About – California Artist Tony Natsoulas: Large scale humorous ceramic sculptures

Click on links to see more information and pictures.

Click here to read the interview with the Smithsonian Archives of American Art

VIDEOS:
Time-lapse installation of Out of Our Minds: Clayton Bailey & Tony Natsoulas
Tony Natsoulas – Out of Our Minds – Sonoma Valley Museum of Art – Virtual Tour
Tony Natsoulas – Out of Our Minds – Mini Doc.
A Face in the Crowd: The Tony Natsoulas Story by Ben Fargen, A 90-minute video
Clayton Bailey & Tony Natsoulas Art Squared Profiles
Rob on the Road: Artist Tony Natsoulas
The Making of “Big Daddy Roth and Rat Fink” sculpture
HGTV, Carol Duvall Show Episode CDS-1757
HGTV, OffBeat America, Show Episode OB306
NKH, Japanese TV. Interview, Spring 2006
KVIE, Arts California

EDUCATION:
2019 Summer Studio Arts College International, Florence, Italy
1983-85                Master of Fine Arts, the University of California at Davis
1983 Summer Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, Maine
1982-83                Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland
1979-82                Bachelor of Arts, the University of California at Davis
1977-79                California State University, Sacramento, CA

ONE PERSON EXHIBITIONS:
2025 Fresno Art Museum
2023 “Larger than Life”, Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, CA
2016 “Barro Funky”, Avenue 50 Gallery, North Los Angeles, CA
2015    “Buggin”, Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka, CA
2015    “Then and Now”, The Robert Else Gallery, California State University Sacramento
2015    Transmission Gallery, Oakland, CA
2013    Smith Anderson Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
2012    “Doing the Basil” Sacramento State University Union Gallery, California State University
2007   Axis Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2005   James Snidle Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA
2005   Pence Gallery, Davis, CA
2004   James Snidle Fine Arts, Chico, CA
2003   Triton Museum, Santa Clara, CA
2002   “Barococo”, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
2001   Oakland Museum Downtown Sculpture Court, Oakland, CA
2001   B. Sakata Garo, Sacramento, CA
1999   Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1996   Patricia Sweetow, Napa, CA
1994   Michael Himovitz Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1994   Beuhler Alumni Center, UC Davis, CA
1993   The Landis Gallery, Berkeley, CA
1992   University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
1990   California State University, Chico, CA
1989   Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1987   Himovitz/Salomon Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1986   Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1985   Gorman Museum, the University of CA at Davis, Masters Exhibition
1984   Davis Art Center, Davis, CA

TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS:
2025 “N & N” Show, Tony Natsoulas and Jeff Nebeker, FM Oakland Gallery, Oakland, CA
2022 “Out of their heads”, Tony Natsoulas and Clayton Bailey, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, Sonoma, CA
2019 “Where’s my Unicorn?” Tony Natsoulas and Sam Vaughan, ACCI Gallery, Berkeley, CA
2018 “Two Fuglars” Tony Natsoulas and Paul DiPasqua, Epperson Gallery, Crockett, CA
2013 Tony Natsoulas and Shimo, Shimo Center for the Arts, Sacramento, CA
2013 Tony Natsoulas and Jeff Nebeker, James Snidle Fine Arts, Chico, CA
2011 Tony Natsoulas and Mark Bryan, James Kaneko Gallery, American River College, Sacramento, CA
2010 Tony Natsoulas and Lee Kavaljian, Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento, CA

COLLECTIONS:
Museums
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
The New Los Gatos Museum, Los Gatos, CA
LSU Museum of Art , Baton Rouge, LA
Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY
The Hamburg History Museum, Hamburg, Germany
Monterey Museum of Art, Monterey, CA
Ed Roth Museum, Manti, Utah.
Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art
American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, CA
The Di Rosa Foundation, Napa, CA
MIAAO, Museo Internazionale delle Arti Applicate Oggi, Turin, Italy
The Midwest Museum of American Art, Elkhart, IN
The Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Shigaraki, Japan
San Jose Art Museum, San Jose, CA
Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
The University of Iowa. Museum of Art
Triton Museum of Art, CA
Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA

Institutions
The American Ceramic Society, Westerville, OH
The University of CA at Davis Library Collection

Businesses
Mering and Associates, Sacramento, CA
Stuart Weitzman, NYC
Hansen, Boyd, Culhane and Watson, LLP
McDonough Holland & Allen PC | Attorney Advertising

Private
Emily Leff and Jim Davis, NH
Wendy Rosen, Baltimore, MD
Estelle Saltzman, Sacramento, CA
Marcy Friedman, Sacramento, CA
Lail Jones, Sacramento, CA
Byron Meyer, San Francisco, CA
Mr. & Mrs. Turk, Elkhart, IN
Mr. & Mrs. Rabinowitz, Massachusetts
Mr. & Mrs. Thieriot, San Francisco, CA
Mark Leland, Washington, D.C
Mr. & Mrs. Peoples, Berkeley, CA
Vincent Lim, Philadelphia, P.A.
Larry Spitansky, Shawnee Mission, Kansas
Patti and Russ Solomon, Sacramento, CA
Elaine Levin, Northridge, CA
Mr. & Mrs. Friedman, Beverly Hills, CA
Danielle Steel, San Francisco, CA
John Ott, Davis, CA

WORK EXPERIENCE:
1985-Present   Professional working artist
2023-Present TND Art Consulting
2019-Present Rat Fink Licensed Artist
On-going National workshops (Crocker Museum, Lake Charles, LA, etc.)
2019 Fall          Adjunct Professor , Sierra College, Rocklin, CA
2018 Fall          Adjunct Professor, California State University, Sacramento
2015 Spring Adjunct Professor, California State University, Sacramento
2018                Exhibitions Coordinator at The Alpha Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2018                Exhibitions Coordinator at Epperson Gallery of Ceramic Art, Crockett, CA
2011-2019 Exhibitions Coordinator at Blue Line Arts, Roseville, CA
2011-2013      Exhibitions Coordinator at the Shimo Center for the Arts, Sacramento, CA
2003-2020 Instructor at Alpha Fired Arts
2006 Spring    Guest Artist in Residence, the Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Shigaraki, Japan
2004 Spring 8-week workshop Penland School of Art, Penland, NC
1989               Instructor in Ceramics, Butte College, Oroville, CA
1987 Spring    Visiting Artist in Ceramic Sculpture and Pottery, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
1985-1987      Lecturer in Ceramics, California State University, Stanislaus
1986 Spring    Lecturer in Modern Art History, California State University, Stanislaus
1983-1985 Teaching Assistant in Ceramic Sculpture, Glaze Calculation, Figure Sculpture, and Advanced Ceramics at UCDavis
1984 Spring   Ceramic Department’s Sole Technician, the University of California at Davis
1984 Gallery Assistant, Memorial Union Gallery, the University of California at Davis
1982-1983 Ceramic Department Technician, Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland
1980 Summer Assistant Technician, Oxbow School of Art, Saugatuck, MI
1979 Summer Visiting Student Artist, The Can building, Syracuse, NY

PUBLIC COMMISSIONS:
2008 Commissioned by the City of Stockton Stribley Community Center Water Park to sculpt 3 bronzes.
2007 Commission by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission to sculpt 3 bronze busts for Granite Park.
2006 Commission by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission to sculpt 4 bronze busts for the Tahoe Talic Little League Park
2003 Created a work of art using life-size polyurethane lions for the Pride of Sacramento, Lions on Safari.
1996 Corporate commission granted by the Hahn Corp. for six over-life-size figures in fiberglass at the Downtown Plaza Mall, Sacramento
1993 Corporate commission granted by the Hahn Corporation for a life-sized bronze figure in the renovated Downtown Plaza on K Street
1988 Public commission granted by the City of Sacramento, painted bronze sculpture of a golfer in a water trap installed at the Bing Maloney Golf Course, Sacramento.
1986 Public commission granted by the City of Davis, California, to sculpt two life-sized bronze figures called “the Joggers.” The female and male joggers are installed in front of the Davis Police Department.

PRIVATE COMMISSIONS:
2017 Private commission, large bust of Maggie Smith, Granite Bay, CA
2016 Private commission of life-size figure for Susan McClatchy, Sacramento, CA
2015 Commission of a portrait of Thaddeus Kerns by the Chico Air Museum, Chico, CA
2013 Private commission of large sculpture commissioned by Candice Groot, Chicago, Ill
2000 Private commission to create a large bust portrait of Miles Davis for an L.A. collector.
1999 Private commission to create a large bust of Babe Ruth for a Sacramento collector.
1995 Commissioned to design a T-shirt for the Japanese comic book “Morning”
1994 Private commission to do a portrait of Russ Solomon (Founder of Tower Records)
1991 Private commission by Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Friedman for an outdoor ceramic sculpture on the balcony of their home, Beverly Hills

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2023
“You’ve got to be Kidding”, Monterey Museum of Art
“Nuts and Who’s” A Candy Store Sampler, San Jose Museum of Art

2019
Exchange and Experimentation, Shigaraki Museum, Japan.
Wit and Whimsy, Clay Center of New Orleans
The Bust Show, Kondos Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Ceramics: Walk on the Wild Side, Pence Gallery, Davis, CA

2018
What Us Worry, Tony Natsoulas, Paul DiPasqua, and Michael Stevens Museum of Northern California Art, Chico, CA

2017
BC TO BC. San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, CA
California Fine Arts Exhibition, California State Fair, Sacramento, CA
4th Annual Bow Wow Meow show, Alpha Gallery, Sacramento, CA

2016
Visions in Clay, L Horton Gallery, Delta College, Stockton, CA
Monumental Clay, Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto
Anne and Mark’s Art Party, San Jose, CA
Ruth Rippon Alumni Show Finale 2016, Alpha Fired Arts Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Clay, Canvas and Steel, Gallery Susan Alexander, San Francisco, CA

2015
Regional Sculpture Invitational, Kaneko Gallery, American River College, Sacramento, CA
Character Studies: Clay from the Collection, San Jose Art Museum, CA
Alumni Art Show, Else Gallery, California State University, Sacramento
“An Eclectic Grouping,” featuring UC Davis alumni + professors, Elliott Foust Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Artists’ Valentine Redux, The Richard L. Nelson Gallery, University of California, Davis
Transmigrational Ceramics from the Corridor, 621 Gallery, Benicia, CA

2014
Best in Kind, Ceramics from the Bay Area, Smith Andersen Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
An Eclectic Grouping, Elliott Fouts Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Bird House Show, Kondos Gallery, Sacramento City College

2013
Mask show, Kondos Gallery, Sacramento City College

2012
“HEADS UP! The Human Head Interpreted by 7 Sculptors, New Leaf Gallery, Sonoma, CA
All Ceramics and Nothing But Ceramics, Gualala Arts Center, Burnett Gallery & Jacob Foyer, Gualala, CA
If the Shoe Fits, Pence Gallery, Davis, CA

2011
“8 x 8 = Small and Great”, Artery Gallery, Davis, CA
“Marking the Territory: A Tribute to Roy de Forest”, Pence Art Gallery, Davis, CA
“First Annual Ruth Rippon Alumni Show”, Alpha Fired Arts Gallery, Sacramento, CA

2010
Visions of Paradise: Art and the Power of Faith, Sonoma Valley Art Museum, CA.
Tomorrow’s Legacies: Gifts Celebrating the Next 125 Years, Crocker Art Museum, CA
“A Seed Planted: A Tribute to Robert Arneson”, Davis Art Center, TSAO Gallery, Davis, CA

2009
“In Our Time and Place, Selections from the di Rosa Collection” The Library Gallery, Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA
“1020: An Exhibition Honoring the Michael Himovitz Gallery”, Phantom Gallery, Sacramento, CA
“Nor-Cal Clay”, Art Dept. Gallery at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA

2008
“Confrontational Ceramics”, curated by Judith Schwartz, Westchester Arts Council
“The Ceramic Theatre”, Museo Internazionale delle Arti applicate Oggi, Turin, Italy
“Bling”, Santa Fe Clay Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
“Eccentric Imagery”, Blue Line Gallery, Roseville, CA (Curated and Participated)
“Nine Ceramic Sculptors” Barton Gallery, Sacramento, CA (Curated and Participated)

2007
“Artful Jesters”, Pence Art Gallery, Davis, CA
“Creatures of Myth & Magic”, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, Sonoma, CA
“Humorous Expressions of Japanese Tanuki”, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan

2006
“Human Form in Clay – the Mind’s Eye “, the Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art,
Shiga Prefectural Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan
and the Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo, Japan.
“Fired at Davis: Sculpture by Robert Arneson, his Colleagues and Students”, Stanford
Museum, Palo Alto, CA
“Tales from the Kiln: Contemporary Ceramics”, Permanent collection at the San Jose
Museum of Art.
“Playing Around: Toys Designed by Artists”, Hearst Art Gallery, Moraga, CA

2005
“Hidden in Plain Sight”, Stellar Art from the Area Collections. Pence Gallery, Davis, CA
“Over the Edge”, Gallery of Urban Art, Emeryville, CA

2004
“The Eve Aesthetic: Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture by Artists from TB9,
1963-2003”, Memorial Union Gallery, UC Davis, CA
“Multiples”, Lincoln Arts Gallery, Lincoln, CA
“Faculty Show” Penland Gallery, Penland, NC
“Funk”, Sacramento International Airport, Sacramento, CA

2003
“Small packages”, Julie Baker Gallery, Grass Valley, CA

2002
“Ceramic National 2000”, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL, and Crocker Art
Museum, Sacramento, CA
“The Figure” Virginia Breier Gallery, San Francisco, CA
“Self Portraits” Davis Art Center’s Tsao Gallery, Davis, CA

2001
“New Acquisitions”, Triton Museum, Santa Clara, CA
“Telling Tales”, Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO (Poster)
“Angels”, Elena Zass Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA

AWARDS:
Named by the Smithsonian as one of the top 100 craft artists in the United States
First prize in sculpture for the Sheridan Prize.
Best in show at the California State Fair Art Show.
Nominated for Artist of the Year from the Sacramento Arts and Business Council
“New Works” Grant, 1998, by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission
Recipient of the “Key to the City”, 2000, Lake Charles, Louisiana
Recipient of the “Community Arts Award, Pence Art Gallery, Davis, CA

CATALOGS, MAGAZINES, AND BOOKS:

Larger than Life, The Life of Tony Natsoulas so far, Front cover and article in Ceramics Art + Perception, page 26-31 #121, 2023
Tony Natsoulas, Ceramics Now, Online Magazine, 2022
Phil Linhares, Tony Natsoulas, Interpenetration and Independence, Ceramics Monthly, pages 36-39.November, 2021
Jessica Laskey, Literary Statement, Inside Arden, pages 56 -57, 2020
Eva Roethler, Art Exposed: Tony Natsoulas, Ceramic artist on creating and collecting in the Capital Region, Comstock’s Magazine, September 2018
Sculpture Techniques, by Bill Jones. pages 66 – 68 2016
500 Figures in Clay, Larks Books, 2014
Humor in Craft, Brigitte Martin, Page 131, Book 2012
Sacramento Bee, Art review: Ceramics of pals Natsoulas, Kavaljian at Solomon Dubnick 5/11/10
From Robert Arneson, a legacy of art and humor By Dixie Reid, The Ticket, Friday, Jan. 8, 2010, Sacramento Bee
Ceramics Monthly, December 8, 2009, Build, Cast, Carve: The Sculptor’s Life
“Confrontational Ceramics”, by Judith Schwartz. Photo and text.
CA Modern Magazine, Homerun pursuits, Spring issue 2008
Atomic Ranch, Book 2006
Natomas Magazine, front cover, and article. June Issue.
“Beatles Art: Fantastic New Artwork of the Fab Four”, Boxigami Publishing, Pictures. 2006
“Human Form in Clay – the Mind’s Eye “, the Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art,
Shiga Prefectural Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan. Exhibition Catalog. 2006
Sacramento Magazine, “Tony Natsoulas”, by Dayna Duteman. Pages 80 – 82 Photo and Article. Jan 2006
American Style Magazine, “Fun and Funky in Sacramento”, by Margaret Lucke, Pages 66-75 photos and article. Aug. 2005
Atomic Ranch Magazine, “Streng Theory” by Bromely Davenport, Page 40-46 Aug. 2005
Solano Magazine, “A Conversation with Anthony Natsoulas”, Celebrates the Arts section. The picture on the cover and article. November 2004
500 Figures, Lark Books, Pages 342-343
Ceramics: Art and Perception, “Tony Natsoulas, Camping it up”, by Scott Shields with Photos. March 2003, Pages 74-75
Ceramics Monthly, “Tony Natsoulas’ Barococo” Article and Photos. March 2003. P.76-77
American Style, “Barococo or Bust” Article and Photo. Style Spotlight. Spring 2003 P.20
Kerameiki Techni, International Ceramic Art Review “Barococo: Ceramiques by Tony Natsoulas, Article and Photos. Sept. 2002. Pages 65-69.
Artweek Magazine, “Tony Natsoulas at the Crocker Art Museum” by Brian Elsasser, Article and Photo. November 2002. Pages 13 and 14.
American Craft Magazine, “Tony Natsoulas Portrays”, Article and Photos. Dec. 2001
Page 51 to 54.