Firing a legacy with Professor David Kuraoka

Posted Mon, 06/22/2009 - 10:36am by Matt Itelson

Teaching ceramics at SF State for nearly four decades, David Kuraoka has cemented a solid following in the art world, among art lovers, critics and students. This was on display recently in “Firing a Legacy: David Kuraoka and San Francisco State University,” at Pence Gallery in Davis.

The exhibition featured ceramic works by Professor Kuraoka and more than 30 of his former SF State Art students. An official Living Treasure in his native Hawaii, Kuraoka is best known for his pit-fired forms in which the clay body becomes a three-dimensional canvas for an extraordinary and subtle palette of hues.

A recent Sacramento Bee story praised the exhibition, exploring the work of Kuraoka and alumni “who represent different generations and cultures, but they are forever linked in their journey.”