Passing it On: From Bernard Leach to Jeff Oestreich to the Midwest and Beyond

Tonight marks the debut of our latest show, Passing it On: From Bernard Leach to Jeff Oestreich to the Midwest and Beyond. From now through March 8, the Craft in America Center will feature an exhibition of work by acclaimed potter Jeff Oestreich and the circle of artists who have passed through his studio in Minnesota from the early 1970s to the present.

Jeff will visit to participate in a roundtable on keeping pottery traditions alive on February 22 at 5:00 pm.  It's sure to be a fascinating (and packed!) event, so if you're planning on coming, please RSVP.

Oestreich was trained in the austere simplicity of traditional Asian pottery while serving as an apprentice to Bernard Leach in England in the 1960s. Upon his return to the states in 1971, he began to disseminate Leach’s legacy to numerous American ceramists who have carried the messages forward. This exhibition will reflect the passing on of traditions, attitudes, studio and making practices, and aesthetic values. It will pay homage to Oestreich’s role as an influential voice in contemporary pottery.

The artists he has invited to participate in the exhibition have each forged their own careers and attained the highest accolades for their work. Featured artists from the U.S. include Randy Johnston, Pat Burns, Andy Balmer, Linda Christianson, Scott Goldberg, George Rector, Malcolm Davis, Gail Kendall, Posey Bacopoulos, Marlene Jack, Charlie Maag and Tim Heil. From abroad, there are: John Dawson, Renton and Rosie Murray, Micki Schloessingk, Sandy Lockwood, Neil Hoffmann, and Greg Crowe.