Tea With Dante

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Literary allusions, religious icons and elements of pop culture routinely find their way into John Dennison's one-of-a-kind ceramic masks. The Omaha artist molds clay over wads of newsprint to form facial features and objects in themes that explore morality, race, music and other iconic imagery. Teapots and teacups – long of importance to potters – often are integrated. For the artist, the sharing of tea suggests a communion with others, a mulling over of ideas.

Dennison retired in 2003 from teaching English and pottery at Omaha North High School. He works from his Dennison Gallery, which sits on six-and-a-half wooded acres on Omaha's northern edge. Dennison and his wife, Carol, have a home on the property and host a stop on the annual Omaha North Hills Pottery Tour (Oct. 6 and 7, 2012).

Tell us about a local artist you admire. E-mail Chris.Christen@owh.com