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For Immediate Release Spring Community ArtReach exhibit at UC Center, Fresno features poetic paintings by Robert Ogata
Ogata, a professional ceramicist and painter for more than 40 years, has received numerous awards. His artwork has been exhibited extensively at galleries and museums including the J.J. Brookings Gallery and Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco, the Pence Gallery in Davis, Fresno Art Museum, Fresno Metropolitan Museum, Fig Tree Gallery in Fresno, Victoria Boyce Galleries in Scottsdale and Tucson, Ward Nasse Gallery in New York and the Leland House in Taipei, Taiwan. Although born in Anaheim, Ogata is deeply connected to the San Joaquin Valley. He graduated from Selma High School and attended Reedley College and Fresno State for both undergraduate and post-graduate studies. He earned his teaching credential in 1960, and retired in 1997 after teaching at Sierra High School in Auberry for nearly 30 years. Upon retirement, Ogata opened a studio in downtown Fresno and dedicated himself to pursuing a career as a professional artist. “One of the ways I can give back to my community is by making my art accessible through public exhibitions,” said Ogata. “The ArtReach exhibit at the UC Center, Fresno is a perfect venue for artists to share their work and for community members to view diverse, high-quality art free of charge and at one centralized location.” To begin a painting, Ogata lays the canvas flat on the floor of his studio and applies layer upon layer of paint materials. The materials interact creating a variety of surfaces on which to translate his vision. He continually evaluates his work and relies on intuition and experience to come up with new ideas and new surfaces. Ogata’s inspiration to paint stems from many sources such as the beauty and grandeur of mountains and clouds or the simplicity or texture of the commonplace such as doorways or twigs and leaves from garden cuttings. “Painting is the translation of a poetic view of the world around me,” said Ogata. Other artists whose work will be displayed as part of the Spring Community ArtReach exhibit are Michael Biasell, Pat Kirkegaard, Linda Koch, Suzanne Lyle Lawson, Mary Ollila, William Raines, Aida Renteria, Ed Silverstrom and Kikuko Young. The exhibit also will include a gallery of artwork by students from Hoover High School and Stone Soup, a local community-based organization that provides youth leadership opportunities. Community ArtReach, now in its third year, is a collaborative effort by local staff members with the UC Office of the President, UC Merced, Children & Families Commission of Fresno Co. (First 5), State Center Community College District, Center for International Trade Development and Morris & Co. Fine Arts. The program’s aim is to support and encourage the creativity of Valley artists and expose the community to fine works of art. The spring exhibit will be ongoing from March 6 to May 1, 2003, and is open to the public during normal UC Center, Fresno operating hours. The center is located at 550 East Shaw Ave. (across from Fashion Fair Mall). For more information about Community ArtReach, please call Jeanie Smith at (559) 241-7510. # # #
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