, 2018

Reception: Saturday, March 10, 2018, 6-9pm
Patti Warashina, Juror Presentation, 7:00pm

AMOCA
399 N Garey Ave
Pomona, CA 91767
Museum: 909.865.3146

www.amoca.org/fahrenheit2018/

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Fantastical Creatures

In April, I will be teaching a workshop in the beautiful San Miguel de Allende in Mexico! I am looking forward to exploring this historic area and sharing skills and techniques for clay hand-building and 3D visual storytelling.

April 16-20

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

https://www.sanmigueldeallendeceramicworkshops.com/2018-workshops

Stay tuned for updates and more images!

Upcoming Winter Shows!

It is an exciting upcoming weekend with back-to-back openings!
Happy to be invited to install the Heavenly Hundred and to show several other sculptures at the Retrospective 10th Year Anniversary Celebration exhibition at Inclusions Gallery!
Opening reception:
Thursday, December 7, 6-9pm
Exhibition runs:
December 7, 2017 – January 14, 2018
Inclusions Gallery
627 Cortland Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
Tiny Show at Pence Gallery is coming up and two of my pieces, Aku and La Luna, will be there. I am happy to be included in this amazing collection of art by top local and regional artists.
Opening reception:
Friday, December 8, 6-9 PM
Show runs:
December 2 – December 24
Pence Gallery
212 D Street, Davis, CA 95616

Craft Rebels is a group show at Abrams Claghorn Gallery, featuring Bay Area artists who use traditional craft approaches to make work in response to current events and social issues. My wall figures and free standing sculptures will be a part of this fun show!

Opening reception:
Saturday, December 9, 5-7 pm
Show runs:
December 3 – January 31
Abrams Claghorn Gallery
1251 Solano Ave. Albany CA 94706

Generous Kingdom II is an exhibition that explores symbolism, narrative and beyond. My sculpture, Unspoken Sorrows, was selected to be a part of this show at Verum Ultimum Gallery in Portland, Oregon!

Generous Kingdom II Opening Reception:
December 2, 6-8pm

Verum Ultimum Gallery
3014 NE Ainsworth, Portland, OR 97211

The Aquatics at SOFA 2017

I’m so excited to show my new series, the Aquatics, at The Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design (SOFA) Fair in Chicago at the Maria Elena Kravetz Gallery. SOFA is the premier gallery-presented art fair dedicated to three-dimensional art and design. Critically acclaimed and continuously running since 1994, what distinguishes SOFA from other top art events is its focus on three-dimensional artworks that cross the boundaries of fine art, decorative art and design.

The Aquatics are hybrids of past and future deities, familiar archetypes with a twist, a playful recombination of the familiar and the foreign. What if the serpent had given Eve a banana instead of an apple? Who is the saint of Ice Cream? What prophecies can be written at the bottom of the sea?
 
The Aquatics live in the ocean of subconscious. Listening to the rhythm of their own organisms, their skins develop images like photographs in the darkroom. Their tattoos bypass words, immediately communicating their personal myths and identities, their adventures onboard ships through labyrinths and clouds, their encounters with other strange creatures. A trace of their inner existence comes to the surface, a flash of a fleeting dream. They offer a sense of optimism, humor and possibility, embodying strength and serenity. 

I am looking forward to taking in that crisp fall Chicago air and to meeting some of the estimated 35,000 attendees at Navy Pier! Stop by if you are in the Chicago Area!

Thursday, November 2 to Sunday, November 5.

Festival Hall, Navy Pier 600 East Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

Tickets available at the door, online tickets available here.

Sea Calling at SMArt Gallery and Studio

I am happy to show my Shell Ladies at SMArt Gallery in San Francisco for the next two months. If you missed the opening on September 7, you can stop by on October 5th, 6-9 pm as part of the First Thursday Art Walk. Hope to see you there!


Press Release:
SMArt Gallery and Studio is happy to present the work of local ceramic sculptor Natasha Dikareva. The Sea Calling series explore a moment of sheltering–tuning out the cacophony of urban life and buzz of electronics and tuning into oneself. Offering an optimistic sense of individual strength, these beings experience a more primordial, somatic connection with the world, feeling with their bodies instead of their minds. Listening to the rhythm of their own organism, they tune into the feminine element of water and immerse themselves in purification, intuition and the subconscious.

The shell acts as a resonating device for these creatures, amplifying their meditation and creating a protective environment to explore the mysteries of the self. When they emerge out from their shells, these ladies emit a soothing, radiant presence, serenely navigating both the tumultuous currents and still surfaces of many waters.

Show is open September 6 – October 27, 2017 (Note: Gallery will be closed September 16)
​Regular Hours: Wed – Sun 11:30am – 5:30pm

Part of the  First Thursday Art Walk:
Thursday September 7th & October 5th, 6-9pm
Location: SMAart Gallery & Studio,
1045 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94109

“Call Me What You Want” at Abrams Claghorn Gallery

I am happy to announce I will be part of a great group show at Abrams Claghorn Gallery in September! The show’s title “Call Me What You Want” reflects the idea that all the categories and classifications out there are really arbitrary constructs. The show focuses on works which strip away the unnecessary and reveal the core of what we all share.

My pieces, Heavenly 100 and One With the Source, will be shown.

I hope to see you at the opening on Saturday, September 16th, 5-7pm!
Show Dates: September 3 – 30, 2017

1251 Solano Ave. Albany CA 94706 – (510) 526 9558

http://abramsclaghorn.com/call-me-what-you-want

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Here is a bit more about each of the works:

Heavenly 100
I was born and raised in Kiev, Ukraine. I emigrated to the United States to escape the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Although I have been living in the United States for over 20 years, I still feel a strong connection to the city of my birth. It hurts me to see what is happening in my native country.

Ukraine is going through one of the most blood-soaked times in its nearly 25-year history as an independent nation. In the fall and winter of 2013–2014, more than one hundred civilian protesters were killed. Most of them were shot by snipers from behind police lines. But Ukrainians do not call their dead comrades “victims.” Instead, they call them “heroes” or the “Heavenly Hundred” and believe that the lives of these people will change the country for the better.

I dedicate the Heavenly Hundred installation to the memory of the heroes who sacrificed their lives during the Euromaidan protests. Each little bird with a face on it symbolizes the soul of the hero. Together they are flying skyward, reminding us of their immortal spirits.

I am sad such cruel events are happening in Ukraine and it is hard to believe that so many people died in a European country in the 21st century. But I am also very proud of my nation and I think the Ukrainian people deserve the positive changes that their thoughts and actions have set in motion.

One With the Source
It is often difficult to share private aspects of my life, yet this work expands beyond personal boundaries. When my mom was at the last stages of her life, she told us she did not want any specific religious ceremonies. She wanted to be cremated and have her ashes scattered in beautiful places. In moments of great discomfort during the transition to another world, she would pray out loud in her own words, asking God to take her soul and to release her from her body. I had never heard her praying before; where I come from people do not pray out loud. It turns out my mom was a truly spiritual person without any apparent religious ties.This experience inspired me to create the sculpture One With the Source. This hybrid being carries symbols of many religions coexisting on a fluid surface. Unity does not mean sameness yet all religions strive to be closer to Divinity. I hope humanity will continue to grow in understanding and love for each other as we recognize the differences between religions as parts of a bigger whole. We are all particles of the Divine being. We are all One.

Clay and Glass Biennial in Brea, CA

I am excited to announce two of my pieces will be at the Clay and Glass Biennial in Brea, CA!

Message from the Cloud and Positive Anxiety are from my latest series of work reflecting the desire to escape the incessant chatter and worries of everyday life. Message from the Cloud instead alludes to the unlimited possibilities of tapping into our own “cloud” of imagination, where our subconscious reads the shapes in the sky and channels hitherto unknown dreams and desires. This figure is serene and relaxed, for even the stormiest clouds are simply a channel for water and energy to be cycled around. She calmly receives the message and continues to float on, shifting form to suit whatever interpretation will be needed next to shape this fantastical reality.
Positive Anxiety was completed during the tumult of the recent election. Hand built in the whitest porcelain and finished with china painting, it is a work imbued with complex, conflicting emotions. Though Alice’s despair is evident in her pose and the mascara that colors her cheeks, a remote hope still radiates from her eyes. One hand held over her mouth in surprise, in her other she holds a butterfly, a symbol of the ephemerality of happiness.
Juxtaposing smoothly finished surfaces with raw textures that evoke fossils and found objects, these pieces are at once optimistic and melancholy, condensing longing, loss and desire into a statement of resilience and possibility.
The biennial features many other amazing works and will be up until September 15th.
Opening reception is July 22nd, 7-9pm.

Brea Art Gallery 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea, CA 92821

Ph: 714-990-7730
Operating Hours During an Exhibition are Wed – Sun: Noon – 5 p.m.

 

I am very excited to announce this summer workshop in Mexico!

Adventures in Clay: Fantastical Creatures

Dates: July 10-14, 2017

Location: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Open to all skill levels

In this 5-day hands-on clay workshop, I will share my process of forming imaginative and otherworldly creatures. Every day will begin with a demonstration, showing different hand-building techniques, as well as surface treatments. The ceramic surface will be approached as a canvas and slips, underglazes and the sgraffito technique will create vibrant, dynamic surfaces of visual storytelling.

For inspiration, we will visit Anado McLaughlin’s mosaic wonderland, a sprawling compound of studios and galleries, the Sanctuary of Atotonilco, a UNESCO world heritage site, and the Mask Museum. Mexican imagery, both ancient and modern, will be a major focus of investigation.

I am looking forward to taking my regular workshop structure, developed in my San Francisco studio, to the beautiful surroundings of San Miguel de Allende. As usual, I will work with students to help them develop personal iconography, symbols and forms that are significant and meaningful. Participants will come away with work that reflects their own unique experience of the wondrous city of San Miguel, as well as a deeper understanding of the clay process and history.

The studio will be available to students at nights and weekends. Clay and firing are included in the cost of the workshop. Lunch will be provided daily in the large and sunny studio. San Miguel also has some of the best restaurants – it was recently named one of the top food cities in the world.  There are shops, museums, music venues – live music happens almost every night here – and just walking around the 500 year old streets is an amazing experience.

Hope to see you soon in Mexico!

https://www.sanmigueldeallendeceramicworkshops.com/2017-workshops

‘Secret Regrets’ Chosen For Annual California Clay Competition

This month one of my favorite pieces is being shown at the Annual California Clay Competition Exhibit, held at The Artery in downtown Davis, CA. It’s a wonderful show, and I’m honored to announce that my piece ”Secret Regrets At Twilight” was chosen to be part of it.

“Secret Regrets At Twilight”

This piece is from my Escapists series, and I drew the original sketch for it on a flight to see my mother for the last time. The bather reflects on her past in her cloistered bath-shell, ruminating over the concealed regrets we share with those we love. Weighted down by remorse, she dwells in the twilight, haunted by thoughts of decline. Symbolizing the heaviness of her melancholy, a grasping octopus perches atop her head, its tentacles descending like a veil.

Juried by Pat Koszis and Kay Woolridge, the exhibition brings together 27 California clay artists, contributing fully 36 stunning ceramic pieces. Sponsored by The Artery, the show is held in conjunction with the California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art, and runs through May 26th. The opening reception will be held this Friday, April 28th. See you there!

Exhibition Dates: April 28–May 26
Opening Reception: April 28, 7:00-9:00pm
The Artery • 207 G Street, Davis, CA

“The Two” Takes Honors at Marin Sculpture Exhibition

As we head into a beautiful Spring, there is a lot on the horizon, and I’m happy to report some exciting news. “A Sculpture Exhibition” opened on April 5th at Marin Society of Artists, and I had the honor to be awarded 3rd Place in the juried competition for my sculpture, entitled “The Two.”

 


Pictured above: “The Two” – stoneware, stains, glazes, 23″x18″x18″

International Sculpture Day, or IS Day, is an annual event held globally to celebrate sculpture and its crucial contribution to society. Galleries, studios and groups from 20 countries all over the world are participating to raise awareness and appreciation of sculpture, and this exhibition is just one part of it.

Make sure you don’t forget to make plans to see this truly unusual show. The exhibition will run through April 30, and the gallery is located at 1515 Third Street in San Rafael. There will be a special celebration held on Friday, April 14 from 5:00-9:00pm, timed to coincide with the 2nd Friday Art Walk. Meanwhile, regular gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, Noon to 4:00pm.

 

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