October 2, 2009 | Arts

Dittmar Fall 2009 'Unearthed' Exhibition Open to Public Oct. 4-30

Artist Kristy Deetz to talk at opening and Oct. 5 Pottery Workshop by Joseph Pintz

By Judy Moore

'Nested Narrative' by Kristy Deetz

EVANSTON, Ill. --- "Unearthed," the Dittmar Memorial Gallery's first fall 2009 exhibition, will celebrate the artistry of objects created from natural sources. It spotlights the works of artists and educators Kristy Deetz and Joseph Pintz.

"Unearthed" opens Oct. 4 and runs through Oct. 30, at the Dittmar Gallery, located on the first floor of Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive, on Northwestern University's Evanston campus. It is free and open to the public.

The opening reception at the gallery from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, will include a 4 p.m. artist's talk by Deetz titled "Reading Texts and Textures." Pintz will teach a pottery workshop from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, in the ARTica Studios, on the underground level of Norris University Center. Both events are free and open to the public.

Deetz and Pintz have exhibited their works nationally and teach at the university level. Deetz is associate professor of arts and visual design at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Pintz teaches ceramics at Bowling Green State University.

Carved wooden reliefs painted with encaustic, Deetz's "Earthtexts" are visual metaphors of the book form and autobiographical explorations. They operate as visual puns and connect ideas of language to body and earth. Her "Earthtexts" incorporate materials such as beeswax, a bird's nest, twigs, stones and hair. More information on Deetz is available online.

Pintz, a Northwestern alumnus, is a ceramic artist who believes that the things we surround ourselves with are dense with meaning and define the structure of one's life. His functional and sculptural carved ceramic forms explore the role that objects play in fulfilling our physical and emotional needs. Pintz's work was featured in the September 2009 issue of Ceramics Monthly magazine. More information on Pintz is available online.

Pintz's free Oct. 5 Pottery Workshop will explore using bisque molds to create functional forms. Participants will learn how this low-tech process for making vessels can be a great alternative to wheel throwing. The workshop is open to all skill levels. Register online at the Dittmar Gallery Web site.

For more information, call the gallery at (847) 491-2348 or Norris University Center at (847) 491-2300, e-mail dittmargallery@northwestern.edu or visit their Web site.