Montgomery County Community College presents a special father and daughter exhibition featuring the artwork of sculptor Fred Kreitchet and ceramic artist Heidi Kreitchet from Tuesday, Jan. 22, through Friday, Feb. 15, at the College’s Fine Arts Center Gallery, Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell.
The public is invited to meet these talented artists during a special reception on Sunday, Feb. 3, from 1-3 p.m. with a gallery talk at 2 p.m. The exhibit and reception are free of charge.
Using an array of materials, including clay, fiberglass reinforced plastics, bronze, metal and wood, Fred Kreitchet designs and makes three-dimensional sculptures in his Blue Bell studio and bronze foundry known as the Sculpture Workshop. Beyond his commission work, Fred also teaches three-dimensional design, sculpture, mold-making, fabrication and drawing as an adjunct art professor at Montgomery County Community College for more than 20 years.
Fred’s most notable work is the Treehouse at the Philadelphia Zoo, a commission piece for architects Venturi, Rauch & Scott Brown that won the Gold Medal Award from the Architectural Institute of America. His sculptures may be seen at such prominent places as the London National Gallery, the White House, The Baltimore Zoo, Penn State, Independence National Historical Park and The Academy of Natural Sciences, to name a few.
Across the country in Pomona, Calif., Heidi Kreitchet is the studio director at The Ceramics Studio located at the American Museum of Ceramic Arts. She has exhibited her ceramics in numerous shows spanning the United States. In 2002, she won the Frederick Docstrader at an exhibit in Flagstaff, Ariz., and, in 2009, she won the Kiln God National award in San Angelo, Texas. Her work can also be found in permanent collections in the United States and Australia.
Heidi holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Northern Arizona University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Utah State University. Following her undergraduate work, she assisted renowned ceramic artist Don Reitz for two years in Clarkdale, Arizona, as she developed her own distinctive style using a wood-fire finish.
Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed weekends.
