Art is the weapon against darkness and ignorance, it is the light that shines in the blackest of nights.” -Unknown
Premonition of War 19x11x8 inches, stoneware, stains, glazes
I am thrilled this sculpture will be on display at the Figure exhibition in California. It is truly a privilege to have my work shown at the Epperson Gallery and be selected by Michelle Gregor. The timing of its creation also gives me shivers, as I started the sculpture in December of 2021 and finished it in January of 2022, just before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Exhibition dates: February 17- April 16, 2023 Opening Reception: February 25, 4-6pm
Epperson Gallery 1400 Pomona Street Crockett, CA 94525
Join me at the beautiful Beatrice Wood Art Center in Ojai, California for an unforgettable experience in April! We’ll be working outside surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains of Happy Valley, as you learn new techniques and unleash your imagination, capturing the creative energy of the area, a place filled with light and the spirituality of many dedicated artists and thinkers.
With clay anything is possible, just bring your idea and we’ll convert it into a surrealist totem! All levels are welcome!
Bay area friends, mark your calendars! The third week in April I will be between San Francisco and Crockett where I’ll be teaching another 2 day workshop at Epperson Gallery.
I will guide you through my process of creating sculptural ceramic objects inspired by dreams, mythology and storytelling. First day will begin with a slide presentation and the hands-on demonstration of hand building techniques, including sculpting faces and hands. On the second day, we’ll focus on surface treatments, using slips, underglazes, and the sgraffito technique to create vibrant, dynamic surfaces. Once completed, your masterpieces will be fired in the kilns. A few people have registered, but there are still spots available. Email Suzanne Long: suzannelong@eppersongallery.com and indicate you are signing up for the Sculpted Dreams Workshop.
Schedule: April 22nd-23rd, 2023, 10am to 4pm.Pricing: $275 Payable via Check or Credit Card. Looking forward to sharing my passion for clay sculpting with new and old mud people.
Exhibition dates: January 13 – February 24, 2023 Closing Reception and Audience Choice Awards Announcement February 24, 5:30 – 7:30pm Spaulding R. Aldrich Heritage Gallery 50 Douglas Road, Whitinswille, MA
For the month of February I ran a fundraiser to support the young artists of the Aza Nizi Maza art school in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Please consider donating to this worthy cause and help support the next generation of artists! Your contribution will go towards providing resources and education for these young artists. This incredible school is in its 10th year and had more than 60 exhibitions. At the beginning of the war, it was a bomb shelter. Since then, the students at Aza Nizi Maza continue to use their talents to give voice to the struggles and experiences of Ukraine. I believe that investing in future generations is crucial. Together, we can make a difference and help these committed students continue to create and reach their full potential during these challenging times! Here is the link to the donations: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8R9wlwj96Y
Three days left before the new year. It has been 10 months since Russian forces invaded my native Ukraine. My mornings start with news from there and conversations with my cousin who still lives in Kiev. There have been so many atrocities and so many lives lost. My biggest wish for the next year is Peace in my motherland and all over the world!
Ganesha for Ukraine stoneware, stains, glazes, glass, 14x11x10 inches
Before the war began in my motherland, Ukraine, I was working on a series called the Cloud Dwellers. Hybrids of past and future deities, these serene figures inhabited ephemeral mists, untouched by the hassles and frenzy of our everyday, earthly concerns. Then the war started and my sculptures became punctured with holes as if they too got shelled by bombs and false propaganda. The sky was no longer a safe refuge but a source of danger and uncertainty.
When I was invited to participate in the Thinking With Animals exhibition, I immediately thought of Ganesha as a remover of the obstacles. Growing up, I loved reading Indian mythology stories – Ukraine is geographically positioned between the East and the West and I was lucky to have a stream of international folklore and ideas flowing through our house during my childhood. I learned from a young age that the elephant is a symbol of good luck. In this piece, his blue body is juxtaposed by a yellow dome and drapes to reflect the colors of the Ukrainian flag. In his right hand he holds a globe partly covered in ashes while an all-seeing eye appears on his left palm predicting the victory for Ukraine.
Exhibition runs: 11/25/2022–03/05/2023 Canton Museum of Art 1001 Market Ave N Canton, OH 44702
It is a perfect time to give your loved ones or yourself the gift of a creative workshop! Back in 2018 and in 2019 I had a blast teaching my Surrealist Totems workshops in Ojai. It was great to share my knowledge with an amazing group of students at the Beatrice Wood Art Center, a place filled with light and the spirituality of many dedicated artists and thinkers.
Bay area friends, mark your calendars! The third week in April I’ll be between San Francisco and Crockett where I’ll be teaching another 2 day workshop at Epperson Gallery. We already have people registered but there are still spots available — email Suzanne Long: suzannelong@eppersongallery.comand indicate you are signing up for the Sculpted Dreams Workshop.
Schedule: April 22nd-23rd, 2023, 10am to 4pm.
Pricing: $275 Payable via Check or Credit Card. Looking forward to sharing my passion for clay sculpting with new and old mud people.
Rising Above the Horizon stoneware, stains, glazes, 21x12x10 inches
This sculpture will be featured at the Art Center SarasotaBlack and White juried exhibition curated by Elana Rubinfeld, Founder of New Art Agency in Sarasota. Black & White showcases the incredible provocative range and beauty found in art that tells its stories without color.
Exhibition Dates: 11/8/2022–1/21/2023 Art Center Sarasota
707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236
All I want is Peace stoneware, stains, glazes, 14x19x9 inches
I am happy to report that I recently became a core member of Fountain Street Gallery in BOSTON, MA. Two of my sculptures from the Broken Dreams series are included at Form and Emptiness exhibition. This show is an exploration of contrasts and juxtapositions featuring the work of the gallery’s Core Members. Artists start with a blank slate and an idea, question, or impulse, and, through their creative processes, form emerges. Something wholly new, and often unexpected, may come into being. Disparate elements—color, value, size, texture, meaning and medium— ultimately relate through their interdependence in a completed work of art. Without emptiness, there would be no form. Fountain Street artists celebrate the duality of this push and pull to express their numerous and expansive artistic visions.
Exhibition runs: 12/1/2022–1/15/2023 Opening Reception: December 2, 2022 5–8pm Second reception during SoWa First Friday Art Walk: January 6, 2023, 5–8pm
Celestial Song stoneware, stains, glazes, 16x12x8 inches
Two of my sculptures were included at the Colors of Peace, a pop-up exhibition that took place at the Wedeman Gallery. This was a fundraiser art exhibition in support of children with autism in Ukraine. Autistic children, who are among almost 5 million displaced Ukrainian children, have been and continue to be hit particularly hard during this brutal war. In collaboration with Heal Ukraine Group, the Autism Unity’s non-profit organization, immediate mission is to providing access to the specialists and quality programs for displaced children of Ukraine with autism spectrum and their families. The loss of educational and therapeutic supports combined with war stressors are catastrophic to the autistic people, resulting in a mental health crisis for the children and parents. Many of them forced to leave everything behind: their homes, their schools, and often, their family members.
Exhibition dates: December 17-18, 12-5pm both days Wedeman Gallery 47 Myrtle Ave, Newton, MA
Like for so many, the past two months were very emotionally draining and tumultuous for me. Nevertheless, listening to the news every day, I produced a whole new series of work about war called Broken Dreams, reflecting on the current situation in my native Ukraine. It was strengthening to share the images and stories behind these pieces during SculptSlam, a presentation organized by the New England Sculptors Association, held over zoom on May 10th. I presented my work along with Roe Osborn, Sabrina Fadia and Domenic Esposito. You can watch the talk on youtube here: https://youtu.be/rxWZI732JU8?t=988
Expressive Hands and Faces will take place at the Beatrice Wood art Center in Ojai, June 4 and 5, 10-4pm. This workshop will cover hand-building techniques of the most expressive features on the human body – faces and hands. Students will learn about the anatomical structure of the face to help accurately portray facial features and expressive qualities. Different methods of sculpting emotions will be demonstrated during the workshop. While also learning about the structure of the hands, we will explore the gestural aspect and symbolism of the position of the fingers in different cultures. Step-by-step instructions will explain everything from creating basic rough outlines to refining the surface for finely detailed elements. Works will be fired and available for pick up at a later date. All levels are welcome – I am looking forward to meeting new fellow artists and to reconnecting with my previous students!
Sculpted Dreams will be happening at the Epperson Gallery in Crockett.
Schedule: June 11 and June 12, 2022. 10am to 4pm.
At this Bay Area workshop, I’ll be sharing my process of forming otherworldly beings combining mythology, contemporary elements and imagination into a sculptural ceramic object. During the first day I will demonstrate different clay hand-building techniques. On the second day, the main focus will be on surface treatments. The ceramic surface will be approached as a canvas, using slips, underglazes and the sgraffito technique to create vibrant, dynamic surfaces of visual storytelling. Participants will also have the ability to practice post-glaze techniques such as china painting. For this purpose, students are encouraged to bring bisque-ware to experiment on. All levels are welcome!
Each student will receive a 25 lb bag of clay. Bisque firing is included.
As a 3D ceramic and glass sculptor who has a long history of participating worldwide in exhibitions, residencies and teaching programs, I have been invited by the Art Span to share my knowledge regarding handling, packaging and shipping fragile, intricate, heavy and non-angular artworks. On Tuesday, May 24th during the Online Artist Workshop 6:30-8pm, I’ll be sharing the valuable tips that could ensure your artwork arrives safely to its intended destination.
Register to join us on zoom here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/267145327867
It is Mine and That’s That
stoneware, stains, glazes
For My People
stoneware, stains, glazes, sunflowers
I am so grateful for all these opportunities to present my work and to teach the techniques I have learned throughout the years of working with my favorite material – clay. I pray we’ll celebrate the victory of my native Ukraine by this summer.
“Paper Dreams” is an invitational group exhibition at the lovely Abrams Claghorn Gallery in Albany, CA. The artists in this show have been asked to provide glimpses into their studios and their sketchbooks following the process from inspiration to the finished work of art. In my case, it’s a little maquette next to the final version of my sculpture.
This piece is a part of the Shell Dweller series which explores the notion of security in an insecure world. This imaginative creature expresses the immediate urge to hide when the news of yet another disaster reaches us. Despite her escapist tendencies, she continues to communicate her experience through the surface of her shell, telling the story of her encounters and the places she visited.
Visit the virtual gallery and give the gift of art this holiday season!
Join me virtually at SF Open Studios: Gold event on October 8 from 4-8pm to see where the magic happens!
This virtual event is free and open to all. It is a wonderful opportunity to ask me questions about my work and practice and experience California’s Bay Area art scene from wherever you are. Tune in from your corner of the world and register now!
To say I got inspired by Rome during my art residency in 2018 is an understatement. I treasure every moment of my month there, and the memories will definitely last for a lifetime! Every day, as I worked in the studio, my work was infused with the spirit of ancient Roman archetypes, Renaissance and Baroque museum masterpieces and local contemporary energy. Everything is so interconnected, layered and mixed in this ancient city. Living this deep in history, the boundary between the distant past and the commonplace daily life dissolves.
The collection of pieces I’ll be presenting is inspired by the antique history and mythology of Rome intertwined with everyday contemporary activities. A lion wanders around with someone who used to be Cybele in a bygone age, but now the lion has his freedom and no longer has to pull her carriage, while she tries on sunglasses and dreams of mediterranean excursions. Another pair, a poodle and a patrician, no longer interested in machiavellian schemes, now delight in taking selfies and showing off their power curls. A Pegasus finally arrives to visit a poet who had been waiting for millenia to be reunited with his swiftly traveling brother. The arc of the poet’s thoughts and dreams finally reached the Pegasus and provided a bridge to our world.
Join me for the artist talk and virtual studio visit on June 28th. Along with the fruits of my labor from Rome, I’ll be showing images of and telling stories about the masterpieces I was inspired by. Looking forward to sharing this amazing experience with you!
Colossus of Constantine in the Courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori
Pegasus Visit, stoneware, stains, 2018
I am also pleased to announce that I will be featured by Pence Gallery in Davis, CA at the Rare Birds exhibition. Two pieces were selected for this show by the art director and curator Natalie Nelson.
Exhibition runs: Jun. 2-Jul. 2, 2020
As of June 2nd, Pence Gallery is open for appointments from Monday to Friday, 10 AM – 5 PM.
Please call 530-758-3370 to make an appointment.
We’ve made it through two months of quarantine! Adjusting to the new distancing measures, I started hosting virtual studio visits. I had my misgivings about dealing with zoom meetings but it turned out to be stimulating and fun so I will continue to invite and talk about my work with virtual visitors. The next visit will be May 24th, 3-4pm PT. I will be sharing a series spanning the last decade, from Shell Dwellers to Escapists, looking more in-depth into this particular body of work. Showing images and my actual sculptures, I’ll talk about the development, inspirations, techniques and concepts behind my works and share with you what is growing in my studio. We’ll also have Q&A session at the end of this event. Looking forward to seeing you through the screen!
Face-to-Face: Artist Talk & Virtual Studio Visit, part 2
Meet the new owners of my diptych I Found My Pearl in San Francisco! Megan and Andrew told me they can’t go to the ocean right now but this piece will bring the ocean to them. I am happy to know my work is helping people make it through the challenge of shelter-in-place.
I am also happy to report that the Serenity Exhibition at UCSF Women’s Health Center on Sutter Street in San Francisco has been extended until September.
Very happy to be included in the futuristic vision of the @bioneers this weekend at their annual conference! Two pieces outdoors are surrounded by the beautiful Marin hills, as well as other imaginative outdoor sculptures. One is inside at the exhibition hall and keeps great company in this fantastic show of innovative creators. The exhibition hall and the grounds of the Marin Center in San Rafael are free and open to the public this weekend. Stop by to see and get inspired about the future!
Bioneers is an innovative nonprofit organization that highlights breakthrough solutions for restoring people and planet. Founded in 1990 in Santa Fe, New Mexico by social entrepreneurs Kenny Ausubel and Nina Simons, we act as a fertile hub of social and scientific innovators with practical and visionary solutions for the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges.
A celebration of the genius of nature and human ingenuity, Bioneers connects people with solutions and each other. Our acclaimed annual national conference and local Bioneers Network events are complemented by extensive media production including a vibrant online media presence, award-winning radio and podcast series, book series, and role in third-party media projects such as Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie The 11th Hour and Michael Pollan’s best-selling book The Omnivore’s Dilemma.
Our dynamic programs and initiatives focus on game-changing initiatives related to Restorative Food Systems, Biomimicry, Rights of Nature, Indigeneity, Women’s Leadership and Youth Leadership.
In 2017, Ausubel and Simons were honored for the work of Bioneers by Japan’s Goi Peace Award, whose past recipients include Bill Gates, scientist James Lovelock of the Gaia Hypothesis, Nigerian pro-democracy activist Hafsat Abiola-Costello and Deepak Chopra.
France just experienced some record-breaking heat but I’m sure that September will be a beautiful time to be in Saint-Raphaël and teach another intensive 7-day workshop at the International Artists Residency Exchange! I have been brushing up on my French vocabulary and am looking forward to returning to this gorgeous part of the world, to soak up the endless reservoirs of history and mythology, bask in the Mediterranean culture, and guide students on an exploration of their own personal mythologies.
I am very excited to put together work from the past several years, showing my process of creating my mythical creatures, the Shell Dwellers. Below is a statement about the pieces. I hope to see you at the opening next month!
I started the Shell Dweller series in 2010. They grew out of a preoccupation with constant catastrophes and disasters around the world. I felt as if I would like to hide in my own shell to be safe. My first Shell Dwellers were pale and minimal in color palette. The symbols on their surfaces developed a visual narrative, communicating their personal myths and identities, their adventures through labyrinths and deserts, their encounters with other strange creatures.
Later, as I mustered hope, my Shell Dwellers started to emerge from their homes. Their heads would still stay inside the shells, so as not be disturbed by the constant negativity of news media. Instead, they were tuning to their inner essence. Listening to the rhythm of their own organism, their skin developed new kinds of imagery. Their surfaces brightened up with colorful glazes, underglazes, custom made decals, and intricate China painting. Reminiscent of photographs slowly developing in the dark room, misty surfaces hinted at hidden layers.
By 2014 my Shell Dwellers completely lost their shells and moved to bathtubs to escape the frenzy and chaos. I called them Escapists. Tuning into the feminine element of water, they also immerse themselves in emotion, purification, intuition, the subconscious, and the mysteries of the self. The instruments of their immersion–books and digital devices–offered them a gateway to another reality. The surfaces of bathtubs and their bodies continued to hint at their inner existence, to depict the places of their fantasy and poetry of the books they read, to flash fleeting dreams.
Most recently I have been exploring glass blowing as a technique to incorporate translucent elements into my figures. The Shell Dwellers have transformed into Knights of Flowers and Clouds, whose armor is similarly protective yet they are less vulnerable and more active. Instead of simply hiding and ignoring their surroundings, these armored figures have set out on a quest for saving the ones in need, for beauty and poetry.
It is Mine and That’s That
Meet the new owners of my diptych I Found My Pearl in San Francisco! Megan and Andrew told me they can’t go to the ocean right now but this piece will bring the ocean to them. I am happy to know my work is helping people make it through the challenge of shelter-in-place.
