04/20/11 kkh

HAYS, Kan. -- Linda Ganstrom, professor of art and design at Fort Hays State University, has been busy exhibiting ceramic sculptures and hosting workshops throughout Kansas as well as in Colorado, Florida and New Jersey.

Ganstrom joined three other artists to be exhibited in the New Artists and New Work Artists' Reception at the Leopold Gallery in Kansas City, Mo., which recognized her as one of the most celebrated ceramists in the region.

She is currently exhibiting miniature sculptures in a national invitational, "Top That: Wedding Cake Toppers," at the Matt Burton Gallery in Surf City, N.J., and a raku-fired thrown figure in the Smoky Hills Exhibition in Hays.

Ganstrom is also showing works in the FHSU Faculty Exhibition at Visual Arts Alliance of McPherson; in the Kansas Masters Invitational Exhibition at the Strecker-Nelson Gallery, which is traveling to Topeka and Wichita; in "InOrganic Matters: A Collection of Ceramic Elements" in the Spring Gallery Walk on April 29 at Salon 1007 in Hays.

In addition to being the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts exhibitions director, she exhibited at the NCECA conference in the NEXPO in the Tampa, Fla., Convention Center and in "Personal Icons," a group exhibition at the Strecker-Nelson Gallery.

Gantrom's critical writing and an image of her art will be featured in "21st Century Ceramics: The First Decade" by Lark Books.

She teamed up with Karrie Simpson-Voth and Chaiwat Thumsajarit, professors of art and design, to create the 2011 NCECA Biennial Catalog, which is featured both in print and digital format and was sold at the NCECA conference and the Tampa Museum of Art.

In addition to sharing her works with others, Ganstrom has been helping others learn the art of ceramics. She gave a figurative workshop at Doane College in Crete, Neb., and has workshops planned for Maize High School and the Arvada Center near Denver.