Rio Americano’s beloved ceramics teacher, Rene Worley, truly embodies the essence of an artist.
Born and raised in Tulare, Worley was born into a family rich in artistry and innovation. Her grandfather was both an artist and inventor, and she grew up alongside an array of other artists and engineers.
With a background in drawing and painting, Worley took her first ceramics class with her mother when she was 16, which then ignited a passion for the art form. She fell in love with the feeling of transforming natural raw materials into something beautiful, she said.
Worley later attended the California College of the Arts in Oakland. She initially majored in graphic design but soon felt unsure of her choice. She decided to shift her focus to something that was a better fit for her.
Worley changed her major to interdisciplinary arts, combining several disciplines, and later joined the ceramics program. Worley ultimately graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts and received her masters degree from CSU Dominguez Hills.
“College, for me, is many things, but its (mainly) learning how to learn,” Worley said. According to her, it’s the time where students find their independence and understand the discipline and process that will help them be successful in achieving their goals.
Her master’s portfolio included numerous large sculptures all made within three years, pieces that Worley said are especially important because they were completed during stressful periods in her life. While receiving her masters, Worley was juggling a full-time job and raising her two-year-old daughter all while creating the ceramics collection currently displayed on her classroom shelves.
Today, Rio’s ceramics classroom is more than an educational facility; it is a sanctuary. The sizable room is home to hundreds of pieces of art, made by both former students and Worley herself.
“I have not made it yet,” Worley said about the piece she is most proud of.
Worley’s favorite project to teach is called “Bas-Relief” (bAh-relief), a technique that combines painting and history. Students research an art history painting and are tasked with giving dimension to something flat.
“It’s the most conceptually and technically difficult, but the most beautiful,” Worley said. Its complexity is a rewarding challenge for the students, she said.
The love for ceramics is a large part of Worley’s identity, and she epitomizes the saying, “if you love what you’re doing, you’ll succeed in it.”
