Ralph Bacerra Edited Verison Book

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Acknowledgments
The origination, development, and presentation of Ralph Bacerra:
Exquisite Beauty have been an involved process spanning many years.
Having completed graduate studies in ceramics with Ralph Bacerra in
1990, I could not have imagined that our paths would cross again at
this juncture, but I am honored to have the opportunity to chronicle
this important artist’s life and work. Bacerra was underrecognized
during his lifetime; as a curator and former student I felt a responsibility
to acknowledge his significant accomplishments and contributions
to the field. It is regrettable that this tribute is being presented posthumously;
all who were touched by Bacerra’s life would have preferred it
otherwise. His death left much unfinished; it was an ill-timed end to
an exceptional creative career.
Through intimate study of the Bacerra archives (courtesy of
the Ralph Bacerra Estate) and personal interviews with close family,
friends, and colleagues, I have come to know this artist deeply and to
acquire a profound appreciation of his virtuosity—far beyond what I
experienced as a student in the Otis ceramics studio. I feel privileged
to have had access to the inner sanctum of Bacerra—to bear witness to
the passion he expressed and the dedication he sustained in pursuit of
his craft. I am grateful for the opportunity to widen the circle of exposure
and appreciation of his artwork through this exhibition and publication
and am indebted to the Otis trustees and board of governors and
to the Ben Maltz Gallery staff for their commitment to this project from
its inception and their confidence in its completion.
My first and most heartfelt thanks go to those who have supported
and nurtured this endeavor every step of the way: Cindy Lee
Bass, executor of the Ralph Bacerra Estate, who freely gave access to
the Bacerra archives and provided invaluable assistance, advocacy,
funding, and unflagging enthusiasm throughout. Lois Boardman, Joan
Takayama-Ogawa, Porntip Sangvanich, and Lin Werner have become
indefatigable pillars of support. I am deeply grateful for their wise
council, financial support, and enduring friendship. To Meg Linton,
former director of galleries and exhibitions at Otis, I offer my sincerest
thanks for the vision, strength, and unwavering commitment to
present Bacerra’s work to the public. I express my deep appreciation to
Frank Lloyd, founder of Frank Lloyd Gallery and adviser to this project,
for his generosity of spirit and meticulous professionalism. I also
extend my gratitude to the gallery’s key staff, particularly Kelly Boyd,
assistant director, and Gabriel Seri, assistant director. Anne Swett-
Predock, Otis’s creative director, designed dynamic exhibition graphics
that match the exuberance of Bacerra’s ceramics. The architect and
installation designer Michael Patrick Porter contributed immeasurably
to the public’s understanding and appreciation of Bacerra and his work
through the inspired exhibition design that he conceived and executed.
We are most grateful for the support we received from the National
Endowment for the Arts, carrying along with it the affirmation of the
worthiness of this undertaking. Further, an early and critically important
grant from the Pasadena Art Alliance was instrumental in the