Work by ceramic artist Steve 'Sol' Ramirez. Courtesy photo.
VENTURA — The opening reception for the ceramic art exhibit by Steve ‘Sol’ Ramirez will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 9 at the Ventura County Potters’ Guild Gallery, 1567 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 105, Ventura, the guild reported in a media release.
A potter’s wheel demonstration and ad-lib entertainment by Ramirez will be presented during the reception. He will be the featured artist at the gallery through March 31.
Ramirez grew up in Burbank’s restaurant business and worked as a California State Beach lifeguard in Ventura for 18 years, retiring in 2000. After returning from a trip to the National Museum in Athens, Ramirez was inspired by the ancient vessel forms and the desire to keep those ancient shapes alive in our modern day.
He enrolled in ceramics at CSUN the fall of ’75, learning the principle of technique before art. Ramirez did not return to clay until 1985 enrolling in the ceramic class at the Student Union Center on the campus of CSUN. In 1990 Ramirez enrolled and met his mentors Vick McClasin, formerly Vique McClasin and Myra Toth. A year later, Ramirez began teaching wheel throwing at the Student Union Ceramic lab at CSUN. This lasted 12 years until the Lab was closed.
After taking three years off to pursue acting, improve and stand up, Ramirez has returned to the Ventura County Potters’ Guild and said he is honored to be a juried member of the Guild’s Pottery Gallery in Ventura Harbor Village. Raku firing is Ramirez’s specialty and his work has been shown and admired throughout Ventura County. Ramirez is currently throwing at Sharon Field’s Studio in Reseda and has a raku studio at home in Valley Village.
Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The gallery is across from the Carousel Emporium.
Call Cecile Gurrola-Faulconer at 805-644-6800 for more information.
Work by ceramic artist Steve 'Sol' Ramirez. Courtesy photo.