Linda Gelfman was born in Chicago, she received her BFA from University of Illinois and moved to Sacramento in 1989 to get her MFA from California State University, Sacramento. She has been head of the Ceramic Department at American River College since 2003. Linda is a founding member of E Street Gallery and Studios. Linda has had a love affair with clay for over 45 years and about 15 years ago she started cheating on clay to experiment in fiber art. She uses up-cycled clothes from the thrift store and her closet to create her whimsical but socially relevant sculptures/installations. Her most favorite place to be in the world is her studio. The fiber and clay have come to an understanding finally and comfortably share her attentions.
LINDA R. GELFMAN
PERSONAL
1962 Born, Chicago, Illinois.
EDUCATION
1993 California State University, Sacramento: Masters of Art.
1984 University of Illinois, ChampagneUrbana: Bachelors of Fine Art.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2003-2025 Full-time Art Professor, American River College, Sac,CA,
Classes taught: Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Ceramics. Figure Sculpture, Ceramic Mural and Tile, Alternative Firing Techniques. Figure Drawing, Sculpture
2001-2002 Adjunct Art Professor, American River College, Sac, CA
1998-2000 Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission Arts in Education
Program
1999 Ceramic instructor, California State University, Sacramento, CA
1994-1997 Instructor/lab technician, Ceramic Department, School of the Art
Institute, Chicago, IL
1990-1993 Teaching assistant, California State University, Sacramento, CA.
1987-1989 Ceramic instructor, gallery assistant, Lill Street, Chicago, IL.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2025
Sac OPEN Studio tour
Now Upon a Time: Myth Reimagined, RI-NU, CA
2024
My Life in Clay, solo show, Alpha Fired Arts Gallery, CA
Faculty Show, Kaneko Gallery
End of the World exhibit, E Street Gallery, CA
2023
Sac OPEN studio Tour
Topple the Patriarchy…the Reemergence of the Great Cosmic Mother, solo show, E Street Gallery
Faculty Show, Kaneko Gallery, CA
2022
Sac Open Studio Tour
Faculty Show Kaneko Gallery, Ca
Group Show, E Street Gallery
Shake it Up, solo show, Yuba Sutter Arts Center, Ca
2021
SacOpen Studio Tour, CA
Faculty Show Kaneko Gallery, CA
#Topple the Patriarchy-the Re-emergence of the Great Cosmic Mother, installation at the Center for the Arts, Grass Valley, CA
Group Show, E Street Gallery, CA
KVIE Art Auction, CA received Masters Award
2020
Magnum Opus XXXI,(Juror)
2019
Faculty Show E Street Gallery, CA
Cognitive Dissonance II, (Solo Show)Butte Community College, CA
SacOpen Studio Tour, CA
2018
SacOpen Studio Tour, CA
Faculty Show, Kaneko Gallery, CA
Cognitive Dissonance, (Solo Show), Kaneko Gallery, CA
2017
8th Annual Heart Show, Hearty Har Har, (Curator), E Street Gallery, CA
One of Three, Axis Gallery, CA
Cast Open Studio Tour, E Street Gallery and Studios, CA
Verge Art Auction, CA
Faculty Show, Kaneko Gallery, CA
Teapots, Allied Arts Center, CA
2016
7th Annual Heart Show, Achey Breaky Heart, (Curator) E Street Gallery, CA
Worn and Reborn, (Solo Show), Dada Art Gallery, CA
Oakwilde Sculpture Exhibition, Valley Springs, CA
Ceramic Invitational, E Street Gallery, CA
Faculty Show, Kaneko Gallery, CA
Sac Open Studio Tour, E Street Gallery, CA
Plate and Totem Show, Blue Line Gallery, CA
2015
6th Annual Heart Show, Get Your Heart ON, (Curator), E Street Gallery, CA
Oakwilde Sculpture Exhibition, Valley Springs, CA
Magnum Opus XXVI, (Juror) Sacramento Fine Arts Center. CA
Faculty Show, Kaneko Gallery, CA
Sac Open Studio Tour, E Street Gallery, CA
Plate and Totem Show, Blue Line Gallery, CA
Verge Art Auction, CA
Small Works Show, E Street Gallery, Ca
2014
5th Annual Hearts Show, Open Heart, (Curator) E Street Gallery, CA
Bottle Up, 2-person show, Blue Moon Gallery, CA
Oakwilde Ranch Sculpture Exhibition, Award of Honor, Valley Springs, CA
Plate and Totem Show, Blue Line Gallery, Roseville, CA
A Matter of Passion II, Cibola Arts Center, Grants, NM
Art Bra Show, Blue Line Gallery, CA
Faculty Show, Kaneko Gallery, CA
Ceramic Invitational, E Street Gallery, CA
2013
Matter of Passion, 2-person show, Gallery 2110, Sacramento, CA
4th Annual Healing Hearts-Open Heart, (Curator), E Street Gallery, CA
Oakwilde Ranch Sculpture Exhibition, 2nd place award, Valley Springs, CA
Faculty Show, Kaneko Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Plate and Totem Show, Blue Line Gallery, Roseville, CA
Ceramics Invitational, E Street Gallery, CA
2012
Spiritual Artifacts, Blue Moon Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Plate and Totem Show, Blue Line Gallery, Roseville, CA
Oakwilde Ranch Sculpture Exhibition, Valley Springs, CA
Human Voices, Gallery 2110, Sacramento, Ca
3rd Annual Bleating Hearts Exhibition, (Curator), E Street Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2011
Faculty Show, Kaneko Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2nd Annual Healing Hearts, (Curator), E Street Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Small Works Show, E Street Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Totems Show, Blue Line Gallery, Roseville, CA
CAST Open Studios Tour, E Street Gallery and Studios, Sacramento, CA
2010
Faculty Show Kaneko Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Taking Shape, Blue Wing Gallery, Woodland, CA-Solo Exhibition
CAST Open Studios Tour, E Street Gallery and Studios, Sacramento, CA
Healing Hearts, (Curator), E Street Gallery, Sacramento, CA Crocker Art Auction, Sacramento, CA
2009
Small Works Show, E Street Gallery, Sacramento,CA
Faculty Show, Kaneko Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Out of the Fire, Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento
Fire and Light, Kaneko Gallery, Sacramento-2 person exhibition
CAST Open Studios Tour, E Street Gallery and Studios, Sacramento, CA
2008
Faculty Show, Kaneko Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Contemporary Drawings and works on Paper, Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento, CA
CAST Open Studios Tour, E Street Studios, Sacramento, CA
Cosmic Maintenance, AC2, Albuquerque, NM-Solo Exhibition
“Ceramics”, Harrington Place, Davis, CA
2007
“Faculty Show”, Kaneko Gallery, Sacramento, CA
CAST open studios, Sacramento, CA
“Ceramic Exhibition, Alpha Fired Arts, Sacramento, CA
2006
CAST open studios, Sacramento, CA
“ Faculty Show”, Kaneko Gallery
“Contemporary Ceramics 2006”, Grand Junction, CO-Awarded Best of Show
“Arte Senza Confine”, Florence, Italy
“Thirty Ceramic Artists”, Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
2005
“The Gray Area-Artists Speak out”, Brick House Gallery, CA
“Open Studio”, E Street Studios, Sacramento, CA
“Trading Places”, Kondos Gallery, Sacramento, CA
“Faculty Show”, Kaneko Gallery, Sacramento, CA
“The Peace Art Show”, AC2 Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
“The Art of the Bicycle”, Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA
“Crocker Kingsley Art Auction”, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
“Thirty Ceramic Artists”, Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
“All Bottled Up”, Solo exhibition, Barton Gallery, CA
“Feats of Clay”, Lincoln, CA
2004
“Woodstoke The Essence of Fire”, Kaneko Gallery, Sacramento, CA
“Articulation”, Else Gallery, California State University, Sacramento
“Open Studio”, E Street Studios, Sacramento, CA
“Save the Bluffs Garden Show”, Fair Oaks, CA
“Four 2 Eight Legs”, Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA
“Figuratively Speaking”, Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA
“Faculty Art Exhibition”, American River College, Sacramento, CA
2003
“Faculty Art Exhibition”, American River College, Sacramento, CA
“insideOUT”, Exploding Head Gallery, Sacto, CA
“Crocker Kingsley Art Auction”, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
2002
“Back In the Box II”, Center for Contemporary Art, Sacto, CA
“Summertime in Sacramento”, Exploding Head Gallery, Sacto, CA
“Faculty Art Exhibition”, American River College, Sacramento, CA
“Insiders 7″, Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento, CA
“Portrait of My Father”, Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento, CA
“Exquisite Face”, 750 Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
Crocker Kingsley Art Auction, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
“Sit In”, Ridley Gallery, Sierra College, Sacramento, CA
“Art From Within”, Grapes Restaurant, Sacramento, CA.
“Voluptuous Vessels”, One Person Exhibition, Artists Contemporary Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2001
“Variations on the Human”, Artists Contemporary Gallery, Sacto. CA
“Dreaming in Place”, Solo Exhibition, American River College, Sacramento, CA
“Insiders 6”, Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento, CA
“Works by Three Ceramic Artists”, E Street Studio, Sacramento, CA
Group Show of Bronzes, Art Foundry Gallery, Sacramento, CA
“Crocker Kingsley Art Auction”, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
“Barbie and Black Velvet”, Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento.
2000
“The Exquisite Corpse Show”, Art Foundry Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Group Show, Artists Contemporary Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
“The Art of Clay, Ceramic Works at the Foundry”, Art Foundry Gallery, CA.
“Mujeres Del Valle/Women of the Valley”, La Raza Gallery Posada, Sacramento, CA
“The Urban Arts Show”, E Street Studios, Sacramento, CA
1999
Group Show, Barton Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Group Show, Fassbender Gallery, Chicago, IL.
“In Your Garden”, Art Foundry Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
“Art Furniture Salon 1999″, Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento
1998
“1998 Invitational Art Exhibition”, Upstairs Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
“SOFA”, Fassbender Gallery, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL.
“Altares Del Mundo”, Art Foundry Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
1998
“23rd Annual Open Show”, Tower Gallery, Roseville, CA.
“Artists Collect Art”, Davis Art Center, CA.
“12th Annual Thirty Ceramic Artists”, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA
1997
“Home is Where the Art Is”, Aldo Castillo Gallery, Chicago, IL.
Silent Auction, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Chicago, IL.
“SOFA”, John Natsoulas Gallery, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL.
“The Art We Come Home To”, Gary Marks Gallery, Chicago, IL.
“11th Annual Thirty Ceramic Artists”, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis,
Group Show, Fassbender Gallery, Chicago, IL.
1996
“SOFA”, John Natsoulas Gallery, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL.
Group Show, Fassbender Gallery, Chicago, IL.
“10th Annual Thirty Ceramic Artists”, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis,
1995
“Spiraling Spirits”, Oneperson Exhibition, Sheffield Gallery, Chicago,
“Sculptural Objects, Functional Art”, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL.
The Sky Above, the Earth Below, Wood Street Gallery, Chicago, IL.
1993
“Holiday Show”, Lill Street, Chicago, IL.
“Members’ Exhibition”, Matrix Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
“750 Invitational”, 750 Gallery, Sacramento, CA,
“West Coast Clay, the New Breed”. California Crafts Museum,San Francisco, CA.
1992
“Master’s Thesis Exhibition”, Else Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
“Diverse Convergences”, Coyote Gallery, Chico, CA.
1991
“Sources Within”, Michael Himovitz Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
“New Work”, 750 Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
“Recent Work”, Witt Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
1990
“Pomegranate Fall”, Union Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
“Works in Progress”, Witt Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
“750 Invitational”, 750 Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
1989
“Great Lakes Show”, Lill Street, Chicago, IL.
“Spring Exhibition”, Lill Street, Chicago. IL.
1987
“Masks”, Natalini Gallery, Chicago, IL.
“Plate Show”, Paper Press Gallery, Chicago, IL.
PUBLIC ART
2016-18 American River College, Hamsa Plus Two (When Extra Protection is
Needed), Fine and Applied Arts Mural
2014-15 American River College, Rain Dance, Science Mural
2012-13 American River College, Gaining Knowledge, DSPS Mural
2010-11 American River College, 7 mini murals in various locations on campus
2008-09 American River College, Dragon Kiln,
2007 American River College, Planet Ceramica and the River of Knowledge,
2001 Southside Park Community Center, Sacramento, CA.
2000 Greater Sacramento Urban League, Sacramento, CA.
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