Keith Schneider - Ceramics & Mixed Media
Arcata Artisan since 2020
I am a ceramics and mixed-media artist who lives and works in Arcata on the northern California coast. I received my MFA degree from UC Santa Barbara in 1985 and taught ceramics and drawing at Humboldt State University from 1987 – 2022.
My most recent work has been inspired by vintage toys, stuffed animals and circus memorabilia. For many years, I have been attracted to objects that “wear” their history and have collected these things as inspiration for my ceramic pieces, and to use in my assemblages and collages. I like the quality of these things, and how time has given them a story that can be read into them.
My ceramic pieces are constructed from earthenware clay and fired to cone 03. During my process, I try not to be too cerebral, but instead attempt to react directly to what is visually in front of me and trust my instincts.
I have exhibited both locally and nationally and have won numerous awards for my ceramics as well as my two-dimensional art. My work is in many prominent collections throughout the United States, and I have been featured in a variety of publications, including Ceramics Monthly magazine, Ceramics Now and Ceramic Arts Daily.
I have been a member of Arcata Artisan Gallery since 2020.