Paula Bellacera

Paula Bellacera Ceramic figures - figurative, animals

View Paula Bellacera’s works featured on Ceramics Now Magazine

Featured in Ceramics Now Magazine – Issue Two

“All my life I have been fascinated with form and color. During my youth I watched my mother dabble in various art media; eventually she settled on ceramics. Inspired by her explorations I struck out on my own. I focused on the two-dimensional plane first with photography, then painting, and finally printmaking. Recently I began attending a community Raku night where I discovered my true joy is interacting with clay and creating three-dimensional forms. The spontaneity and plasticity of the medium makes handbuilding a process of discovery – full of surprises. My approach is a collaboration where the clay and I work together to discover hidden shapes and reveal emotions and personalities through animal forms.

Just as friends and acquaintances have their own distinctive traits and behaviors, each of my sculpted animals has personality and expresses a unique character. When people step into my world (via studio or gallery), they often smile and chuckle as they recognize a bit of themselves, their pets, friends or family members in the postures and expressions of my sculptures. In this work, my intention is to present the best of humanity through our animal friends and to help us laugh and love our differences and ourselves.” Paula Bellacera

Paula Bellacera’s C.V. (resume) – View her works

SELECTED SOLO AND FEATURE EXHIBITIONS
2012 – Sacramento Temporary Contemporary, Sacramento, CA
2011 – Archival Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2010 – Gallery 625, Woodland, CA
2009 – Deer Ridge Vineyards Art Gallery, Livermore, CA
2009 – Intel, Corporate Art Exhibition, Folsom, CA
2008/06 – Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2008 – Sacramento International Airport, Sacramento, CA
2004/03/01 – Barton Gallery, Sacramento, CA    
2003 – Siddhartha Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal
2003/00 – RA Gallery, Chicago, IL
2003 – SMUD Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2002 – The Art Foundry, Sacramento, CA
2002 – California Arts Council, Sacramento, CA
2001 – Office of Senator Ortiz, Sacramento, CA    
2000 – Office of the Attorney General, Sacramento, CA
2000 – Hewlett-Packard, Roseville, CA
2000 – Sutter Club, Sacramento, CA    
1999/98 – Michael Himovitz Gallery, Sacramento, CA     
1999 – Tower Lobby Gallery, Roseville, CA     
1998 – The Money Store, Corporate Headquarters, Sacramento, CA
1997 – The Darkroom Gallery, Sacramento, CA     
1996 – Roseville Arts Center, Roseville, CA     
1996 – Working Images Gallery, Sacramento, CA     
1996/94 – Phantom Galleries, Sacramento, CA     
1995 – Peach Pit Gallery, Sacramento, CA     
1993 – California State University, Sacramento, CA    
1993 – IDEA Gallery, Sacramento, CA

SELECTED INVITATIONAL AND JURIED EXHIBITIONS
2011/10 Gallery Artists Show, Arroyo, Santa Fe, NM
2011 – John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2011 – Epperson Gallery, Crocket, CA
2011 – Sacramento Temporary Contemporary, Sacramento, CA
2011 – Blue Line Gallery, Roseville, CA
2011/10/09/06/03 – Pence Gallery, Davis, CA
2011/10/09/08/07/06/05/98 – Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2011/10 – Gallery 625, Woodland, CA
2010/09 – Cornerstones Noche Feliz Art Auction, Santa Fe, NM
1996-2010 – Annual Crocker Museum Art Auction, Sacramento, CA  
2009/04 – Dorothy Herger Gallery, Fairfield, CA
2007 – Yolo County Arts Council, Woodland, CA
2006/02/01/00/99/98 – Richard Nelson Gallery, Davis, CA 
2006 – Toy Room Gallery, Sacramento CA
2004 – Appel Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2004/03 – Bulhler Center Gallery, Davis, CA
2004/02 – Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2004/03/02/01/00/99 – The Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento, CA
2004/03/02 – Schumacher Gallery, Clarksburg, CA
2003 – Cloyde Snook Gallery, Adams State College, Alamosa, CO
2003 – Larson Gallery, Columbia College, MO
2003 – Osceola Gallery, Emeryville, CA
2003/02 – Elliott Fouts Gallery, Granite Bay, CA
2001/00 – Viewpoint Gallery, Sacramento, CA 
2000 – American River College Art Gallery 
1998 – 750 Gallery, Sacramento, CA            
1997 – R.A. Gallery, Chicago, IL
1997 – be-no photographic gallery, Sacramento, CA
1997 – Camera Arts, Sacramento, CA    
1996 – Kondos Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1995 – Arts Benicia, Benicia, CA
1995 – Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery, Kirkland, WA
1995 – Davis Art Center, Davis, CA
1995 – Focus Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1994/93 – Sacramento Fine Arts Center, Carmichael, CA
1994 – Viewpoint Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1992 – Working Images Gallery, Sacramento, CA

SELECTED PUBLIC ART COLLECTIONS
California Museum Resource Center, National Association of Realtors Headquarters, Kaiser-Permanente Medical Buildings, Hinsdale Hospital, First Midwest Bank, Woodland Medical Center (FL), Elkay Manufacturers Corporate Headquarters, Loyola University, University of California, Hewlett-Packard, The Money Store, Bank of Sacramento, USAA Real Estate Corporate Office, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, and County Primary Care Clinic.

SELECTED CORPORATE COMMISSIONS
2 East Erie (Chicago Condo Complex), Embassy Suites, Capitol Towers, Oglivy Worldwide, Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and Mid-West Bank.

SELECTED PUBLIC ART COMMISSIONS
– Commissioned to create a collection of 25 artworks for rotating display in the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant buildings.
– Commissioned to create of an exhibition of artworks to commemorate Sacramento’s 150th birthday.

RECENT HONORS
2011 – California State Senate’s Contemporary Art Collection
2011 – International Visual Arts Publication, Studio Art Visit, volume 14

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2011 – “A Sense of Place to Have at Home,” The Sacramento Bee, July 1, 2011.
2003 – “The Hypnotic Allure of Local Landscape,” The Davis Enterprise, March 27, 2003.
1999 –  “Blending Art Forms,” Camera Arts, August, 1999.
1998 –  “Buildings on the Boulevard,” Uptown Arts, March 1998.
1997 – “A Thousand Words,” Sacramento Magazine, June 1997.
1996 – “A Short Retrospective History of Paula Wenzl,” On The Town, August 1996. 
1996 – “Aimless Ramblings,” The Roseville Press-Tribune, July 5, 1996. 
1996 – “Paula Wenzl Shows Impressions About Town,” Inside East Sac, April 1996.
1996 – “Artist Finds Sacramento Rich in Icons,” East Sac News, April 4, 1996.
1995 –  “Visual Sensations,” About Art, July 1995.
1993 – “Window to the World,” The State Hornet, September 28, 1993.
Work included in:
2006 – Flatlanders, Davis,The Richard Nelson Gallery.  Exhibition catalog.
2006 – Sacramento Interiors, Sacramento, Solomon Dubnick Press.  Exhibition catalog.
1993 – Bringing Hope to a Hopeless World: Creating and Preserving Women’s History, Sacramento, Boonwood Publishing.  An anthology of women’s art and literature.

ART TRAINING
– University of California, Davis – Graphic Design Program
– California State University, Sacramento – Art and Photography coursework
– Sacramento City College – Art and Photography coursework
– Various art seminars and workshops

OTHER EDUCATION
California State University, Sacramento
– BA Psychology, minor Biology
– BA Women’s Studies
Tulane University, New Orleans
– MS Experimental Psychology
– Ph.D. Experimental Psychology

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