The conception of beauty started when humans stopped their nomadic lifestyle and became sedentary. It was then that farming was born and with it ceramics and other forms of artistic expression that with the passing of time began to form cultures and civilizations.

Ceramic pieces, aside from becoming daily utilitarian objects for the kitchen, became decorative objects that coexisted with the environment in distinct ways, from a vase to a monolith to a temple of worship. 

In this one-hour workshop, students are invited to sculpt face masks utilizing traditional south Californian techniques. Students located in the Bay Area can pick up free clay kits on either the San Francisco or Oakland campus in advance of the event, and then return their completed mask to us after the event for firing. Other students are welcome to observe or use their own clay to participate. ⁠

This event is open to CCA students only. Register to reserve a free mask-making kit and receive the Zoom link ➞

About Noel León:

Born in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua on Jun 25, 1990, Noel León has been a naturalist since childhood. At the age of ten he discovered his interest in beauty and flowers, and utilized this medium as a form of expression, eventually studying floral design. Years later, Noel completed his studies in nursing and returned to the arts at the age of 24 when he began a spiritual dialogue with clay. He started his study and work with clay as an apprentice with traditional ceramicist Pilar Ojeda, who taught him all of the secrets of this millenary artform. Currently, Noel is exhibiting in Casa de Cultura de Santiago BCS, where he showcased sculptural works that honored the ancient south Californian women of Mexico. He is an educator and the Art Director of the first traditional ceramic studio of Baja California Sur, Estudio de las Rosas, where he showcases his work and continues to develop a dialogue through flowers and clay.

This event is funded by an endowment gift to support The Deborah and Kenneth Novack Creative Citizens Series at CCA, an annual series of public programs focused on creative activism. The 2021–2022 Creative Citizens Series will focus on four pillars of the Communal Flower, a model for understanding "communality" in the ancient philosophy and daily practice of various Indigenous nations in southern Mexico: land, communal responsibility, assembly and joy. This event explores the pillar land.