CAMEO ‘Emerging Artists Show’ throws together Texas talent in ceramics
The University of Houston-Clear Lake Art Gallery was chosen as the venue of the 2018 edition of the Clay Arts Museum and Educational Organization (CAMEO) “Emerging Artists Show.” The exhibit showcases works from emerging student artists and their professors around the state of Texas.
CAMEO is a Houston based non-profit that promotes the ceramics community across Texas. Every year, the organization reaches out to faculty members and invites them to submit one piece, along with one or two works from their students.
“It’s a varied exhibition in terms of the type of works within one overarching medium, which is ceramics,” said Jeffrey Bowen, UHCL Art Gallery director.
Participating artists for the 12th annual Emerging Artists Show include faculty members and students from UHCL, San Jacinto College-Central, Lone Star College-Cyfair, The University of Texas at Tyler, Lee College, Houston Community College – Southwest, The University of Dallas, Lamar University, and others.
Clay Leonard, assistant professor of ceramics, has been at UHCL for three years. This is the first time his work has been installed in the UHCL Art Gallery.
“This exhibition holds personal significance to me as first, it is an all ceramics exhibition and second, I get to be apart of the exhibition with my student Jason Case,” Leonard said. “That makes this special to me and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
His piece, titled “The Triune Tray,” is a part of an ongoing series of work that examines the importance of sharing a meal.
“This piece was inspired by dry bulk food semi-trailers that I really love the form of and thought it would translate well in content and form to a utilitarian object,” Leonard said.
In addition to allowing students to showcase their work in a professional gallery setting, CAMEO’s “Emerging Artists Show” provides learning opportunities for its participants.
“Exhibiting work is also important when learning professional practices such as making a CV specific for galleries vs other venues, writing artist statements, thinking about pricing their work, packing and shipping, and display considerations,” said Kelly O’Briant, assistant professor of ceramics at the University of Dallas.
The “Emerging Artists Show” brings together new and experienced talent from the ceramics community and sheds a light on Texas art.
“It’s easy to order anything one can imagine online with the click of a button, without a lot of thought about who made it, where they made it and what they made it with,” O’Briant said. “Art allows us to connect with the world and others in it in a meaningful way. Local artists often help us see beauty in our own backyards, so to speak. They connect us with people or provide us with an awareness through their work that we didn’t have before, specific to our regions.”
The 12th CAMEO “Emerging Artists Show” will be Bowen’s last exhibition at UHCL. Bowen started at UHCL at the end of 2011. He came from the Blaffer Art Museum, UH Central’s contemporary art space.
As the first full-time Art Gallery Director, Bowen was tasked with creating engaging opportunities for UHCL visitors, students and the UHCL community.
“My vision was to bring in forward-thinking, ambitious exhibitions and create a strategic marketing plan for the gallery,” Bowen said.
Bowen hopes the next gallery director continues to bring outstanding works to the university.
“Going forward I hope to see challenging exhibitions that continue to raise the profile of the University as well as corresponding educational events that continue to get the attention of media and inspire audiences to want to know more about artists and their works,” Bowen said. “Challenge the status quo and take risks.”
