EARTH SONGS Forty Years in Clay

Earth Songs: Forty Years in Clay opens at Salve Regina Gallery on the campus of theCatholic University of America Thursday, September 19, 5-7pm and will continue onview through Sunday, December 8, 2024. The exhibit includes highlights of LindaVonderschmidt-LaStella’s sculptural ceramic wall works, 30 pieces from the past fortyyears.Several bodies of work are represented in the exhibit, from early work in the HomeTemple Series to the newest series of the Guardians of Time: The Seasons, a group offigurative sculptures completed this year for a solo exhibit in the Spring.“While rooted in nature and most often using natural imagery, my work is alsoconceptual, always with some link to literature, my own writing, verbal ideas fromsomewhere.” One example of that is the four panel “Canticle” series, based on theMedieval poem in praise of all creation written by Francis of Assisi, “The Canticle of theCreatures.” “To develop that series, I spent much time reflecting on Francis’ writing;then, created my own “contemporary” version from which I worked the sculptures.Serendipitously, this year is the 800th anniversary of the poem, so I am delighted tohave that work exhibited in an institution that can really understand from where thatsculpture sprang.”All of the above, are what Vonderschmidt-LaStella refers to as her ‘moveable’ works,but most of her major and large scale works are permanently installed murals in publicand corporate spaces, private residences, schools and hospitals.Graduating from Catholic University with an MFA exactly 40 years ago, Vonderschmidt-LaStella coupled creating ceramic art with classroom teaching. Over the years, shetaught art at every level from pre-K to college, all the while maintaining her studiopractice.She established Earthsongs Works in Clay in Metuchen, a small town in Central NewJersey in 1992, and from that locus not only created her ceramic sculpture, butinaugurated a variety of community events and spaces centered in the arts: severalcommunity galleries, as well as major festivals. Earthsongs became a place wheredreams were dreamed…and became reality…plans were hatched…and shared…andfor many years, offered a chance for adults and children to “get their hands in clay.”“It is such an honor to be invited to share my work at Catholic University; in a sense,with this exhibit, my work in clay comes full circle.”For further information, contact Linda Vonderschmidt LaStella, 732.322.6512, EarthsongsCeramicStudio@gmail.com, visit her website: claysongs.com, FB: EarthsongsCeramic Studio, and IG: Earthsongs Ceramic Studio