Artist: Sam Lopez
Sam Lopez, CALIFORNIA
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BIO
Sam Lopez is a potter living and teaching in San Diego, California. Born and raised smack in the middle of Southern California in the small dairy farm town of Mira Loma, Sam grew up working between his dad’s leather workshop and his grandfather’s wood workshop. Working in these spaces established a love for making objects by hand; and making objects of utility continues to be Sam’s primary approach when entering his studio. In 2017, Sam received his MFA from San Diego State University and is currently transitioning into adjunct teaching at local community colleges as well as outfitting a home studio.
“I find myself infatuated with utilitarian objects because of my ability to pick them up and explore them with my hands. I am drawn to pots specifically. They have the ability, on the one hand, to accomplish a task. For example, soup is eaten from a bowl, and the interior curve of the bowl is smooth so that a spoon can easily access that last bit of soup. On the other hand, pots can serve an alternative purpose and can be experienced spatially in three dimensions where no food is necessary to achieve an aesthetic response from a viewer. The bowl can simply exist in space. Of course, objects are much more complicated than simply giving them two categories within our lives. Depending on the day, any given pot can move along this aesthetic/utilitarian spectrum and create many different interactions with a user or viewer through time and use. The beauty to
all this is that there is no right or wrong answer as to where a pot belongs. It is all a matter of one’s intentions and approaches in the studio, which in turn leads to objects that present questions to the maker. Do I make something up from scratch? Do I repeat the pots from yesterday? Do I find a historical reference that I find either attractive or interesting? Are the things I just made significant to me and potentially to the user? I constantly ask these types of questions in my studio and are reflected in the work that I make. I have steadily worked to put
myself and my process into a continued state of exploration where color, form, function, and tactility are working together in the production of consciously crafted utilitarian objects. I am happiest making pots, and I find meaning in constantly experimenting with new ways to interact with a user or viewer.
Employment
2017- Present
Adjunct Faculty of Ceramics – Riverside City College, Riverside, CA
2017- Present
Studio Potter: SLOPstudios, San Diego, CA
Education
2017 MFA Candidate - San Diego State University
2014 BA-Applied Design - Art- San Diego State University
Juried Exhibitions
2019 “Stoked!!” XIEM Gallery, Pasadena, CA
“Lip.Body.Foot” Blockfort Gallery, Columbus, OH
“Material Mugs: Cobalt” Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN
“Collaborative Companions” Companion Gallery @ NCECA Minneapolis,
Minneapolis, MN
“The Cup Show” Kistner Atrium Gallery-Hudgen’s Center for Art & Learning,
Duluth, GA. Juror: Roberto Lugo
“LAST CALL IV” Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN. Juror: Carol Epp
2018 “San Diego Pottery Tour” Merle Lambeth Studio, San Diego, CA
“Coffee and Clay” Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA
“LAST CALL III” Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN. Juror: Brett Kern
“Dirty South Cup Call” River Oaks Square Arts Center, Alexandria, LA
“Collaborative Companions” Companion Gallery @ NCECA Portland,
Portland, OR.
“Faculty Exhibition” Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts Academy,
Idyllwild, CA
2017 “LAST CALL II” Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN. Juror: Jen Allen
“The Cup the Mug” Main Street Art Gallery, Clifton Springs, NY
“14th Annual McGroarty Ceramic Show” McGroarty Arts Center,
Los Angeles, CA- Best in Show Award
2016 “Exchange” ASU Step Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
“Exchange” University Gallery, San Diego, CA
“Ninth Annual Cup Show: Form and Function” Amelia Center Gallery,
Panama City, FL. Juror: Carol Epp
“Cheers @ Medalta” Medalta Yuill Family Gallery, Medicine Hat, Alberta,
Canada. Juror: Robin DuPont
“LAST CALL” Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN. Juror: Matt Schiemann
“Faculty Exhibition” Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts Academy,
Idyllwild, CA
“Student Awards Exhibition” San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
2015 “Lineage: Mentorship and Learning” American Museum of Ceramic Art,
Pomona, CA
“California Now” Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA
“Student Awards Exhibition” San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
“Faculty Exhibition” Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts Academy,
Idyllwild, CA
2014 “Crème de la Crème” – An Exhibition of distinguished alumni. University Art
Gallery, Riverside City College, Riverside, CA
“Faculty Exhibition” Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts Academy,
Idyllwild, CA
“Cross Cut” Flor Y Canto Gallery, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
2013 “Faculty Staff Exhibition” Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts Academy,
Idyllwild, CA
”SDSU Graduate and Undergraduate Exhibition” The James Alan Rose
Gallery, Francis Parker School, San Diego, CA
2012 “Student Honors Exhibition” University Art Gallery, Riverside City College,
Riverside, CA
“Kilnopening.edu” American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, CA
2011 “Student Honors Exhibition” University Art Gallery, Riverside City College,
Riverside, CA
Awards
2018 Best in Show, 14th Annual McGroarty Ceramics Show, McGroarty Arts Center,
Los Angeles, CA
2017 Honorable Mention, “The Cup the Mug,” Main Street Arts, Clifton Springs, NY
2014 Haystack Mountain School of Crafts Tuition Fellowship
2011 Student Honors Award, University Art Gallery, Riverside, Ca
Workshops Attended
2017 Pete Pinnell- Idyllwild Arts-Assistant
Richard Burkett- Idyllwild Arts-Assistant
Linda Arbuckle- Idyllwild Arts
2016 Sam Chung- Idyllwild Arts-Assistant
Birdie Boone- Idyllwild Arts
2015 Nick Joerling- Idyllwild Arts-Assistant
Kensuke Yamada- Idyllwild Arts
Kathy King- Idyllwild Arts
Richard Burkett- Idyllwild Arts-Assistant
2014 John Oles- San Diego State University
Chris Staley- Haystack Mountain School of Crafts
John Oles- Idyllwild Arts-Assistant
Gertrude Graham Smith- Idyllwild Arts
Patti Warishina- Idyllwild Arts
Margaret Bohls- Idyllwild Arts
2013 Deborah Schwartzkopf, San Diego State University
Jason Burnett, Idyllwild Arts
James Tisdail, Idyllwild Arts
Christa Assad, Idyllwild Arts-Assistant
Sunshine Cobb, Idyllwild Arts
Joe Molinaro, Idyllwild Arts-Assistant
Richard Burkett, Idyllwild Arts-Assistant
2012 Amy Kline, Riverside City College
2011 Sandra Blain, Riverside City College
Organizations
2016- 2017 Program Facilitator, Arts Alive SDSU, San Diego State University
2014-2017 President, Ceramic Arts Association, San Diego State University
2014-2017 Board Member, Professional Studies and Fine Arts College Council
2011-2012 President, Clay Club, Riverside City College
Professional Experience
2018 Workshop Presenter, HOT CLAY @ Idyllwild Arts Academy Summer
Program, Idyllwild, CA. “Pottery Bootcamp” One-week intensive pottery
workshop co-taught with David Delgado. Includes lectures,
demonstration, and one-on-one student interaction.
Workshop Presenter, Riverside Unified School District, Riverside, CA
“Ceramics Visiting Artist Masterclass” One-day hands on ceramics
workshop/lecture for four High Schools in the Riverside Unified School
District.
Workshop Presenter, Clay Artists of San Diego, San Diego, CA
“Pottery Boot Camp” Two-Day hands on wheel throwing workshop.
Workshop Presenter, Louisville High School, Los Angeles, CA
One-Day plaster and slip casting workshop for high school students.
2017 Workshop Presenter, Full Circle Pottery, Los Angeles, CA
One-Day throwing workshop for intermediate level ceramic students with
a focus on creating large works on the potter’s wheel.
Instructor, Idyllwild Arts Academy Summer Program
“Pottery Bootcamp” One-week masters class instructing students with
skills relating to the potters wheel.
2016 NCECA Panel Presenter, NCECA Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
“Back to the Future: Making Pots in Grad School”
One hour panel discussion with Adrienne Eliades, Jodie Mastermann
discussing our experience with making utilitarian pottery in graduate
school.
Instructor, Idyllwild Arts Academy Summer Program
“Form, Surface, Fire!” Two-week long ceramics course focusing on both
aesthetic and artistic problem solving. Students were encouraged and
taught to load and fire electric, gas, and soda kilns.
Instructor, Idyllwild Arts Summer Junior Artist Program
“Ceramics Workshop” Two-week long youth ceramics course focusing on
various sculptural and pottery techniques.
Workshop Presenter, Clay Artists of San Diego, San Diego, CA
Workshop Presenter, Coronado High School, San Diego, CA
Demonstrated and discussed various techniques on the potters’ wheel.
Gave presentations of my work to individual classes.
Guest Lecturer and Demonstrator, Vista High School, San Diego, CA
Demonstrated and discussed various techniques on the potters’ wheel.
Gave presentations of my work to individual classes.
2015 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Intermediate/Advanced Ceramics Fall
2015, San Diego State University, Instructor- Richard Burkett
Instructor, Idyllwild Arts Academy Summer Program
“Form, surface, Fire!” Two-week long ceramics course focusing on both
aesthetic and artistic problem solving. Students were encouraged and
taught to load and fire electric, gas, and soda kilns.
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Beginning Ceramics Spring 2015, San
Diego State University, Instructor- Richard Burkett
Assisted in teaching classes and giving demonstrations. Wrote
assignments and gave student critiques.
Guest Lecturer, Third Dimension Arts Group, Palos Verdes, CA
Workshop Presenter, Palos Verdes Art Center, Palos Verdes, CA
Instructor and visiting artist giving a three-day hands on porcelain
workshop.
Workshop Presenter, Palomar College, San Diego, CA
One day workshop presenting throwing techniques with lecture
presentation.
Guest Lecturer and Demonstrator, Vista High School, San Diego, CA
Demonstrated and discussed various techniques on the potters’ wheel.
Gave presentations of my work to individual classes.
Ceramic Teaching Assistant, Idyllwild Arts Academy Summer Program
Assisted guest artists with all needs for a successfully run workshop,
Mixed all clay and glaze materials for the entire summer ceramics
program, demonstrated alongside professional artists.
2014 Guest Artist, The Children’s School, Nelsons Middle Years- March-27
“George Ohr Day” Demonstrating and creating George-Ohr-like vessels
for middle school students.
Guest Lecturer and Demonstrator, Vista High School, San Diego, CA
Demonstrated and discussed various techniques on the potters’ wheel.
Gave presentations of my work to individual classes.
Ceramics Teaching Assistant, Idyllwild Arts Academy Summer Program
Assisted guest artists with all needs for a successfully run workshop,
Mixed all clay and glaze materials for the entire summer ceramics
program, demonstrated alongside professional artists.
2013 Ceramics Teaching Assistant, Idyllwild Arts Academy Summer Program
Assisted guest artists with all needs for a successfully run workshop,
Mixed all clay and glaze materials for the entire summer ceramics
program, demonstrated alongside professional artists such as Christa
Assad, Richard Burkett, and Joe Monlinaro, assisted three two-week long
classes of varying ages, fired and loaded all kilns, and kept a working
inventory of all studio materials.
Guest Lecturer and Demonstrator, Vista High School, San Diego, CA
Demonstrated and discussed various thrown and altered forming
techniques for advanced throwers.
2010-2012 Ceramics Lab Technician, Riverside City College, Riverside, CA
Completed all shop tasks including: loading and firing all kilns, Mixing all
clay and glaze materials, keeping a working inventory on all studio
materials, assisting students with projects, giving class demonstrations,
monitoring open studio hours, and cleaning and maintaining a working
clay studio.
Additional Work Related Experience
2015-2017
Project Assistant/Fabricator for Jesus Dominguez “Felix the Helix”: “The Lookout”
Legacy Park public art project for City of La Mesa
I was hired as an assistant to Jess Dominguez for his bronze sculpture of “Felix the Helix.” Felix is a nearly 600 pound bronze snail residing in Legacy Park in Downtown La Mesa, CA. I assisted in sectioning off the original clay sculpture and pulling 22 sand molds from it. With access to San Diego State University’s bronze casting equipment, Chris Lee, Wes French, Aeriel French, and myself poured all 22 molds. Chris Lee and I were then partnered for all fabrication and assembly. Through this project, I developed a familiarity with skills such as resin sand mold-making, bronze pouring, grinding, and tig welding.
Gallery Representation
Companion Gallery, Humboldt, TN
Freehand Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
L’ATELIER, San Diego, CA