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Jim Romberg
Jim Romberg, Canyon Shadow, 26" x 16.5" x 10" Biography Jim Romberg Jim Romberg has been working with Raku ceramics for over forty years. An M.F.A. graduate in ceramics from Claremont Graduate University and early student of Paul Soldner, Jim is well known to collectors and academics for his outstanding and progressive work in sculptural ceramics.
Experimenting with many ceramic processes at the beginning of his career in art, Romberg chose Raku because of its significant history, begun in 15th century Japan, its well developed and documented aesthetics, and its contemporary use as means for artistic expression. He has, in fact, added many dimensions to this continuing art form. Recently an expansion of scale has resulted in monumental pieces that present an even more dramatic arena for the spirit of Raku.
Presenting work that is an interplay of sculpture and painting, Romberg uses the particular characteristics of raku in a unique way. Rather than leaving the effects to the whims of natural reduction, his process is a deliberate interruption, often described as "painting with smoke and fire" to add a dimension of color, depth and surface that is truly engaging on many levels. The practice and discipline of forming clay, applying surface treatments that reflect and unusual and complex virtuosity of brushwork, and individually firing and "smoke treating" each object results in pieces that capture the beauty of nature’s interaction with the intention of the artist.
Jim Romberg, Canyon Shield, 53" x 22" x 13"
Events of landscape and sky remain a constant inspiration along with the human history of creation starting with the pre-historic cave paintings in France which Romberg has personally visited and studied. His study and appreciation of the origins of Raku ceramics centered around the development of the Tea Ceremony and tea vessels brings a particular contemporary interpretation of Eastern aesthetics and philosophy into his work. The result is a particularly vital expression of an ancient art form "brought up-to-date" inviting contemplation that speaks to us today of the excitement of the creative imagination .
Jim’s recent retirement from 18 years as Professor Emeritus of Art, Southern Oregon University has led to his Artistic Directorship of the Eagleheart Center for Arts and Inquiry. Jim recently authored the 14-day “Raku Summit 2005: Origins, Impact and Contemporary Expression”, an international gathering of ten ceramics artists whose dialogues and works continue to tour internationally this year.
Jim Romberg, Clouds Parting, 31" x 19" x 15" Equaly influential in the world of ceramics is his philosophy on criticism and search for significance in art which influenced many of today’s art leaders attending his 15 years as Director of Ceramics at Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities. Jim’s recent NCECA panel “Exploring a New Criticism” speaks to this recurring theme in his career. Romberg’s workshops: US, in France at l’Ecole des Beaux Arts, and Geneva. His work is featured in numerous permanent collections, some of whom are Janss Sun Valley, Northern Arizona Museum of Art, Geneva Municipal Art Collection, The Banff Art Center, and the Marer Collection of Contemporary Ceramics at Scripps College. Romberg’s work has appeared in numerous publications and has been described as an important influence in the development of Raku ceramics. The independent publication “Ceramics Today: James Romberg” was authored and published by the International Academy of Ceramics, Switzerland. He describes his work: “The stretchings of clay around volume, around experience, contain activities of the heart, mind, soul and body which are specifically directed toward a sense of time, movement, atmosphere and abstract relations intended to provoke”.
Jim Romberg, Spirit Dancer, 22" x 19" x 10"
Education
1972 - Master of Fine Arts, Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, California 1968-70 - Studio Assistant, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, Washington 1965 - Bachelor of Fine Arts, Ancient and Medieval History Pomona College, Claremont, California
Special Projects
-Director/Author: International Raku Symposium, “Raku: Origins, Impact and Contemporary Expression”, Eagleheart Center for Art and Inquiry -Curator: International Raku Symposium, “Raku: Origins, Impact and Contemporary Expression”, Touring Exhibition of 10 International Raku Masters -Panel Moderator: NCECA March 2006, “Towards a New Criticism” -Creator and Director of Conference on Criticism and Clay: Past Models:Future Shapes, Sun Valley Center for Arts and Humanities. June 1984
Selected Exhibitions LaGalerie Marianne Brand, Carouge/Geneva, Switzerland NCECA Raku Invitational, Kansas City, Missouri Raku Ho’’laule’a Exhibition, Honolulu, Hawaii Gallerie Le Labrinthe, Uzes, France Clay A-Z Art Ceramics Invitational, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona Banff Centre, Banff, Canada Northwest Arts and Crafts, Seattle, Washington Fifth Idaho Biennial Competition, Boise, Idaho Les Printemps des Potiers, Bandol, France
Selected Awards Bellevue Arts and Crafts Fair Purchase Award Craftsman/Apprentice Grant, Tiffany Foundation Juror, Biennale Internationale de Ceramique d’Art, Vallauris, France Panelist, NCECA Conference, Atlanta, Georgia Demonstrator, Raku Presentation, NCECA, Kansas City Art Institute Purchase Award, Northern Arizona University Supermud/NCECA Invitational Sculpture Exhibition, Penn State University Consultant to the Hui Noa Art Center, Maui, Hawaii Juror’s Selection, Midland Art Association Annual, Midland, Texas American Crafts Council Regional Competition, Denver, Colorado Ink & Clay 32 Competition/Exhibition, Cal Poly, California “Skin Deep” National Juried Exhibition, Florence, South Carolina
Selected Publications
The Studio Potter: A Question of Quality Editor of the National Endowment supported publication Dealing with the work of Glick, Coleman and Lind.
Contemporary Ceramics: James M. Romberg Editions Olizane.Geneva, Switzerland. A monograph on the work of Jim Romberg
Raku Ceramics with Jim Romberg A one hour video produced by Crystal Productions.
Raku Ceramics By S.Braufman. Chilton Publications Pgs. 67,68,221,223 Plates 8 and 12
Raku: Origins, Impact and Contemporary Expression Catalogue J. Romberg and L. Jennings Eagleheart Center for Art and Inquiry: ISBN 1-59975-133X
Ceramics Monthly: “Criticism and Clay”, Jim Romberg, April 2007
Art and Perception: “Fashioning Critical Thought”, Jim Romberg, June 2007
Studio Potter: “Words as Tools”, Jim Romberg, Summer 2007
Teaching 2005-7 - Artist-in-Residence/Program Director, Eagleheart Center for Art and Inquiry, Abiquiu, New Mexico 1986–2005 - Professor Emeritus of Art, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, Oregon 1974–1986 - Director, Artist-in-Residence, Instructor in Ceramics, Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities, Sun Valley, Idaho 1981 - Visiting Professor in Ceramics, University of Texas at San Antonio 1973-4 - Director of Ceramics, Anderson Ranch Art Center, Snowmass, Colorado 1972-3 - Instructor in Ceramics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas Selected Workshops
-San Antonio Art Institute, San Antonio, Texas -Anderson Ranch Art Center, Snowmass, Colorado -Ecole Des Beaux-Arts, Aix-en-Provence, France -Boulder Mountain Clay Works, Ketchum, Idaho -Nothern Texas State University, Denton, Texas -Firehouse Art Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma -Carbondale Art Center, Carbondale, Colorado -American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, California -Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Kansas -Ecole de La Terre, Toulouse, France -Les Printemps des Potiers, Bandol, France -Banff Centre, Banff, Canada -University of Washington, Seattle, Washington -Penland School of Craft, Penland, North Carolina -Kansas State University, Hays, Kansas -Atelier Raku, Vallauris, France -Boise State University, Boise, Idaho -Sierra Nevada College, Lake Tahoe, California
Selected Collections
Boise Museum of Art, Boise, Idaho Marer Collection of American Ceramics, Scripps College, Claremont, California Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona Pottery Northwest Permanent Collection, Seattle, Washington Janss Collection of American Art, Sun Valley, Idaho City of Geneva Municipal Collection, Geneva, Switzerland St. Stephens Episcopal School, Austin, Texas Vector Electronics, Sylmar, California Ghost Ranch Conference Center, Abiquiu, New Mexico Banff Cart Center, Banff, Canada Martha and David Bills Collection, Sea Ranch, California Ecole de Beaux Artes, Aix-en-Provence, France Return to Jim Romberg's Ceramic Sculptures
Jim Romberg, Skydance, 22" x 19" x 10" |
