Pottery Artist to Host Free Discussion, Workshop at College of the Desert

PALM DESERT (CNS) – A famed pottery artist will host a free discussion and workshop at College of the Desert’s Palm Desert campus in May, college officials announced Monday.

Virgil Ortiz will discuss the inspiration behind his work and his artistic journey May 11 in the campus’ Pollock Theater, and he will host a workshop showcasing his creative process the following day in the Visual Arts Building, according to College of the Desert.

"Clay is the core of all my creations," Ortiz said in a statement. "Pueblo communities are very much alive and have a level of vitality that speaks to generations of strength, persistence and thriving energy."

College officials said Ortiz, whose mother and grandmother were Cochiti Pueblo potters in New Mexico, embraces his Pueblo history and culture through his work.

The workshop will feature craft masks of his characters from a series based on the historic 1680 Revolt with a dystopian future, according to college officials. His talk will provide insights on how his artistry extends across various media and boundaries.

His work has been previously exhibited in museums around the world, including the Stedelijk Museum- Hertogenbosch, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, the Virginia Museum of Fine Art and the Denver Art Museum, college officials said.

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