The artistic voices of women ceramicists in an exhibit at City Arts Center, 3000 Pershing Blvd., are described in its title as “soaring,” but their work is also down-to-earth, and of the earth, like clay itself.

"Cornucopia" by Kyoko Tokumaru. Photo courtesy of City Arts Center.

Developed by the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Japan’s Shiga Prefecture and hus-10, Inc., the “Soaring Voices: Recent Work by Women from Japan” touring show contains 87 works by 25 artists.

City Arts director Mary Ann Prior said the show demonstrates an important Japanese cultural shift toward individual women ceramic artists becoming recognized in a traditional male artistic realm.

Prior pointed out that although women have been active in the production of ceramics in Japan for thousands of years, their names have been largely unknown until recent times.

Seals, pressed into the clay, create textile-like patterns in the brown surface of a tall, striking cylindrical stoneware “Vessel,” by Junko Kitamura, one of three she contributes to the exhibit.

Etsuko Tashima uses leaf-like, translucent blue, green and pink glass shapes to accent, complement and contrast with white, also organic-looking stoneware forms in four works from her “Cornucopia” series.

In “Germination,” by Kyoko Tokumaru, a white porcelain object manages to look both ornate and organic, like an elegant, exotic plant, made in an upscale factory, from found objects, as a home decoration.

Most organic, and appealing, too, are the stoneware “Shell” vessels and porcelain and stoneware plates of Shoko Koike.

Two handsome “Noh Form” shapes, made from stoneware inlaid with colored stones, by Eiko Kishi, are more abstract, ship-like and powerful than they are theatrical, despite their titles.

Abstract, multi-lined silver enameled patterns interact well with dark and dull brown areas in an unglazed “Large Yakishime Vessel” by Sachiko Shimizu.

Atsuko Kubota contributes three large, pale blue-green porcelain plates, with striped, geometric and floral patterns that contrast nicely with two hole-riddled white porcelain “orbs” by Yasuko Sakurai.

Kimiyo Mishima incorporates soft drink bottles and boxes, comic books and newspapers into a brash, Pop Art-influenced silkscreen print on stoneware installation, displayed in a roped off area.

Open, worn-away Bibles seem to emerge from white sand, silver-gray rock and blackened “melting” earth in three unusual, thought-prevoking ceramic works from a series by Takako Araki.

In a gallery note, Araki describes herself as not religious, but interested in taking an objective look at religious faith in her work.

Masuki Emi covers a stoneware “Ornamental Pepper” with various exotic patterns, including traditional tie-dye kimono designs, giving it an eye-grabbing, playful, not so purist or organic feel.

Even more cheesy, and cheesecake-like, is a “Hips Parade” installation of work by Yuriko Matsuda.

In her “Hips Parade,” nine porcelain and enamel overglazed female posteriors face towards us wearing scanty underwear, decorated with exotic, jazzy, gold and multi-colored patterns.

International Arts & Artists is the organizer of the show’s North American tour, which follows two stops at Japanese museums, and one at the Musee National de Ceramique in Sevres, France.

The exhibit is highly recommended during its run Aug. 25 at City Arts Center. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Call 951-0000 or visit the website at www.cityartscenter.org for information.

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