Vicki Gunter

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As a native of California, the clay state, I love turning clay to stone. I feel an urgency to create art in this revolutionary time and value clay’s infinite potential − mirroring our own.
My intention is to share work that stirs the visceral will to face our many challenges, with hope & joy, in the beauty that is in us and all other life. Beauty, that is under our feet and setting sail at our back.
Inspired by its no-waste complexity, nature is my source and my anchor, in wild places and at home in East Oakland. It can guide us, as artists and citizens, by its responses to our actions.
I am currently creating work within three series: Canary & Elephant Series: what’s the next canary-int-the-coal=mine for our planet and what are the elephants-in-the-room that we need to remove. …In Everythng Series: DNA is in everything. Each piece in the series transforms into a DNA helix in unique ways. My New Era Series was initially inspired by the murder of George Floyd.
I research each piece in the field, online and in my sketchbook before working. I sculpt each piece using slab, solid, wheel or coil techniques. I paint with underglazes, stains and love the process of finishing with beeswax as well as glazes.
I enjoy luring the viewer in with beauty to confront challenging issues.
Clay has a memory. It records your fingerprints and all the ways you held it in your hands. Our earth has a memory and responds to our manipulations. My work in clay draws from the knowledge that everything…us, our food, home, clothes, tools, toys all come from the ‘clay’ of the earth. My hope is, that we will seek solutions in nature-based knowledge to grow, gather, love & consume with justice for all. Leaving the smallest fingerprint.
Vicki, a California native, began life as a hiker, tree climber, dancer and painter. Her earliest clay influence, was with her teacher Clayton Bailey in 1968. At SF State she was swept into the antiwar, ecology and student civil rights movements, where clay, dance and science continued. Her first 40 years as an artist were as a professional dancer/motion therapist.
At the age of 60, Vicki changed her focus to a profession of clay. Her first submission led to Santa Cruz Museum’s People’s Choice Award in 2010. She has been influenced by the funk ceramic period:  V. Frey, J. Chicago, C. Bailey, plus: Michele Gregor, Lisa Reinertson, Michelangelo and sewing. Inspired by its no-waste complexity, nature is her source and anchor, in wild places and at her home and studio in East Oakland.
She is especially inspired by  the clay itself.
Her award winning work has exhibited, in solo & group shows, locally & nationally, & is in several private collections.