The Goldmark Cultural Center’s John H. Milde Gallery is proud to present “From the Earth, For the Earth”, a solo exhibition featuring ceramic works by Minako Bass.

The exhibition is on display in the Goldmark Cultural Center’s John H. Milde Gallery from 9 November to 18 December 2026.

The exhibition’s reception is on Saturday, 14 November 2026 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. The reception is a great opportunity to view the exhibition, meet the artist, and learn about the artwork.

About the Exhibition

My functional works focus on the relationship between myself and the life cycles of nature that are inspired by landscape changes through the seasons. We often use seasons as a metaphor for life cycles. Spring is associated with birth and growth, summer as youth and activity of life, autumn as maturity of life and preparation for ending life, and winter as hibernation or death. My exhibition consists of a thematic exploration of the four seasons. My works are richly decorated with botanical imagery. The subject of my work: “Useful, beautiful, and comfortable” comes from expressive aesthetics and balancing beauty and comfort with utility.

I have always found the fragility and constancy of the cycles of life emotionally compelling. I wanted to focus the study of these cycles on my experiences within my farm. My exploration of nature on my farm plays a large role in my inspiration for both the design and decoration of the pottery. I visualize those unforgettable images and use them as inspiration for my art.

In my show, I evoke the beauty of nature’s life cycles through porcelain and stoneware which express their characteristics in their altered forms and surfaces to create a “useful and beautiful” art. With a focus on utilitarian pottery forms, I consider my tableware to be daily art that has gained functionality and intimacy through daily use. It serves as a tool of ritual for people to enjoy.

About the Artist

My name is Minako Bass, and I am a native Japanese ceramic artist who has resided in Texas since 2013. I love to create tableware that can also be considered as daily use art (utilitarian art). My work focuses on the life cycles of nature and our farm where the landscape changes through the seasons.

My works have been exhibited at various Student Juried Shows, and I received First Prize, for Best of Show in 2022. In addition to the student shows, I also exhibited at the Dean’s Gallery and the President’s Gallery in 2023.  I am now starting my commercial studio with Etsy being my primary online studio shop.

I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2020 and Master of Fine Arts in 2023 both from Texas A&M University, Commerce (now East Texas A&M University).