Solo Exhibition of Amanda and Mark Danitschek

Amanda Danitschek was born in Delano, California in 1956. She studied art and design at San Jose City College and West Valley College, in Saratoga, CA.

Danitschek explores her fascination with postures, expressions, and colors in her collages and paintings through figures that appear to be untethered from the physical world – an unconventional menagerie of characters that might have come out of a play or a novel. By eliminating detail, Danitschek’s figures are left with only their essence. Through the use of various mixed media on paper, canvas, or wood, the artist achieves a rich textural background that accentuates the essentialness of the figures.

Primary Influences for Danitscheck are the work of Alberto Giacometti, Nathan Oliveira, Wolf Kahn and Manuel Neri.

Mark Danitschek

My layered and wrapped sculptures symbolize the difference between intended and perceived communication.  When trying to convey meaning we sometimes fall short resulting in a divergence between what is said and what is heard.  My work represents this difference. 

From my early career as a musician and recording engineer to my more recent involvement with ceramic sculpture, I have always loved developing and fine-tuning the process.  After taking a sabbatical from music to complete my education and start a Silicon Valley business, I discovered ceramics at West Valley College.  The restoration of creativity and artistic process captivated my imagination.  My exploration of the ceramic surface drew upon my experience as a chemist.  My interest in Bay Area figurative was well suited to my interest in ceramic art.  I am fortunate to have studied with many outstanding ceramic artists who have helped me immensely.  I currently devote all my creative energy toward art.  

My work is low-fired clay formed around a detailed paper armature.  The work is sectioned and the armature removed before firing.  I develop and formulate my own glazes.