“Seven from Axis” is the current showcase in Kaneko Gallery, and an artist’s reception was held to celebrate a few of their pieces. The showcase features seven different artist’s work, personally selected by each to display in the showcase.

The showcase features glazed bowls, inkjet photographs and paintings.

Axis Gallery is a co-op gallery in downtown Sacramento, and all seven of the artists were at the reception.

Ron Peetz, the organizer of the event, and an artist from Axis, was excited to host the artists and act as curator.

“Well it’s a different role for me, in the sense that I have to work as a curator, I’m not putting in my own work,and I didn’t individually select the work here, I just invited the artists and they were free to choose what they wanted,” Peets said. “For the most part, it’s all non-objective work.”

One of the artists featured was Ray Gonzales who has his bachelors degree in ceramic sculpture. On display by Gonzales were three glazed clay bowls, “Rojo”, “Day One” and “Blue Line.”

“These are experiments,” said Gonzales. “I’ve been experimenting with color, texture, and surface.

“I’ve been trying new things, trying new combinations. I like glazing nine pieces at a time; I’ll put them on the floor, and just pour glazes on (them) … I love circles!” he added.

Also on display were two works by Cherilyn Naughton, including “All of My Tears,” comprised of an intricate design of hundreds of pencils strokes on watercolor paper. The pencil marks are meant to denote all the tears from Naughton’s life, displayed on piece of paper.

Phil Amrhein’s works which were untitled, were made of sanded spray paint on mylar background.

Richard Gilles, another featured artist from Axis displayed two large inkjet prints incorporated from his photography collection. Gilles attended ARC about 20 years ago, and was happy to participate in the show.

Other artists featured were Janice Nakashima, Sandra Beard and Chuck Seerey.

Many students were drawn to the large clay bowls by Gonzales.

Kinesiology major Terrence Smith was impressed with the sheer size of the bowls, as they took up most of one wall in the Kaneko Gallery.

“I loved those bowls,” Smith said. “I loved that blue color(ed) stripe down the middle of them, it looked like it was dripping down, but it’s not.”

There were St. Patrick’s Day themed refreshments outside the gallery, and Ron Peetz was impressed with the turnout and reception. He spoke to the entire room at the onset of the reception, and personally introduced each artist featured.

Ron Peetz also noted how the co-op nature of the gallery helps the creativity of the member artist.

“In a normal gallery, the guys always say, ‘Can you put this price on (the works), or can you paint some more of those, because those sold last time,;” Peetz said. “(Here), you don’t have those constraints. The artists are truly free to create whatever they feel like creating, it’s great.”

Seven from Axis will be shown at the Kaneko Gallery through Apr. 16.