Judy Geerts
Bright Possibilities…
My specialty is Copper-flash Raku, an Americanized version of the traditional 16th Century Japanese firing process. In 1993 when I first began ceramics, I saw an article in “Ceramics Monthly” that led me to Ox-bow, a school of art and artists’ residency in Saugatuck, Michigan, associated with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
There I met Wisconsin Ceramist John Wrenn, who had already made great progress creating vibrant colors from the very volatile Copper Flash Raku process. Over the years, John and I collaborated and together evolved our firing processes to reduce some of the inherent unpredictability of Copper Flash firing.
There are so many variables in achieving good color with Copper Flash, and I very much enjoy finding that “sweet spot” where I can maximize the beauty of the color with the figure which I have hand built. Achieving a repeatable palette with a very unpredictable process is for me one of life’s great adventures.
Ceramics Related Training
1992-present Originally mentored by and ongoing collaboration with John Wrenn –
Nationally recognized Wisconsin Copper flash Raku artist.
1992-1995 Muskegon Community College
A wide variety of ceramic, design, and drawing classes.
1992-1999 Attended Chicago School of the Art Institute’s summer program at
Oxbow.
• The Figure in Ceramics – Joseph Sigenthaler
• Vessel Construction – Robert McClurg
• Raku Firing – Robert McClurg
• Kiln Cast Glass – Gloria Badiner
• Metalworking – Ed Gray
• Sagar Firing – James Lawton
2006 Professional Artist in Residence at Oxbow
Workshops
• Robert Piepenburg on Raku.
• David Stabley on after fire applications.
• Rebecca Harvey on Press-Mold Porcelain.
• Paul Soldner workshop.
• Steven Hill on single fire.
• Eunice Bolt on abstraction.
• Alice Breese on 3D paper.
Organization Member
• West Michigan Potters Guild – (President 2002-2004)
• Grand Valley Artists Association
Awards and Purchase Awards
• Awards Issued in Conjunction with Holland Area Arts Council’s Annual Show
o Holland Area Arts Council’s Purchase Award - 1997
o Zeeland Hospital Purchase Award – 1998
o Bank of Holland Purchase Award – 1999
• Grand Haven Lakeland Painters Show Awards
o Lakeland Painter’s Doctors Ivey Award – 1997
o Lakeland Painter’s Merit Award - 1998
• Regional 69 - Muskegon Museum of Art - Lorin Industries Award - 1997
• Regional 70 - Muskegon Museum of Art - Theodore and Joan Operhall Fund Award –
1998
• Festival ‘97 - 28th Annual Visual Arts Competition Merit Award, Grand Rapids
• Festival ‘98 - Purchase Award by Borre, Peterson, Fowler and Reens, P.C., Grand Rapids
• Festival ’99 – Purchase Award by Kent County
• Festival 2000, 2001, 2002 – Purchase Award by Kent County, Grand Rapids
• Festival 2003 – April Teets Purchase Award
• Petoskey Art Fair Purchase Award - 2004
2
Juried Art Shows/Invitationals
• Lowell Area Arts Council - Michigan Regional Competition – 1997, 1998, 2000
• Holland Area Arts Council’s 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Annual Michigan Art
Competitions
• Unique Teapots – UICA, Grand Rapids, 2000
• Holland Friends of Art, 2000
• West Michigan Area Show, Kalamazoo, 2000
• Clay Invitational - Overbrook Art Gallery - Muskegon Community College - November,
1997
• Muskegon Museum of Art – 2000, 2001, 2002
• Michigan Women’s Invitational: A Woman’s Intuition, Holland Area Arts Council, 1998,
Barbara H. Padnos Exhibition Gallery
• Exhibited with Artist’s Alliance in 2000 at:
• Cascade Gallery, Grand Rapids
• Betsey Bay, Frankfort, MI
• Spectrum Health South, Grand Rapids, MI
• Redux Art Show at St. Joseph’s Krasl Gallery at the Box Factory - 2004
• Curator of Holland Arts Council’s Vessels Show - 2005
Recent Juried Art Fairs
• Ann Arbor State Street – 2002
• Chicago Botanical Garden Show – 2001
• East Lansing Art Festival – 1998-2003
• Fallasburg Fall Festival – Lowell, MI – 1998-2005
• Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Bronson Park – 1998, 1999, 2003
• Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff - St. Joseph, MI – 1998-2007
• Reeds Lake Clothesline Festival 1997, 1998, 2001-2007 - Gaslight Village, East Grand
Rapids
• Royal Oak Clay & Glass Invitational – 1999-2002
• Sutton’s Bay – 2004-2005
Personal Shows
• Button Gallery – one and two person shows – 1999-2005
• Grand Haven - The Gathering Place-Women in Myth - three person show
• Grand Haven - Gallery Upstairs – several one and two person shows
• Muskegon - Overbrook Gallery - one person show
• Muskegon - Betteye Clark-Cannon Gallery - two person show
Current Exhibits
• Button Gallery - Douglas, MI
• Coffee Gallery – Spring Lake, MI
• Synchronicity - Glen Arbor, MI
Workshops Given
• Hands-on Raku workshops in conjunction with The Gathering Place, a woman’s resource
center - 1996 and 1997
• Visiting Artist – Oxbow - 2002
Publications
• American Style Magazine, Summer, 2000; 25 Top Arts Destinations
• Lark Books – Making Ceramic Sculpture by Raul Acero, c. 2001
• Krasl Art Fair, 2000 & 2001 – publicity brochure