John Natsoulas Press: A Visual History
The John Natsoulas Gallery is proud to present this retrospective exhibition of its long history as a major publisher. By visually combining the publications with the artwork found in over 50 of these books, this exhibition honors the dedication, creativity, and skill of the artists and those who have made this publishing endeavor so successful.
Throughout its close to 40-year history, the John Natsoulas Gallery has demonstrated a continuous commitment to the ideals of research and publishing. Since its inception, the John Natsoulas Press has published over 300 texts about historic and contemporary artists. This significant collection of monographs and exhibition catalogues celebrates artistic achievements in painting, sculpture, ceramic, and more. This exhibition offers visitors the unique opportunity to peruse the large collection of these rare, limited-run publications. The ability to see artwork featured in the books elevates the experience.
During the early history of the gallery and press the primary subject matter explored the history of Bay Area Art – from both the Funk and Beat Movements. The catalogues that accompanied some of the earliest exhibitions dedicated to the revolutionary King Ubu, 6, and Spatsa Galleries, remain as authoritative texts on these spaces more than 35 years later. Founded here in Davis, the gallery also has a rich history steeped in the California Clay Movement. From the beginning, the first published books celebrated the ceramic artists who made the region so famous. This special focus on ceramic arts remains a central tenet for the John Natsoulas Press, which offers an ever-growing collection of ceramic monographs. A similar commitment to elevating the recognition of the distinct style of the Sacramento Valley landscape painters has persisted. While the drive to enter regional artists into the art historical canon has been and continues to be a key enterprise, the John Natsoulas Press proudly publishes the work of international artists. Notable exhibition catalogues including the International Figurative Biennale, the Western Biennale, Art of Painting in the 21st Century, and Working Through It: Women and Their Art offer insight into the developments in the wider artistic world.
For many years, the John Natsoulas Press has printed its books right here at the John Natsoulas Gallery. The work of dozens of authors, designers, and editors have resulted in an immense catalogue of publications, unparalleled in its scope by other comparable institutions.
The Mission of the John Natsoulas Press by John Natsoulas
“I grew up the son of a writer. My father, a philosopher and founder of the field of consciousness studies, spent long hours in his study writing books and articles. His example shaped how I see the value of ideas, writing, and publishing — not just as creative work but as a way to share knowledge and experience.
I did not formally study art before opening my gallery more than forty years ago. Publishing became a path for me to understand the field more deeply. I discovered joy in writing, editing, and producing books that were not only visually rich but also intellectually engaging. Most of all, I loved getting to know the artists, listening to them, supporting their work, and making their stories accessible to the public.
Over the years, at countless art fairs, people would ask me about artists they admired. I often found myself speaking passionately for half an hour, describing the work and sharing what I had learned through studio visits and interviews. Those conversations made me realize how hungry people are to understand the lives behind the art. I began to see each book as a chance to uncover and share those stories, part art history, part detective work. I have always loved mystery novels, and postwar American art has its own layered and complex narratives waiting to be discovered.
Researching early San Francisco galleries brought me closer to the roots of the West Coast art scene. In the 1980s, I met artists and poets who had founded the King Ubu and Six Galleries, where the Beat movement found its visual voice and where Allen Ginsberg first read ‘Howl’ in 1955. Documenting these spaces and the artists who built them led to books that are now used by scholars across the country.”
“That research also led me to unexpected places. I once spent five years trying to track down a Beat era sculptor named Hoffman, who had disappeared from the art world. One day, she appeared at my front door. We became close, and she eventually lived with me for a time. I was listed as her next of kin when she passed away. That experience, along with my time with Emmy Lou Packard, Diego Rivera's assistant and a pioneering artist in her own right, reminded me that these personal relationships are essential. They ground the books in lived experience and allow me to tell stories with depth and care.
Each monograph is a collaboration. After working closely with an artist I often feel I know them fully, their ideas, their spirit, and their practice. That closeness fuels the publishing work I continue to do.
John Natsoulas Press has grown to include books on human rights, art activism, and the role of art in public life. While publishing is not financially rewarding, Harry Abrams once said, "There is not really any money in books," every book we sell helps make the next one possible. I believe in creating thoughtful, text rich books rather than image only portfolios. Our publications are now used by researchers, curators, and students to understand both individual artists and the broader cultural moments they were part of.
A central focus in recent years has been ceramic sculpture, especially in Northern California. We produced a major book on artists as teachers, highlighting professors who shaped generations of ceramic artists from the 1950s to today. To date, we have published over fifty monographs on ceramic sculptors, documenting a network of makers whose influence now extends across the country and beyond.
Artists like Robert Arneson, Peter Voulkos, Viola Frey, and Stephen De Staebler helped define the region as a center for ceramics. Their legacy continues to inspire the California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art, which I have supported for nearly four decades. This annual event brings together college and high school ceramics programs, celebrating the medium's vitality and community.
For me, publishing is more than a profession. It is a way to honor artists, support their legacy, and build a deeper public understanding of their work. Through these books, I hope to preserve not just the history of American art but the spirit of the artists who shaped it.
P.S. My deepest thanks to the writers, designers, and editors work possible”