An Artist Who Makes Irreverent, and Pocket-Size, Sculptures

Maybe the the luckiest man in the world.

Wonderful article--I laughed at many parts. My spouse and I have followed Nagle's work over the years. He worked small when many ceramic artists worked big, wanting to rival sculpture in other media. In many ways, his work is actually monumental.

My professor at Berkeley in the Design Department with Peter Voulkos. I was his Ceramics TA. (The job was a gift.) He would take me up to the high-tech workshop in the Architecture Department and let me use the vacuum-forming machine (to seal up my pig noses - from Housewives Market in Downtown Oakland - that I framed in gold leaf with a red velvet inset.) Then he'd take me out to dinner at an Italian restaurant in The Mission for "baked specialties," or to a Greek restaurant that nobody knew about down at the end of Market Street. Some days when I came into "work," the aroma of ginger, garlic, and soy sauce would be wafting out from his little studio next to Pete's office where he created his "cups." "Now, what's that?" He was roasting shrimp in a vase in his electric low-fire kiln. Quite tasty. One of the most generous, talented, intelligent, creative, musical, irreverent people I have ever met. I made it to London and then New York City - with a little help from my friends - but always return to San Francisco where I think about him with much affection which is inevitable with Ron. I see him working in his little house up in Bernal Heights that has a wonderful view of The City. We shared - and share - a love for Morandi...

Hilarious tee-shirt!

there's also a not-insignificant resemblance to Picasso that Mr. Nagle should allow himself to enjoy, bald pate and all...

Must be nice to have an appreciative audience that will purchase whatever you make for whatever price you put on it.

Poor lobsters those at Red Lobster

I first knew Nagle as a member of the Durocs, a kind of pop-rock bane who recorded a great cover of Gene Pitney's "It Hurts to be in Love." When I heard he was teaching at Mills, I thought his ceramics work was an interesting day job.

If you're doing a piece on an artist, show more work! I already know what a drill looks like.

Giant basketballs, cups in name only, canvases of chaos, and irreverent ceramic doodles, all reflecting the spirit of the times. But, is this the best we can offer? And are there not thousands of artists whose work reflects beauty, order, harmony, and even the sublime? We are surrounded by garbage dumps and rotten things. Well then, turn these into parks and gardens. Give us something noble to raise our spirits, to inspire us.

Ron Nagle's work has been wonderful for 50 years. So glad to know he is well and producing. Would run to the show if I didn't live in San Antonio. He is one of the fabulist ceramic artists who along with Peter Voulkos changed the direction of ceramic sculpture in the United States. I am typing this looking at my Hui Kwa Kwong ceramic piece with red lightbulb. Wish I had a Nagle piece. I'm his age and not collecting, but if he wants to send me one I will find a place for it.

For millions of us, Nagle is a god. As a beginning artist working in clay, it was him and Shoji Hamada back in the mid-70's that influenced me most. Hey, NYT, thanks for publishing this. More, please!

‘...tech workers are harnessing the power of memes, stickers and T-shirts...’ Well, this tactic is bound to strike fear in Chinese executive ranks. Not even to mention the understating of concerns that effect engineers, thus we know that change is afoot among the people. But wait, there is one more phony, loose-plastic drone to make and ship to the states.

Must be great to be an artist where anything you do is seen as great regardless of it takes even the slightest skill. One can substitute a child's pottery with his work and nobody would be the wiser.

There’s nothing wrong with ceramics. My mom, Catherine, enjoyed ceramics (the kind that seem to get a bad rap), Red Lobster, and Seinfeld. No great insight from me here. Just missing Mom.

Ron Nagle is one of the few artists of his generation to understand the power of small, intimate, quiet works. His work is always compelling and always feels 100% honest.

Thank you! Brings back memories of my years as a docent at the Oakland Museum of CA and the wonderful visits to artist’s studios with the Oakland Museum Art Guild.

40 years ago I worked on a record with Ron and Scott. One of the great experiences of my life.