Lisa Reinertson

Lisa Reinertson is known for both life size figurative ceramic sculptures and large-scale public sculptures cast in bronze. Her work ranges in content from semi-autobiographical female figures with animals in clay to historic bronze monumental portraits of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cesar Chavez, immersed in narrative bas-relief imagery. The underlying presence of her work is an expression of humanist compassion. In viewing her work, we are witness to concerns of feminism, peace and social justice as they intertwine with nature and our relationship to creatures with which we share the earth. Reinertson’s expressive use of the clay medium creates sculptures that capture her nuanced observation of life forms and empathetic observations of life issues. Her work combines a realism rooted in figurative art traditions with a contemporary expression of social and psychological content.

Lisa completed her MFA at UC Davis in 1984, studying with Robert Arneson and Manuel Neri at the legendary TB-9 studio. She has taught at several universities, primarily across California, including the San Francisco Art Institute, UC Berkeley, CSU Chico, and Santa Clara University. 

Reinertson’s ceramic work has exhibited at museums both nationally and internationally, including the Crocker Art Museum, the American Museum of Ceramic Art, the California Crafts Museum, the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, the National Museum of Ceramic Art, Maryland, Museo Internationale della Ceramica, Faenza, Italy, the Oakland Museum of California, and Southern Exposure Gallery in San Francisco

Reinertson has completed over 20 public commissions in bronze including "Martin Luther King Memorial" sculptures in Kalamazoo, MI, in Riverside, CA and at the King Hall Law School, UC Davis, Other important commissions include the "Cesar Chavez Memorial" in Downtown Sacramento, “Neptune’s Daughter” in Benicia, CA and "Joan Didion" a life size ceramic sculpture for the Sacramento Library. Her public commissions can also be seen in San Jose, San Francisco, Vacaville, UC Davis, Santa Clara University, Palm Desert and Guam.

Lisa continues to develop new works out of her studio in Benicia, Ca. Reinertson also continues to lead sculpture workshops and will be returning to teach at La Meridiana, Tuscany in 2023.