Bio
Vicki Gunter is a Bay Area native, born in Oakland but raised in one of the first cracker-box housing tracts in Pleasant Hill. That slice of suburbia in the 50’s was surrounded by California hills of oaks, little family farms and creeks teaming with frogs. Her family regularly camped and backpacked in the high sierras. She continues to find profound kinship and inspiration from California’s natural places.
Vicki always knew she wanted to be an artist but was equally fascinated by the human body. She began dancing with Loretta Jacobs at the age of five after begging for lessons from the age of three. Her lists to Santa included paintbrushes, microscopes and books on the human body.
She first sunk her hands into clay and knew it was a fit in high school studying with Jim Snowden. She also began studying modern dance with Frank Shawl and Victor Anderson in high school. She worked with Clayton Bailey at Diablo Valley College (1968) and her eyes were opened to sculptures of belching clams, peeing dogs and giant inflating penises. Despite these gems, suburbia in the 50’s and 60’s was a stifling monoculture of America — which was an inspiration to — leave.
At San Francisco State she was swept into the anti war, ecology and student civil rights movements. She studied ceramics with Joe Hawley & Charles “Bud” McKee & created pieces such as an Etruscan-type cinerary urn for President Nixon.
In the early 70’s Vicki moved back to Oakland and began a four-year dance art & motion/massage therapy apprenticeship with Jane Brown. She was a founding member and associate to Jane Brown's dance company and foundation. Simultaneously she continued studying ceramics & sculpture with Alan Meisel and Ted Odza at Laney College. She has made her living as a dancer, massage and motion therapist ever since – creating sculpture, writing & costumes to support her choreography. She worked with Jane until 1991 when she and Peter Brown founded Orches - Dancing, Teaching, Healing - and later coined the term Body Orchestration to describe their all encompassing work.
In 2004 Vicki’s partner in dance and life was diagnosed with cancer (now ‘cured’), the landlord forced them out of their dance & theatre space (Open Arts Circle) and two parents died. Life changed. Ceramics and writing came bubbling to the surface again. Vicki went back to Laney and studied creative writing with Matthew Goldstein and ceramics with Sherry Karver, Susannah Israel and Larry Henderson.
The result was an installation solo show in 2008 - The Reading Chair at Oakopolis Gallery located in Oakland’s art murmur district. Vicki’s career as an artist continues with new unique work, shows and awards.
After living with her companion for 40 years and raising their two beautiful and creative daughters —they married in 2011.
Vicki always knew she wanted to be an artist but was equally fascinated by the human body. She began dancing with Loretta Jacobs at the age of five after begging for lessons from the age of three. Her lists to Santa included paintbrushes, microscopes and books on the human body.
She first sunk her hands into clay and knew it was a fit in high school studying with Jim Snowden. She also began studying modern dance with Frank Shawl and Victor Anderson in high school. She worked with Clayton Bailey at Diablo Valley College (1968) and her eyes were opened to sculptures of belching clams, peeing dogs and giant inflating penises. Despite these gems, suburbia in the 50’s and 60’s was a stifling monoculture of America — which was an inspiration to — leave.
At San Francisco State she was swept into the anti war, ecology and student civil rights movements. She studied ceramics with Joe Hawley & Charles “Bud” McKee & created pieces such as an Etruscan-type cinerary urn for President Nixon.
In the early 70’s Vicki moved back to Oakland and began a four-year dance art & motion/massage therapy apprenticeship with Jane Brown. She was a founding member and associate to Jane Brown's dance company and foundation. Simultaneously she continued studying ceramics & sculpture with Alan Meisel and Ted Odza at Laney College. She has made her living as a dancer, massage and motion therapist ever since – creating sculpture, writing & costumes to support her choreography. She worked with Jane until 1991 when she and Peter Brown founded Orches - Dancing, Teaching, Healing - and later coined the term Body Orchestration to describe their all encompassing work.
In 2004 Vicki’s partner in dance and life was diagnosed with cancer (now ‘cured’), the landlord forced them out of their dance & theatre space (Open Arts Circle) and two parents died. Life changed. Ceramics and writing came bubbling to the surface again. Vicki went back to Laney and studied creative writing with Matthew Goldstein and ceramics with Sherry Karver, Susannah Israel and Larry Henderson.
The result was an installation solo show in 2008 - The Reading Chair at Oakopolis Gallery located in Oakland’s art murmur district. Vicki’s career as an artist continues with new unique work, shows and awards.
After living with her companion for 40 years and raising their two beautiful and creative daughters —they married in 2011.
© Vicki Gunter 2002-2012