USU Eastern Press Release
San Francisco Bay artist Gregory Byard exhibits his pottery capitalizing on various granular and crystalline qualities of the clay from Nov. 5 to Dec. 7 in the USU Eastern Central Instructional Building’s Gallery East.
Byard’s work is focused on vessel-oriented forms. He explained, “Using the potter’s wheel, many of the pieces are thrown and assembled to reflect dramatic lidded and open forms, coupled with a contrast of subtle and tense-surface textures. With this combination, the work is prepared for atmospheric firings to emphasize and enhance the graceful contours and highlight the textures either in salt, soda, wood and/or cone 10-reduction atmospheres.”
As visitors see, this technique capitalizes on the various granular and crystalline qualities of the clay. He said, “Many times the work is glazed fired twice to bring out rich layers and subtle crystals in the glazes: once in atmospheric chambers and the second in oxidation gas.”
Byard is the ceramics coordinator and lead instructor for the ceramics/sculpture programs at Center for Community Arts in Walnut Creek, Calif.
Prior to his engagement with Community Arts, he was a studio manager and adjunct instructor in ceramics/sculpture at Mendocino College in Ukiah, California. In 2008, he received his Master of Fine Arts degree at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, just north of Pittsburgh, and his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville in 2004.
Byard exhibits his ceramic work extensively, most recently throughout the United States and Japan. Working with internationally acclaimed ceramicists, his work has been featured in articles in international and national art magazines. He agenda includes presenting workshops in Utah, Arizona, Mendocino Art Center, Argentina, UK, Germany, Italy, Russia and Latvia.
On Nov. 1, in CIB 109 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 3:30 p.m., Byard will demonstrate and lecture the process of making large-wheel thrown and assembled forms on the potter’s wheel. He will show students how he centers and controls 25-40 pounds of clay on the wheel at once. He will also discuss the salt/soda and wood firing processes to yield final-glazed results. Students, faculty and the community are welcome to attend his lecture.
This exhibit is the last scheduled for USU Eastern’s Year of the Arts, a celebration of the arts at each of USU’s campuses from 2017-18.
Although Byard will not be able to attend the reception in his honor, one will be held Nov. 9, from 6-8 p.m. with students, faculty, staff and the community invited to attend. Gallery East is open during the academic year from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Admittance into the gallery is free and open to the public.
Questions about the exhibit can be answered by Noel Carmack, Gallery East curator, at (435) 613-5241 or noel.carmack@usu.edu. For questions about Byard’s demonstration, contact Christopher Kanyusik at (435) 613-5203 or email at christopher.kanyusik@usu.edu.
