Welcome, New Artists!

We're excited to announce our newest member artists here at ACCI! We accepted 4 new artists in our semi-annual jury this spring: wood artist Steve Bernstein, jeweler Michael Hopstone, mixed media artist Erna Metzger, and glass artist Mark Schatz.

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Steve Bernstein

In my turned work I aim to create pieces that capture your interest, while deceiving you about how the piece may have been made, even if you’re a woodworker or woodturner.  I strive to develop a style that is uniquely identifiable as my own, inspired by other woodworkers, and artists in other media and genres.  I’ve been making pieces based on spiral patterns for a while, among other patterns, but lately I’ve been focusing on radial plaids and gingham patterns, which present a higher level of geometry solves and precision skill challenges, especially in the turned vessels (versus the bowls).

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Michael Hopstone

My sense of form and composition is inspired by nature and geology, architecture and industrial space, ethnic, tribal and modern traditions. Exploring the properties and characteristics of materials and color has always been fascinating to me. I am currently working with copper, bronze, silver, concrete, stones, glass, and leather, as well as pigments and patinas.  This could change at any time. Each piece of jewelry that I produce will be unique.

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Erna Metzger

Joomchi is a Korean collage process which consists of layering mulberry papers that become fabric-like. Each Joomchi piece requires hours of intensive work, as the papers are aggressively rolled, folded, squeezed, kneaded. No adhesives are used. The papers are fused using only hand strength and water. While mulberry paper fibers are extremely strong, a very delicate balance of agitation and gentleness is required to preserve the integrity of the piece. Too much manipulation and the work can disintegrate; too little agitation and the papers do not coalesce.

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Mark Schatz

Near the end of the recent recession, I was feeling creatively stifled in my career as an architect.  My children picked up on this and gave me the gift of a series of glass fusing classes at Stained Glass of Marin.  After three sessions I was hooked, and here I am, 6 years later, still continuing to play and experiment with the media.  Cutting, assembling, and fusing glass is great therapy, and I continue to feel inspired as I explore new techniques and approaches in my work.

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Be sure to visit the Gallery and see our new artists' work in person! We're open Monday-Saturday from 11am to 6pm, and Sundays noon to 5pm.