MARTY RAY / CERAMIC ART: THREE DECADES
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My life with clay began in late 1960 when I signed up for class with Octavio Medellin at his Sculpture School in Oak Cliff. First Octavio had us make clay by hand-mixing 3 dry clays with water. He ordered from Acme Brick Company in Denton the main clay for the mixture. With clay mixed, Octavio demonstrated building a large hollow form using small bits of clay pinched together. My first piece turned into a simplified figure over a foot high. My second (unplanned) became 3 little fisher boys over 2 feet tall. The iron rich Texas earth and the high temperature firing provided the final surface finish.
I began teaching art in junior and senior high schools after graduation from ETSU. I quickly found that students loved to work with clay. With little clay background for teaching, I learned coil and slab methods to add with Octavio’s pinching technique. I also began experimenting with ceramic surface finishes. In 1967 – 68, I had the incredible experience of teaching in Japan for one year. Upon visiting Japanese pottery villages and opening eyes to the subtle beauty of pottery, a new appreciation for ceramic art grew. By 1976 I was fully hooked by the challenge and unlimited possibilities of ceramics. I took leave of teaching and began graduate work in Ceramics and Sculpture at SMU. In 1978 I completed an MFA and began teaching drawing, sculpture, and ceramics at North Lake College. Discovering the complex media of ceramics changed my path as an artist for certain.
Art was my major at East Texas State University where I focused on painting, drawing and printmaking. I took zero ceramic classes. Learning about clay was a necessity for teaching, however clay quickly grabbed my attention. Eventually I gained wheel skills and began drawing on the simple rounded forms. Placing imagery on pots is an ancient tradition, practiced by many cultures. My own pottery drawings reflect personal themes including home life, art life and city environments. The weather, a bird singing, news of the day or art by other artists spark ideas. However, no matter the theme, I’m always aware of designing space that is three dimensional, moving up, down and around.
My pottery speaks of memories, places, and art about art. Love for design shows up in playful and varied vessel shapes as well as the arrangement of line and color all around each form. The way I work has evolved yet remained consistent through many years. I greatly appreciate this opportunity to show a small selection of work that spans a little over 3 decades. Looking back makes me excited about looking forward to new work to come. ARTIST PAGEWEBSITE
TRACEY HARRIS / ONE EPIPHANY AWAY FROM A GOOD TIME
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Fifteen years ago, I made my first book painting. I painted a book and questioned, what would I title the book I would most love to read… “How to Un-Fuck Stuff Up”, of course.
Many iterations and deep thoughts later, I’ve enjoyed creating titles that allow me to be a snarky social commentator, identifier of the spectacle, and stand up comedian from the luxury of my easel. Saying what many dare to say aloud has been of great benefit to my psyche, and allows me to delve into my own peculiar quirks while painting away in the isolation of my studio. To add to all of that!!! It’s beyond enjoyable to watch people in a gallery setting…..laugh.ARTIST PAGEWEBSITE
FAITH SCOTT JESSUP / CAPRICE
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My paintings are equal parts invention and description. While the work has a high degree of verisimilitude, realism is not the point. Rather, detailed description is a by-product of sustained observation and contemplation. Over the years I have painted a variety of subjects but my focus has always been on natural forms, whether they are landscapes, leaves, feathers or single stones. In this body of work I am using pattern and color to explore the interplay between the real and the imagined: nature observed and nature stylistically interpreted. I have always loved fabric and in these paintings the swatches of cloth and scarves have provided the impetus for my naturalistic inventions. ARTIST PAGEWEBSITE
