Archie Bray celebrates 60 years of creativity and innovation
Published: May 27, 2011
the Archie Bray Foundation.
The Archie Bray Foundation in Helena celebrates its transformation from brickyard to world-renowned ceramic arts center with a three-day international symposium, June 23-25.
“2011: From the Center to the Edge – 60 Years of Creativity and Innovation at the Archie Bray Foundation” is designed to highlight the state of the field of ceramic art today through discussion, demonstrations and artistic interaction.
The Bray will bring together a group of 12 leading ceramic artists, called the “Artists to the Edge,” to work for the entire month of June in a collaborative and communal studio setting.
“These artists have been chosen for their ability to look beyond tradition,” says Steven Young Lee, resident artist director of the foundation. “While innovation takes many forms, the 60th anniversary visiting artists represent fresh and original thinking in areas of technology, culture, design, education, studio practice, and interdisciplinary collaboration.”
The artists who are committed to the June residency are: John Balistreri, professor of art at Bowling Green State University; Andy Brayman, a potter who established and directs the Matter Factory in Kansas City; Caroline Cheng, the founder of The Pottery Workshop Experimental Studio in Jingdezhen, China; Chad Curtis, a self-described “tinkerer” who builds customized machines; Ayumi Horie, a studio potter in the Hudson Valley of New York, who has developed a distinctive online community; KleinReid (James Klein and David Reid), New York-based innovators in porcelain design and marketing; Linda Sormin, a professor at Rhode Island School of Design, whose large-scale installations create a collaborative and educational experience; Bobby Silverman, who creates his ceramic work in partnership with industrial and product designers in New York City; Steven Thurston, a former industrial modeler for General Motors; John Williams a Philadelphia-based artist who utilizes new technologies in his teaching practice and his work; and Jen Woodin, an artist, educator and former engineer, who incorporates 2D and 3D imaging software to craft objects in a virtual space.
These 12 artists will join 17 ceramic leaders, called “Artists from the Center,” to present their thoughts and perspectives during the three-day anniversary through demonstrations, artist talks and panel discussions.
Antemann
The 17 artists at the center of the Bray’s three-day anniversary celebration are Robert Brady, John Buck, Deborah Butterfield, Beth Cavener Stichter, Josh DeWeese, Julia Galloway, Sarah Jaeger, Jun Kaneko, Richard Notkin, Don Reitz, Sandy Simon, Chris Staley, Akio Takamori, Tip Toland, Jason Walker, Patti Warashina and Kurt Weiser.
Along with the 60th anniversary celebration, the Bray will host three exhibitions opening June 23: “The Resident Artists and 2011 Artists to the Edge,” showcasing current resident artists and invited innovative artists; the “2011 Artists from the Center”; and “Early Innovators,” a selection from the Bray’s permanent collection.
The schedule
Thursday’s festivities include artist demonstrations from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., receptions at the Bray and the Helena Civic Center, and the Ceramic Stroll, 7-10 p.m. in downtown Helena.
Three panel discussions are also on tap Friday at the Civic Center: “Craft, Innovation and Contemporary Art,” “2020: Looking at the Future of Ceramic Art,” and “Commenting on Clay.” Jun Kaneko gives a keynote presentation at 3 p.m.
The Bray’s 60th anniversary celebration culminates with a gala dinner, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Civic Center ($100). Silent and live auctions follow with bidding on items by more than 300 ceramic artists from around the world.
On Saturday, local ceramic artists offer a window on their workspaces during the Helena Artists Studio Tour, 1-5 p.m.; for a list of participating artists and a map, visit the website.
Back at the Bray, artists offer demonstrations and presentations throughout the day, culminating in the Brickyard Bash at 6 p.m. The Big Sky Mudflaps supply an infectious mix of jazz, swing, R&B and Latin tunes for the ever-popular party, which began in 1984 to celebrate the purchase of the Bray family brickyard and to thank the community for its support. Tickets are $10-$15.
Also on tap: artist demonstrations and presentations, the creation of outdoor sculptures throughout the day by Louis Katz and Gwen Heeney, and a performance by Katz at dusk.
For more information, call 443-3502 or visit 60th.archiebray.org.
Clay exhibits around Montana
Galleries and museums throughout the state are paying homage to the Archie Bray and its rich ceramic legacy with special exhibitions this month. Offerings include:
Billings
Yellowstone Art Museum: “Fertile Ground: Ceramic Art in Montana” through Sept. 4; the exhibit celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena with works from the YAM’s permanent collection, including sculpture and vessels by Rudy Autio, Peter Voulkos, Frances Senska, Richard Notkin, David Shaner, Josh DeWeese and Marcia Selsor. Call 256-6804 or visit http://www.artmuseum.org.
Bozeman
Emerson Center’s Jessie Wilber Gallery: “Figurative Ceramics 2011,” June 10-Aug. 31; this exhibit of cutting-edge sculpture, ranging from portraiture to abstract and symbolic human and animal figures, includes works by Beth Lo, Richard Notkin, Tip Toland, Michael Sarich, Rosalie Wynkoop and Kensuke Yamada. Call 587-9797 or visit http://www.theemerson.org for details.
Great Falls
Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art: “Centered: Ceramics from the C.M. Russell Museum” and “Centered: Early Works by Peter Voulkos from the Wells Fargo Bank Collection,” both on display June 21- Sept. 10. Call 727-8255 or visit http://www.the-square.org.
Helena
Montana Historical Society: “From the Brick Yard: The Archie Bray Foundation,” through July 8; the Society celebrates the Bray’s 60th anniversary with a display of works by artists affiliated with the ceramic arts foundation, including Rudy Autio, Peter Voulkos, Kurt Weiser and Tre Arenz, as well as early photographs and bricks from the brickyard. Call 444-4741 for details.
ExplorationWorks: “The Science of Clay,” June 13-Aug. 30; series of exhibits, which are imbued with lots of local flavor, explore how clay is formed, collected and fired. Call 457-1800 for details.
Richard Swanson Studio: “Connections and Beyond,” June 20-26; resident artists (former and current) of the Red Lodge Clay Center share their work. Call 446-3993 or visit http://www.redlodgeclaycenter.com.
Holter Museum of Art: Bray 60th Anniversary Celebration, opening June 23; three exhibits celebrate the legacy of the ceramic arts center: “Peter Meloy Plates,” continuing through Dec.31; “Big Clay,” June 23-Aug. 28; and “Then and Now,” also through Aug. 28. Also part of the clay celebration: majolica-inspired works by Rosalie Wynkoop, June 14-July 17, and whimsical ceramic pieces by Emily Free Wilson, through July. Call 442-6400 for details.
Missoula
Montana Museum of Art and Culture: “60 Artists, 60 Artworks, 60 Years: Celebrating the Archie Bray Foundation,” June 3-Sept. 10; UM faculty, alumnus and former Bray residents share a diverse selection of ceramics. Also on campus, “Peter and Henry Meloy: Collaborations,” showcases functional and sculptural ceramics by the well-known Helena brothers through Sept. 10 at the UM Mansfield Library. Call 243-2019 for details.
Missoula Art Museum: “Persistence in Clay,” through Sept. 11; exhibit celebrates the long-lived strength of the clay medium in Montana with works by 19 ceramic artists. Call 728-0447 or visit http://www.missoulaartmuseum.org for details.
