Welcome to Shifting Ground
The Exhibit/ Celebration!
Help us celebrate the conclusion of two
weeks of story telling and art making work-
shops with Hispanic youth and recent Cen-
tral/East African immigrants to Cedar Rap-
ids.
The Shifting Ground workshops focus on the
shifting notions of home and identity that
come with multiple relocations. Working
with Portuguese artists Antnio Gorgel Pinto
and Paula Reaes Pinto, currently in residence
at The Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Stu-
dio, this installation attempts to present the
process of verbal and visual creative expres-
sion experienced in our small group work-
shops.
We began with an exercise we call M.O.T.
(Memory, Object, Talent) in which we each
wrote a specific memory related to an object
and then a talent we developed as a result. We
then created clay tablets using words or phras-
es from our memory. From this beginning we
started to model abstract clay forms related to
that memory. The clay tablets and objects in the
exhibition represent the first time many of our
participants have created with clay and reveal
their diversity of experiences and backgrounds.
Shifting Ground aims to give visibility and voice
to these new Cedar Rapidians, whose contribu-
tions to our community we greatly valued.
Organized by the Iowa Ceramics Center and
Glass Studio Shifting Ground is an immigrant
outreach project using art making and the cre-
ative process as a vehicle for learning about
each other and for finding a sense of place with-
in a new culture, while also retaining pride in
one’s heritage.
Shifting Ground Saturday July 27th
1- 4 pm
The Exhibit/ Celebration Cherry Center Place
A Multicultural Celebration of Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio
Immigrant Stories Told with Clay 320 11th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Featuring St. Paul's African www.iowaceramicscenter.org
Nationals Choir
http://shifting-ground.org
 Paula Reaes Pinto and António Gorgel Pinto are
two fearless artists whose work confronts social, Artist Team Workshop
economic and ecological issues by partnering with
locals in disenfranchised Portuguese communities.
For the past fifteen years, their work has addressed
Jane Gilmor
António Gorgel Pinto
Participants
issues of displacement, habitat deterioration, and Paula Reaes Pinto
Michelle Bender
cultural degeneration due to globalization. Their vi- Jeremy Bezan

Project Director
sion is one of an art that crosses diverse disciplines Christian Garcia
and pushes the boundaries of what we call “Art” to Christopher Garcia
create new models for a way of life that includes Joshua Landin
long-term sustainability of diverse communities, Ellen Kleckner, Director, Estiphany Perez Rubio
worldviews, and pratices. Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio Elijah Troche
https://www.behance.net/pintos Katherine Rodriquez
Angel Rodrigues

Funders Contributors Erisa Niyibhitanga

Aimerance Namasoma
Helen Mensah-Blevi
Funding for Shifting Ground is provided by the Community Partners: St. Paul’s United Methodist Siriro Hakizimana
Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa De- Mount Mercy University, Dave Dennis, Facilities di- Church, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Sonia Mounzeo-Mampassi
rector, Deb O’Hare JT Richard, Art Department Gal- Hispanic Ministries, Claudio Hidalgo, Trees Forev- Abiba Humulisa
partment of Cultural Affairs, The City of Cedar
lery Director, Keesha Burke-Henderson, Director of er, Thorland Co./ The Cherry Building, Mount Adija Sinumvayaha
Rapids, Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust, Mount
Diversity and International Student Success. Mercy University, and Legion Arts. Ali Juma
Mercy University’s Janalyn Hanson-White
Gallery, The Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass The City of Cedar Rapids Visual Arts Commission, Anna Tuyisenge
Chair Aziza Yawali
Studio, The City of Évora and the University of
Évora, Portugal. The CHAIA Research Centre
Bill Stamats, William Michaels, City of Cedar Rapids
Development Commission.
Workshop Esther Mwamikazi
Fenias Nyandwi
and FCT Foundation in Portugal will provide
funding for the Portugal portion of the proj-
Trees Forever: Shannon Ramsay, Founding Presi-
dent and CEO, Jackie Wedeking, Communications Volunteers Florence Nshimirimana
Fidel Taylor
ect in 2020. & Marketing Manager, Jordan Lattner, Marketing Francine Niyonyishu
Intern. Ellen Schnieder Francoise Swedi
Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust: Brittney Clarke, Narciso Xnme Pascazia Nzeyimana
Thanks To Vice-President of Retail Banking, Wendy Nielsen,
Vice-President of Marketing and Public Relations.
Joyce St. Clair Volz
Michelle LaCompte
Bucumi Ferdinand
Pamela Mukendi
Legion Arts/ CSPS Hall: Dan Miller, Ben Beeson, F. Jade DeLang Hart Julienne Baganya
David Van Allen, Rodney Bradley, Jonathan Berg-
John Herbert, Mel Andringa. Bobbie McGee Salome Baganda
er, Claudio Hidalgo, John Krizan, Lijun and David
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church African Nation- Kelly Loeffelholz
Chadima.
als Choir: Fidel Taylor, Director, Bertin Nduwayezu, Mary Zart
Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio: Resi-
Ferdinand Bucumi, Fenias Nyandwi, Pascane Mpa- Terri Ludwig
dent Artists, Dana Danley-Fortier, Trudy Stenersen
wenayo, Claudine Niyogushima, Giselle Niyindaje, Jonathan Berger (design)
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church: Pastor Sher-
Nimfasha Vareriya, Leissa Vyizigiro , Angel Ntezima- David Van Allen (photography)
rie Ilg, Pastor Daniel Niyonzima, Jade DeLang
na, Perpetua Nsabimana, Asiath. Rodney Bradley (photography and design)
Hart, Michelle LaCompte, Fidel Taylor.
John Schwartzkof (exhibition design)
Naida Garza, Immaculate Conception Church
Hispanic Ministry.