1982 Porcelain Sculpture on Plywood Mount, Contemporary, 20 cm
Located in London, GB
Ruth Duckworth Untitled, 1982 Porcelain on plywood mount 20 x 88 x 88 cm 7 7/8 x 34 5/8 x 34 5/8 in
1980s Contemporary Ceramic Sculptures
Porcelain, Plywood
1982 Porcelain Sculpture on Plywood Mount, Contemporary, 20 cm
Located in London, GB
Ruth Duckworth Untitled, 1982 Porcelain on plywood mount 20 x 88 x 88 cm 7 7/8 x 34 5/8 x 34 5/8 in
Porcelain, Plywood
Portrait of Woman, Sculpture, Ceramic Handmade by Garo, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: (Garo) Karapet Balakeseryan Medium: Ceramic, Clay, Handmade, One of a Kind Year: 2023 Style: Classic, Impressionism, Subject: Portrai...
Stone
$9,771
Char by Cécile Raynal - Animal smoke-fired stoneware sculpture, fable, clay
Located in Paris, FR
Char is a unique smoke-fired stoneware, resin, plaster and clay sculpture by French contemporary artist Cécile Raynal, dimensions are 84 × 28 × 48 cm (33 × 11 × 18.9 in). This sculpt...
Clay, Stoneware, Resin, Plaster
Wifredo Lam Ceramic Plate: Untitled
By Wifredo Lam
Located in Miami, FL
WIFREDO LAM Untitled, 1976 Ceramic 16 in Provenance: Galleria Nuovo Sagittario, Milan. Private Collection. IL PONTE Casa d’ Aste. Arte Moderna e contemporanea, 27 may 2026. Lot 266....
Ceramic
Framed Contemporary Candy Mosaic Wall Sculpture Clay Bubble Relief Pop Art Panel
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Large contemporary candy mosaic wall sculpture composed of hand modeled clay elements arranged in a dense three-dimensional bubble relief panel. This sculptural wall work develops a...
Clay, Spray Paint, Board
Bowl with Vintage Chair (Made-to-order, Mid-Century, Modern, Vibrant)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Melanie Sherman Bowl with Vintage Chair Earthenware, 24K German Gold Luster, Glaze, Underglaze, China Paints, Vintage Transfers, Multiple Cone 6 Firings, Hand-built 2024 Size: 1.75 ...
Earthenware, Luster, Paint, Glaze, Underglaze
$7,500
"Pitcher Form with Intestines", Porcelain Sculpture, Anatomical, Glass Accents
Located in St. Louis, MO
Bonnie Seeman grew up in Miami, Florida with a propensity towards anatomy illustration and the dazzling colors and rich foliage of the Miami landscape. Developing her technique with...
Ceramic, Clay, Porcelain, Glass
Judaica Painting w Sculpture Terra Cotta Jewish Couple Israeli Artist Kanovich
Located in Surfside, FL
Original Painting: Terracotta Relief With Acrylic Painting on Wood Panel Hand signed These works are paintings with a 3D carved sculpture dimension to them, fusing sculpture with pai...
Terracotta, Acrylic, Wood Panel
20 MG Love Peace pill Combo (light pink, black) - figurative sculpture
By Tal Nehoray
Located in New York, NY
This new work by Tal Nehoray is from her latest body of works called "Happy Pills". All are hand made with ceramic and hand painted with automotive paint. It is a combination of 2 ce...
Ceramic, Automotive Paint
Reclined Girl - Sculpture by Sirio Pellegrini - 1960s
Located in Roma, IT
Painted Terracotta sculture realized by Sirio Pellegrini in 1960s. Good condition. Sirio Pellegrini, born in Rome on March 1, 1922, of Abruzzo origins (Capestrano), spent his child...
Terracotta
Linda Stein, Knight Reflection 636 - Contemporary Art Ceramic Wall Sculpture
By Linda Stein
Located in New York, NY
This sculpture from Linda Stein’s Knights of Protection series functions both as a defender in battle and a symbol of pacifism, and is made of ceramic. Stein's works are in more tha...
Ceramic
Me soaking up the light and The weight of your head. Diptych Porcelain cup
By Alex Hodge 1
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“Me soaking up the light..” Me soaking up the light of you. I imagine you so close to me we blur into each other’s atoms creating our own rhythms, a whole world of us in a daydream. ...
Porcelain, Paint
Spatial Spiral: Arch II- White abstract ceramic sculpture
Located in East Quogue, NY
White spatial spiral "Arch II" ceramic sculpture by Michael Boroniec - ceramic, glaze Michael Boroniec’s “Spatial Spiral” series is an ...
Ceramic, Glaze
Linda Stein, Blonde Knight 656 - Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture Light Colors
By Linda Stein
Located in New York, NY
Blonde Knight 656 is from Linda Stein’s Knights of Protection series, which she started after being forced to evacuate her New York downtown studio for a year post-9/11. Stein's Kni...
Ceramic
Holding Space - intricate, nature-inspired, hand-shaped porcelain sculpture
By Paula Murray
Located in Bloomfield, ON
In her lakeside studio surrounded by nature, Paula Murray creates uniquely beautiful porcelain pieces. This creamy white vessel has a tall undulating form. Wave-like patterns that ru...
Porcelain
"MY WILLY", Miniature, camping trailer van, paper sculpture
By Drew Leshko
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This miniature paper sculpture titled "MY WILLY" is an original artwork by Drew Leshko made of paper, acrylic, inkjet prints, basswood, wire, PVC plastic, pastel, and clay. Through s...
Wire
Fossil Terracotta Sculpture, Modern Style, 1960s, Unframed, 32x28 CM
Located in Roma, IT
Stone sculpture realized by Sirio Pellegrini in 1960s. Hand carved. Very Good condition. Sirio Pellegrini, born in Rome on March 1, 1922, of Abruzzo origins (Capestrano), spent hi...
Terracotta
Terracotta Sculpture Ashtray by Sirio Pellegrini, Modern, 1960s
Located in Roma, IT
Painted ceramic sculpture realized by Sirio Pellegrini in 1960s. Good condition except for a minor chip on one of the edges. Sirio Pellegrini, born in Rome on March 1, 1922, of Abr...
Terracotta
$2,662Sale Price|25% Off
Ceramic Expressionist Head in White Stoneware with Bismuth Rakú Glaze. Testa 9
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Testa 9 is an expressionist ceramic head sculpture created in white stoneware with a bismuth Rakú glaze. This ceramic head belongs to the artist’s Testas series, a body of work compo...
Clay, Glaze
Nude of Woman - Sculpture by Sirio Pellegrini - 1960s
Located in Roma, IT
Marble sculpture realized by Sirio Pellegrini in 1960s. Very Good condition. Sirio Pellegrini, born in Rome on March 1, 1922, of Abruzzo origins (Capestrano), spent his childhood y...
Terracotta
In Light of Her Series Sculptures, Porcelain, Hand-Painted, 16.5 in
By Alex Hodge 1
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The three series that make up her thesis show all center around the woman as an art historical trope who becomes a contemporary archetype of tenderness and tenacity with her own narrative. The tradition of the woman as muse or object is questioned and turned upside down as she gives her women the position of subject, i.e., the position of power. The jars, which uphold pairs of women, are the ultimate overturn of male dominance as she removes and replaces all male characters from famous artworks with women. The couples care for one another and are so consumed in their connection that the viewer is ignored. They do not exist for the viewer’s fantasy because their desires are already fulfilled. Through these three bodies of work, she creates archival objects which combine to build a narrative of women’s power, based on the Love Ethic, as discussed by bell hooks in her book, All About Love. Furthermore, notions of power are investigated in tandem with Mary Follett’s writings on power, which delineate Western conception as power-over, and the feminist ideal as power-with. Alex Hodge...
Gold
$7,500
Macy's Humpty Dumpty unique, signed Ceramic Plate by famed sculptor iconic image
Located in New York, NY
Tom Otterness Macy's Humpty Dumpty Ceramic Plate, 2006 Glazed ceramic plate Signed and dated on the rim 'Tom Otterness 1/19/2006' 13 1/2 in diameter Unframed Provenance: The Estate o...
Ceramic, Glaze, Mixed Media
Mug Sculpture in Terracotta by Sirio Pellegrini, Modern, 1960s
Located in Roma, IT
Painted Terracotta sculpture realized by Sirio Pellegrini in 1960s. Good condition. Sirio Pellegrini, born in Rome on March 1, 1922, of Abruzzo origins (Capestrano), spent his chil...
Terracotta
Woman Terracotta Sculpture, Modern Style, Circa 1960s, Unframed
Located in Roma, IT
Ceramic sculpture realized by Sirio Pellegrini in 1960s. Good condition. Sirio Pellegrini, born in Rome on March 1, 1922, of Abruzzo origins (Capestrano), spent his childhood years...
Terracotta
1960s Modern Terracotta Worker Sculpture, Unframed, Good Condition
Located in Roma, IT
Painted Terracotta sculpture realized by Sirio Pellegrini in 1960s. Good condition. Sirio Pellegrini, born in Rome on March 1, 1922, of Abruzzo origins (Capestrano), spent his chil...
Terracotta
$1,600
Lapis 117 - white gold 3D abstract floral geometric ceramic wall composition
Located in New York, NY
Marie Laforey is a self-taught artist based in New York, US who maintains a sustainable art practice using primarily organic material. Laforey enjoys the tactility of working with or...
Clay
Decorative Plate - Sculpture by Sirio Pellegrini - 1960s
Located in Roma, IT
Painted Terracotta sculpture realized by Sirio Pellegrini in 1960s. Good condition. Sirio Pellegrini, born in Rome on March 1, 1922, of Abruzzo origins (Capestrano), spent his chil...
Terracotta
American Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture - Linda Stein, Three Graces 676
By Linda Stein
Located in New York, NY
This sculpture from Linda Stein’s Knights of Protection series functions both as a defender in battle and a symbol of pacifism. Stein's works are in mor...
Ceramic
$566
Jordi Curós Ventura (1930 - 2017) - Botijo pintado a mano - Escena sardanista
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Muy original botijo pintado por el artista Jordi Curós Representando una escena sardanista Firmado en la base Estado aceptable Medidas totales: 30 cm altura x 16 cm mas ancho x 1...
Clay
$5,200Sale Price|20% Off
Homage to Picasso Totem sculpture by Marc Zimmerman
Located in Carmel, CA
This masterwork is currently on display at the Zimmerman Gallery in Carmel, CA Please note: The base is not included. We will guide you through a simple installation process for out...
Ceramic, Clay, Glaze
1960s Modern Satyr Terracotta Sculpture, Unframed, Good Condition
Located in Roma, IT
Painted Terracotta sculpture realized by Sirio Pellegrini in 1960s. Good condition. Sirio Pellegrini, born in Rome on March 1, 1922, of Abruzzo origins (Capestrano), spent his chil...
Terracotta
Anahit Goddess Fertility Sculpture Clay Ceramic Handmade by Garo, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: (Garo) Karapet Balakeseryan Medium: Clay Ceramic, One of a Kind Year: 2025 Style: Classic Academism Title: Anahit, Goddess of Fertility & Motherhood Size: 12''x16''x...
Clay, Ceramic
$708
Mom Rat With Babies - Unique Handmade Glazed Ceramics Sculpture, Animals
Located in Hallein, AT
The sculpture is signed below. Monika Zadurska-Bielak, Graduated from the studio of Prof. Franciszek Duszeńko at the Faculty of Sculpture of the Acade...
Ceramic
Set of 3 Porcelain Cup. From the Fragments of Our Love Story series
By Alex Hodge 1
Located in Miami Beach, FL
This cup is one of 48 that make up the installation, “Fragments of Our Love Story.” These cups feature feminine forms which recall the Venus of Willendorf and other historical fertil...
Porcelain, Paint
$2,603
Mountain Gorilla 2 - Contemporary Unique Handmade Ceramics Sculpture, Portrait
Located in Hallein, AT
The sculpture is signed outside - unique and handmade, unglazed ceramics, double firing, weight of the sculpture including the base apr. 6 kg Material: unglazed ceramics, base of ...
Steel
Passage VII - intricate, hand-shaped, porcelain clay wall relief
By Paula Murray
Located in Bloomfield, ON
In her Quebec studio, ceramic artist Paula Murray uses her own recipe for porcelain clay that she hand-shapes into beautiful and intricate pieces. Inspired by forms and patterns found in nature, Murray’s work often reflects the deeply spiritual connection between humans and the natural world. The “Passage” series of vessels are boat-like in form. Murray does own a collection of canoes. “Transition and pods are other titles I used with this series- the idea of leaving one place - for another; the shell that held a life that is no longer of use...” Paula Murray She has received many honours and international awards and was elected into the RCA in 2006. Murray’s work has been gifted by the Canadian government to dignitaries such as US President George W. Bush and UN Secretary Kofi Annan. Murray’s pieces can be found in private and public collections including the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Banff Centre, the Gardiner Museum, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, the Official Residence of the Prime Minister in Canada and Canada House...
Porcelain
$2,500
Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture, White Stoneware, "The Chicken and the Horse"
By Tatiana Flis
Located in Franklin, MA
This contemporary ceramic sculpture by Tatiana Flis, titled "The Chicken and the Horse (курка і коник)" is a hand-built stoneware work consisting of two interconnected forms. The chi...
Ceramic, Clay, Stoneware
$1,000
head sculpture clay portrait vessel vase cream glazed rustic handmade original
Located in COOMERA, QLD
'Mister' wabi sabi beauty in imperfection, appreciate simplicity, handmade unique sculpture. Elevate your space with this extraordinary exquisitely sculpted clay face and head vase ...
Clay, Glaze
Black Crush - Black Ceramic Porcelain Vase
By Mary Jaffe
Located in East Quogue, NY
"Black Crush" Porcelain sculptural vase with black satin glaze. Size: 11.5 x 6.5 x 6.5 Porcelain, ceramic, ceramic sculpture, functional sculpture, functional vessel, vessel, cerami...
Porcelain, Glaze
$2,500
Linda Stein, Knight of Calm 621 - Contemporary Ceramic Metallic Wall Sculpture
By Linda Stein
Located in New York, NY
Knight of Calm 621 is from Linda Stein’s Knights of Protection series, which she started after being forced to evacuate her New York downtown studio for a year post-9/11. Stein's Kn...
Ceramic
$400
Dreaming in Technicolor, Hand built plate with sgraffito and collaged transfer
By Alex Hodge 1
Located in Miami Beach, FL
In this new series of wall plaques, titled "Behind Closed Doors," the artist reimagines original images from a book titled In Praise of the Backside. The book's collection features w...
Porcelain, Dye Transfer
Black Oval Pinch - Black Pinched Oval Porcelain Ceramic Vase
By Mary Jaffe
Located in East Quogue, NY
"Black Oval Pinch" Pinched Oval Porcelain sculptural vase with black satin glaze by Mary Jaffe. Size: 7.5 x 6 x 4 in Mary Jaffe creates functional and sculptural ceramics inspired...
Porcelain, Glaze
Sculptural Black Ceramic Piece with Rough Surface, 2024 - 'Untitled 84'
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Laura Pasquino (b. 1987, Estonia) is a ceramic artist based in Amsterdam,Netherlands. Before opening her own studio in 2019, she honed her craft inKyoto, Japan, and Lisbon, Portugal....
Ceramic
"Persian Spaniels" Repurposed Vintage Ceramic Cat and Dog, Artist Recreation
By Debra Broz
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This figurative sculpture titled "Persian Spaniels" is an original artwork by Debra Broz made of secondhand ceramics and mixed media. The sculptures measure...
Ceramic, Found Objects
Lady Holding an Ohr by Michael Lucero
Located in Morton Grove, IL
Lady Holding an Ohr (George Ohr) by Michael Lucero 1991 signed by artist ceramic and glaze A very rare sculpture by the artist! appraised value $24,000. Bio- Michael Lucero (b. 1953...
Ceramic
Mountain of a Woman, Carved Porcelain Wall Sculpture, 15x9 Inches
By Alex Hodge 1
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The portraits, loaded with symbolic imagery, gaze out at the viewer, with a variety of intensities and emotions. This is to say, each woman has a story, which may not be directly evi...
Porcelain
$2,500
Linda Stein, Knight of the Rock 657 - Contemporary Metallic Ceramic Sculpture
By Linda Stein
Located in New York, NY
This sculpture from Linda Stein’s Knights of Protection series functions both as a defender in battle and a symbol of pacifism, and is made of ceramic with metallic paints. Stein's ...
Ceramic
$2,500
Linda Stein, Knight Coming Forth 622 - Contemporary Metallic Ceramic Sculpture
By Linda Stein
Located in New York, NY
This sculpture from Linda Stein’s Knights of Protection series functions both as a defender in battle and a symbol of pacifism, and is made of ceramic with metallic paints. Stein's ...
Ceramic
"Flowering Ballerina" Artist-Repaired and Remixed Ceramic Sculptures
By Debra Broz
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This figurative sculpture titled "Flowering Ballerina" is an original artwork by Debra Broz made of secondhand ceramics and mixed media. The sculpture measu...
Ceramic, Found Objects
Madonna with the Long Neck, Carved Porcelain Wall Sculpture, 7x7 in
By Alex Hodge 1
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Her poetic porcelain plates examine and reimagine the history of art in a way that values women not only in body, but in wholeness, power, and love. Focusing on the narrative quali...
Porcelain
$2,999Sale Price|40% Off
Candy Coated Bittersweet
By Rain Harris
Located in Kansas City, MO
Title: Candy Coated Bittersweet Materials : Porcelain, Glaze and Decals Signed COA provided Rain Harris uses her artistry with material to create a conversation between good taste, beauty, and tawdriness. By developing a piece with unrefined materials and bringing it to the point of refinement, she is creating art that asks where good and bad taste meet. This contemporary ceramic piece features a delicate array of porcelain flowers, berries, and leaves mounted on an organically shaped wooden plinth. The light green resin reflects the image of the porcelain bouquet.
Porcelain, Luster
Slider - contemporary, handmade, abstract, ceramic tabletop sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary tabletop vessel is by Steven Heinemann. This major Canadian artist is widely known for redefining the boundaries of ceramic art. Steven Heinemann’s superb technica...
Ceramic
Cream Oval Pinch - Cream Pinched Oval Porcelain Sculptural Vessel
By Mary Jaffe
Located in East Quogue, NY
"Cream Oval Pinch" - Pinched Oval Porcelain sculptural vase with cream satin glaze. Size: 8 x 5 x 3 in Mary Jaffe creates functional and sculptural ceramics inspired by vast landsca...
Porcelain, Glaze
Ballerina Terracotta Sculpture, 1960s Modern Style, Good Condition
Located in Roma, IT
Painted Terracotta sculture realized by Sirio Pellegrini in 1960s. Good condition. Sirio Pellegrini, born in Rome on March 1, 1922, of Abruzzo origins (Capestrano), spent his child...
Terracotta
Ma Maison: 22 Contemporary Sculptures in Acrylic Polymer & Ceramic
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Born in 1980 in Sainte-Émelie de l’Énergie, Karine Giboulo lives and works in Montreal. Since early 2000, she has been creating work in a variety of media from paintings and works on...
Ceramic, Acrylic Polymer
Ma Maison: 20 Contemporary Sculptures in Acrylic Polymer & Ceramic
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Born in 1980 in Sainte-Émelie de l’Énergie, Karine Giboulo lives and works in Montreal. Since early 2000, she has been creating work in a variety of media from paintings and works on...
Ceramic, Acrylic Polymer
I Lost Myself..., Porcelain Cup Sculpture with Sgraffito Detailing
By Alex Hodge 1
Located in Miami Beach, FL
This cup is one of 48 that make up the installation, “Fragments of Our Love Story.” These cups feature feminine forms which recall the Venus of Willendorf and other historical fertil...
Ceramic, Clay, Porcelain, Paint
Contemporary Porcelain Jar with Lid, Ceramic Sculpture, 18.5 x 15 x 15 inch, Lo
Located in St. Louis, MO
Contemporary Porcelain Jar with Lid, Ceramic Sculpture, 18.5 x 15 x 15 inch, Lo Beth Lo was born in Lafayette, Indiana, to parents who had recently immigrated...
Ceramic, Porcelain
$1,100
Haptic Series Vessel Cobalt Blue - abstract, glazed, ceramic, vessel sculpture
By Bill Greaves
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary ceramic vessel’s shape was inspired by nature. Bill Greaves enjoys the freedom of expressing his artistic vision by hand-forming vessels out of clay. His pieces em...
Ceramic
$4,160Sale Price|20% Off
Early 20th Century Ceramic Sculpture of a Polo Player and Horse
By Waylande Gregory
Located in Beachwood, OH
Waylande Gregory (American, 1905-1971) Polo Player, c. 1930s Ceramic Inscribed signature on bottom 11 x 8.5 inches Waylande Gregory was considered a major American sculptor during the 1930's, although he worked in ceramics, rather than in the more traditional bronze or marble. Exhibiting his ceramic works at such significant American venues for sculpture as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City and at the venerable Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, he also showed his ceramic sculptures at leading New York City galleries. Gregory was the first modern ceramist to create large scale ceramic sculptures, some measuring more than 70 inches in height. Similar to the technique developed by the ancient Etruscans, he fired his monumental ceramic sculptures only once. Gregory was born in 1905 in Baxter Springs, Kansas and was something of a prodigy. Growing up on a ranch near a Cherokee reservation, Gregory first became interested in ceramics as a child during a native American burial that he had witnessed. He was also musically inclined. In fact, his mother had been a concert pianist and had given her son lessons. At eleven, he was enrolled as a student at the Kansas State Teacher's College, where he studied carpentry and crafts, including ceramics. Gregory's early development as a sculptor was shaped by the encouragement and instruction of Lorado Taft, who was considered both a major American sculptor as well as a leading American sculpture instructor. In fact, Taft's earlier students included such significant sculptors as Bessie Potter Vonnoh and Janet Scudder. But, Taft and his students had primarily worked in bronze or stone, not in clay; and, Gregory's earliest sculptural works were also not in ceramics. In 1924, Gregory moved to Chicago where he caught the attention of Taft. Gregory was invited by Taft to study with him privately for 18 months and to live and work with him at his famed "Midway Studios." The elegant studio was a complex of 13 rooms that overlooked a courtyard. Taft may have been responsible for getting the young man interested in creating large scale sculpture. However, by the 1920's, Taft's brand of academic sculpture was no longer considered progressive. Instead, Gregory was attracted to the latest trends appearing in the United States and Europe. In 1928 he visited Europe with Taft and other students. "Kid Gregory," as he was called, was soon hired by Guy Cowan, the founder of the Cowan Pottery in Cleveland, Ohio, to become the company's only full time employee. From 1928 to 1932, Gregory served as the chief designer and sculptor at the Cowan Pottery. Just as Gregory learned about the process of creating sculpture from Taft, he literally learned about ceramics from Cowan. Cowan was one of the first graduates of Alfred, the New York School of Clayworking and Ceramics. Alfred had one of the first programs in production pottery. Cowan may have known about pottery production, but he had limited sculptural skills, as he was lacking training in sculpture. The focus of the Cowan Pottery would be on limited edition, table top or mantle sculptures. Two of the most successful of these were Gregory's "Nautch Dancer," (fig. 1) and his "Burlesque Dancer," (fig. 2). He based both sculptures on the dancing of Gilda Gray, a Ziegfield Follies girl. Gilda Gray was of Polish origin and came to the United States as a child. By 1922, she would become one of the most popular stars in the Follies. After losing her assets in the stock market crash of 1929, she accepted other bookings outside of New York, including Cleveland, which was where Gregory first saw her onstage. She allowed Gregory to make sketches of her performances from the wings of the theatre. She explained to Gregory, "I'm too restless to pose." Gray became noted for her nautch dance, an East Indian folk dance. A nautch is a tight, fitted dress that would curl at the bottom and act like a hoop. This sculpture does not focus on Gray's face at all, but is more of a portrait of her nautch dance. It is very curvilinear, really made of a series of arches that connect in a most feminine way. Gregory created his "Burlesque Dancer" at about the same time as "Nautch Dancer." As with the "Nautch Dancer," he focused on the movements of the body rather than on a facial portrait of Gray. Although Gregory never revealed the identity of his model for "Burlesque Dancer," a clue to her identity is revealed in the sculpture's earlier title, "Shimmy Dance." The dancer who was credited for creating the shimmy dance was also Gilda Gray. According to dance legend, Gray introduced the shimmy when she sang the "Star Spangled Banner" and forgot some of the lyrics, so, in her embarrassment, started shaking her shoulders and hips but she did not move her legs. Such movement seems to relate to the "Burlesque Dancer" sculpture, where repeated triangular forms extend from the upper torso and hips. This rapid movement suggests the influence of Italian Futurism, as well as the planar motion of Alexander Archipenko, a sculptor whom Gregory much admired. The Cowan Pottery was a victim of the great depression, and in 1932, Gregory changed careers as a sculptor in the ceramics industry to that of an instructor at the Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Cranbrook was perhaps the most prestigious place to study modern design in America. Its faculty included the architect Eliel Saarinen and sculptor Carl Milles. Although Gregory was only at Cranbrook for one and one half years, he created some of his finest works there, including his "Kansas Madonna" (fig. 3). But, after arriving at Cranbrook, the Gregory's had to face emerging financial pressures. Although Gregory and his wife were provided with complimentary lodgings, all other income had to stem from the sale of artworks and tuition from students that he, himself, had to solicit. Gregory had many people assisting him with production methods at the Cowan Pottery, but now worked largely by himself. And although he still used molds, especially in creating porcelain works, many of his major new sculptures would be unique and sculpted by hand, as is true of "Kansas Madonna." The scale of Gregory's works were getting notably larger at Cranbrook than at Cowan. Gregory left the surface of "Kansas Madonna" totally unglazed. Although some might object to using a religious title to depict a horse nursing its colt, it was considered one of Gregory's most successful works. In fact, it had a whole color page illustration in an article about ceramic sculpture titled, "The Art with the Inferiority Complex," Fortune Magazine, December, 1937. The article notes the sculpture was romantic and expressive and the sculpture was priced at $1,500.00; the most expensive sculpture in the article. Gregory was from Kansas, and "Kansas Madonna" should be considered a major sculptural document of Regionalism. Gregory and his wife Yolande moved to New Jersey in the summer of 1933. And the artist began construction on his new home in the Watchung Mountains of Bound Brook (Warren today) in 1938. His enormous, custom kiln was probably constructed at the start of 1938. Gregory's new sculptures were the largest ceramic sculptures in western art, in modern times. To create these works of ceramic virtuosity, the artist developed a "honeycomb" technique, in which an infrastructure of compartments was covered by a ceramic "skin." Science and atomic energy were a theme in Gregory's most significant work, the "Fountain of the Atom" (fig. 4), at the 1939 New York's World Fair. This major work included twelve monumental ceramic figures at the fairground entrance from the newly constructed railway entrance, giving the work great visibility and prominence. The framework of the fountain itself was of steel and glass bricks. It consisted of a bluish green pool which was sixty five feet in diameter. Above it were two concentric circular tiers, or terraces, as Gregory called them; the first wider than the second. On the first terrace were eight "Electrons," comprised of four male and four female terra cotta figures, each approximately 48 inches high. These relate to the valance shell of the atom. Above them on a narrower terrace, were the much larger and heavier terra cotta figures depicting the four elements, each averaging about 78 inches in height and weighing about a ton and a half. Of the four, "Water" and "Air" were male, while "Earth" and "Fire" were female. This terrace represents the nucleus of the atom. In the center of the fountain, above the "Elements," was a central shaft comprised of sixteen glass tubes from which water tumbled down from tier to tier. At the top, a colorful flame burned constantly. The glass block tiers were lit from within, the whole creating a glowing and gurgling effect. Since the fair was temporary, the figures could be removed after its closing. But the credit for the design of the structure of the fountain belongs to collaborator Nembhard Culin, who was responsible for several other structures on the fair grounds as well. Although Gregory created a figure of "Fire" for the "Fountain of the Atom," he also executed a second, slightly smaller but more defined version which he exhibited at various locations (including Cranbrook, Baltimore Museum, etc.) in 1940-1941, during the second year of the fair (fig.5). Measuring 61 inches in height, "Fire" may be a metaphor for sexual energy, as well as atomic energy. Gregory stated, "Fire is represented by an aquiline female figure being consumed in endless arabesques of flame." Portraiture was also a significant focus of Gregory's sculpture. Gregory produced many commissioned portraits of local people as well as celebrities. He created Albert Einstein's portrait from life (fig. 6, ca. 1940) after Einstein had seen Gregory's "Fountain of the Atom." He also sculpted some of the leading figures in entertainment, including 2 sculptures of Henry Fonda, who became a personal friend. Gregory also sculpted a series of idealized female heads, both in terra cotta and in porcelain. These include "Girl with Olive" (ca. 1932) and "Cretan Girl;"(ca. 1937) both are very reductive and almost abstract works that call to mind Constantine Brancusi's "Mademoiselle Pogany" (1912, Philadelphia Museum of Art). But perhaps one of his most original female heads is "Head of a Child" (fig. 7, ca. 1933), a sensitive white glazed terra cotta portrayal with elaborately crafted braded hair, was originally created as one of a pair. Gregory also produced sculptural works for the Works Progress Administration. The WPA was a work relief project that greatly helped artists during the great depression. Founded by the Federal Government in 1935, an estimated 2500 murals were produced. Among these public works were the iconic post office murals. But, among the painted murals were also sculptural relief murals including Gregory's "R.F.D.," 1938, for the Columbus, Kansas Post Office. But, Gregory's largest WPA relief...
Ceramic
For nearly three decades, San Francisco–based Todd Hosfelt has curated against the grain — with a show on the legendary modernist Harry Bertoia the latest case in point.
Part of Alejandro Vega Beuvrin’s “Barricada” series, the work is a subversive tribute to the street smarts of citizen activists.
Get to know the innovators behind the pottery countercultural revolution.
The world’s top designers explain how they display art to elicit the natural (and supernatural) energy of home interiors.
By working with lettering, neon and Pop imagery, Chryssa pioneered several postmodern themes at a time when most male artists detested commercial mediums.
KAWS art toys have developed an avid audience in recent decades, and as in any robust collectible market, counterfeiters have followed the mania. Of course, you don’t have to worry about that on 1stDibs, where all our sellers are highly vetted.
At Waddesdon Manor, artist Joana Vasconcelos has installed a three-tiered patisserie inspired by the narrative tile work of her homeland. We take a look at the cake sculpture and how Portuguese tiles have been used in architecture from the 17th century to today.
Miami artist and designer Gabriela Noelle’s fantastical creations appeal to the Peter Pan in all of us.