Public Art Display Case – Lafayette Library and Learning Center

The Public Art Committee is pleased to announce the availability of a museum-quality display case for small exhibitions of three-dimensional art or objects of cultural or historical interest.

Swerving In And Out Of My Lane

Suzanne Rogge

December 2, 2025 – February 1, 2026

As a jewelry artist, my ‘main highway’ for creating jewelry is as a metalsmith, defined as someone who shapes and forges metal with the use of tools and fire.  There are many other processes and materials for creating jewelry outside of what’s typically used in metalsmithing, and I occasionally swerve out of my lane to check them out.  No other set of materials and processes have caused me to change my focus away from metalsmithing, but I have great fun exploring and experimenting with them.  It also keeps the process of making jewelry interesting and new.

This curated assortment of my jewelry includes pieces made with traditional metalsmithing materials and processes as well as from occasions when I swerved out of my lane to try something different.  Included are examples of wood carving, enameling, etching, faience (blue ceramic material recognized in ancient Egyptian artifacts), beads and antique buttons, wire, and leather. 

My journey into metalsmithing began in 2008 with taking classes at California College of the Arts in Oakland.  I continued my training at Silvera Jewelry School in Berkeley and most recently in Florence, Italy.  I donate from every sale to non-profit organizations Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano as well as Women For Women International out of my commitment to assist those in need in local and international communities.

For inquiries: Please email the artist at suzanneroggedesigns@comcast.net.

How to Apply

Exhibits are selected by the City of Lafayette Public Art Committee. Artists interested in displaying artwork must submit a complete Exhibit Packet, including executed Art Gallery Release, an exhibition statement and an artist biography. Please contact Public Art Liaison Jenny Rosen for more information.

The exhibition calendar is divided into four seasonal shows—Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall—with a fixed deadline application process. Application deadlines are as follows:

• October 15 for Winter (December - February)
• December 15 for Spring (March - May)
• March 15 for Summer (June - August)
• June 15 for Fall (September - November)

Applications shall be reviewed by the Public Art Committee at its regular monthly meetings. Scheduling of exhibitions is dependent upon availability. No alternate works may be substituted for accepted works.

Dimensions

• Width: 58.5 inches
• Depth: 23.5 inches
• Visible Glass Height: 17.5 inches

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Location

The public art display case is located in an alcove at the top of the stairs near the main entrance of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center: 3491 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette, CA 94549

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Hours

The display case is viewable during library hours. For details, please check the Lafayette Library and Learning Center website.

Past Exhibits

Bottles to Blues

Fergus Folan
September 11 – November 30, 2025

Exhibition Statement

There was a moment when I was nearly finished with a bottle I’d just thrown on the wheel,  when I decided to exaggerate the neck for effect. Then the second moment occurred in the  process - “Hang on, this could be a guitar slide.” So, I started making ceramic guitar slides on my wheel in the garage. From the early clunky experiments, and several different clays and glazes I could hear a difference in timbre between the slides. This exhibit looks at the harmony between two normally exclusive art forms - ceramics and  music. Specifically, the overlap between slide guitar playing and working with clay, glaze  and fire. Scan the QR Code in the case, scroll through the videos and press play to hear the ceramic slides in action.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Fergus Folan grew up in a household filled with music—from traditional Irish tunes to the soulful blues of the American South. After emigrating to the  U.S. in the late 1980s, Fergus picked up both a guitar and a potter’s wheel, beginning a  journey that blended music and clay.
Inspired by blues legend Rory Gallagher, who famously played slide guitar with an aspirin  bottle, Fergus began crafting ceramic slides from high-fired porcelain. His work explores  the surprising harmony between the sound of music and the form of handmade ceramics.
Fergus lives in Lafayette, California, where he continues to throw, fire, glaze—and play slide guitar.

For more information go to www.ceramicslides.com

Exhibition Statement

My exhibition combines poetry, art and ceramics. I am a ceramic artist, visual artist, and poet working in Walnut Creek. My inspiration comes from my late mother’s poetry as well as my own poetry. I love the concept of adding poetry and illustrations to functional ceramic pieces, such as bowls, plates, lidded jars and other objects.

Artist Biography

Alice Lasky is a graduate of Boston University School for the Arts. My introduction to poetry began as a child listening to my mother’s poetry readings at the local library. I have spent most of my years immersed in musical and artistic pursuits and writing poetry allows me to examine and organize my thoughts in a less abstract way. My poetry and ceramic works are inspired by my love of the natural world. I am a member of the Clay Arts Guild and have been working at the clay studio in Walnut Creek’s Civic Park for over 20 years.

For inquiries

www.creativeclaybyalice.etsy.com

Clay Art Alchemy

Catherine Carle, December 2024 - February 2025

Exhibition Statement

This exhibit offers a look at the limitless ways to work with the alchemy of clay, including sculpting, hand building, slab work, throwing on the wheel, glazing, surface decoration, such as carving, or using stencils, oxides, or wax resist, firing methods, and so much more.

 So many people do not tap into their creative, imaginative side because they do not see themselves as artists.  The goal of my exhibit is to offer up an array of pieces, from whimsical to useful, and hopefully get people walking by to stop, look, and say to themselves, “hey, maybe I could do that!”

 Clay is pliable, forgiving, and accesses the child in us who loved making mud pies.  You can be as precise, creating work that is refined and aesthetically pleasing, or you can be whimsical and adventurous, creating work that is earthier, yet still pleasing. I encourage others not to frame creativity within the limits of innate artistic talent but rather in the broader realm of freedom of expression. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “All artists were amateurs once.”

Artist Biography

I was born in Tokyo, Japan and lived there until age 5, when my family moved to California.  At age 10, we moved to New York, and then I returned to the West Coast for college.  International travel, reading, sewing, going to museums, and cooking were beloved family and childhood activities that have remained with me to this day.  I grew up with parents who expressed themselves through sewing, knitting, and painting (mom) and photography and making Rya rugs (dad); this impressed upon me that there is always space in one’s life to create.

After I retired from my career as a middle school counselor in 2011, I traveled to Turkey, Europe, and South Africa. About five years ago, I decided to try a ceramics class at Walnut Creek Community Arts and have been going back ever since.  Currently, my favorite way to spend my time is with my family, enjoying many of the activities I enjoyed as a child.  I love making ceramics with my imaginative grandchildren and hoping what they make does not blow up in the kiln!

Exploring My Roots Through Folk and Tribal Art

Rashmi Rao, October - December 2024

Exhibition Statement

Driven by a desire to reconnect with my cultural roots, I began this project as a 100-day challenge to immerse myself in Indian folk and tribal art. Each week focused on a different traditional style, offering a deep dive into age-old art forms. The project evolved into an ongoing journey and has been an incredibly enriching experience.

I chose Pantone cards as my canvas, reflecting my background in graphic design, and used Sakura Pigma black microtip pens, Posca markers, and gouache to blend vibrant colors with the precision of traditional techniques.

Artist Biography

I'm Rashmi Rao, a multidisciplinary artist and designer with a background in Chemistry from India and further studies in cosmetology, graphic design, and fine art in the U.S. With over a decade of experience as a graphic artist, my work spans various mediums and has been exhibited in galleries and hospitals across the Bay Area. I’ve participated in juried shows like Art Under the Oaks, Freshworks at Harrington Gallery, and Imagination Expressed at the Museum on Main. My art includes floral drawings, lifelike animal portraits, and vibrant pastels, with a special interest in mandalas and alcohol inks. Inspired by nature and my Indian heritage, I continually explore new textures and techniques. When not creating art, I enjoy teaching, dancing, hiking, and practicing mindfulness. 

For inquiries: www.rashmiraodesigns.com

History of Lafayette Libraries

2023-2024

Ukrainian Song

Yana Verba, 2023

This companion display to Yana Verba's exhibit, Ukrainian Song, in the Community Hall Gallery, featured a collection of books about Ukrainian art. 

Dislocations

Carl Heyward and Akiko Suzuki, September 2022

Curated by Carl Heyward and Akiko Suzuki, Dislocations featured handcrafted books created by the Global Art Project, an international collaborative collective of 70+ artists.