Chris Thompson

Sculpting and potting keeps artist Chris Thompson busy on most days. His preferred mediums are clay and metals. Combining the two mediums was rich territory for study while accomplishing his Master's Degree at California State University, Sacramento. He is challenged by the duality between Fine Art and Craft. The duality extends when combing two opposing materials such as copper and ceramics, using warm and cool colors, or light and dark tones when making forms: the vessel is the constant (craft), yet when the vessel is denied its function or is endowed with meaning or content, the form is re-defined (art).

While his ceramic and copper forms are more singular and contemplative, his recent body of work addressed something equally as important. “Thousand Bowls, Feed the Hungry”, is a collaborative work intended to raise awareness about and money for our growing hungry population in Northern California. As he threw, trimmed, bisque-fired, glazed and readied the bowls for other artists, he remained just a small part of the vehicle for change and awareness. The thousand bowls are were shown in multiple venues, exhibited and sold to perpetuate the project. The art piece expanded to a life of its own and provided a partial solution for a societal concern.

Chris has shown his work in and around the Sacramento area in local galleries for many years now.