Surfaces: New Work by Ryan McKerley and Gregory Story

HOUSTON, TX. ? 18 Hands Gallery presents Surfaces: New Work by Ryan McKerley and Gregory Story, from October 4-31, with an opening reception on Saturday, October 4, from 6pm-9pm, at 18 Hands Gallery, 249B West 19th Street in the Heights. New to the gallery, McKerley and Story are joined by their interest in surface action and complex patterning. Both of these Texas artists represent completely different approaches in form and style. McKerley's functional hard-carved vessels stand in sharp contrast to Story's bold wall work. ?We are committed to representing the incredible diversity of ceramic art,? says co-curator Betsy Evans. ?There's a definite design synergy between these two artists and their keen attention to the interplay between shape and texture.? Co-curator Katy McKinin finds McKerley's work a wonderfully tactile experience. ?There's something intimate about his pottery,? she says. ?It's very beautiful, yet the weight and feel of it seems perfect in the hand. It is so touchable.? McKerley always keeps a human dimension in his mind when crafting his work. ?It's not that I feel functional work is on a higher plane. It's just what I am attracted to,? says McKerley, who gleans his influences from 20th Century studio pottery and mass-market glass and plastic objects. ?I love the clean lines of this work. These throw-away pieces are actually quite well designed and are an expression of the culture we live in.? Austin-based McKerley received his BFA from Abilene Christian University, College of Fine Arts in Abilene, Texas and has apprenticed with Billy Ray Mangham and Sleeping Dog Studio. He arrives at his highly detailed surface textures through a process of wax resist. Raised circles seem to float across the vessel. ?I like the play between positive and negative space. It's like looking through a window,? McKerley says. ?There's always a sense of movement, like cells or bubbles.? McKerley's new batch of work, created through a rigorous trial and error method, involves a new surface carving technique. ?I am always concerned about the chemistry between form and surface. I use thin glazes to make the edges stand out,? says the artist, who prefers using a soda-fire kiln. ?I don't want my pots to be all the same color. The hues are actually formed in the firing process.? Gregory Story's WallBalls spill into space, wrapping around windows and doorways in the process, completely transforming the surface of the wall they find themselves on. Borrowing from installation work and painting, Story's wall work represents a significant new direction for the Gallery. Cast from liquid clay and then individually hand-carved, the balls are then sponged smooth and bisque fired, and finally painstakingly glazed by hand in a multi-firing process that involves no dipping or spraying. ?I see them as a dimensional alternative to painting or canvas work,? says the Fort Worth-based artist. ?The shadows add yet another dimension.? Story has developed a technique where the balls lay flush with the wall, making them appear a part of the wall. ?The WallBalls are so organic and look as if they are growing off the wall,? says Evans. ?The arrangement looks like a constellation and completely alters the environment. That's so appealing.? Story, trained at the University of Texas at Arlington, agrees that his work projects a whimsical flavor. Story culls his influences from a broad base, which includes Pre-Columbian, Italian Damask, ancient Greece to Mid-Century Modern. Story will also be featuring a new collection of low-fire platters and bottles, where bold patterns rule. He prefers low-fire due to the endless opportunities for glaze. Unapologetic about his focus on surfaces, Story sticks to his mission in creating objects that assume their functionality on an aesthetic front. ?I am more interested in how my work looks than how it works,? quips Story. ?If you want to put crackers on it, fine, but then you have covered it up. I make objects to stand alone.?