Biography - Beverly Gilroy, Ceramic Sculptor
"Please, come sit and enjoy."
This is the mantra that artist Beverly Gilroy repeated to dubious art patrons at her last gallery show. "Traditionally, visitors to galleries know they're never to touch the artwork but I insist! The piece in question was a ceramic meditation bench composed of large swirling, nature inspired curves tinted with rich earthy hues. A seat that brought surprised smiles to the faces of all who took a moment to sit and experience it. People are accustomed to thinking of ceramics in terms of pottery, tile, abstract or figurative sculpture....but never furniture; but that's all right. I love the challenge of opening their minds."
With its organic shapes, rich textures and inviting color design, Beverly's work is always aesthetically pleasing, but it is simply not to be gawked at, it's to be touched and used in ones everyday life. "I strive to create an environment with my work... a sort of sanctuary. Whether it's with a meditation chair or a sculptural lantern, I wish for people to experience a space for a journey of self-reflection or healing."
Beverly's personal journey as an artist began practically at birth. "I have an incredibly talented and creative mother. Besides running her own custom leaded glass business from home for over 20 years, she was a source of constant artistic output. Drawing, painting, cabinetry, textiles; everything she did utilized her artistic talent but it always remained practical very likely because my father, who is more left-brained and analytical, yet open minded, always supported her." Spending her young formidable years in the rural garden state of New Jersey, Beverlys mother always integrated flora, birds and animals into her artwork, stressing the importance of the human connection to nature and how we needed each other. Fostering this appreciation of nature into Beverly had a lasting impact on her artistic direction, as she began integrating themes of the Earth even into her earliest work.
It was during high school art class, that Beverly discovered ceramics. Through a state funded art fair held at her high school, she met David L. Davis, a ceramic sculptor and soon after she found an apprenticeship with him. "I learned everything from wedging clay properly, to rolling the perfect coil. But, what I realized, working there, was that I loved the physicality of clay. Everything was so hands on!"
Though, Beverly went on to study studio arts at her community college and then at California State University, Long Beach where she earned her B.A. "I was passionately exploring every creative avenue I was able to: sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, printmaking, photography. I lived in the Art Department."
In her 3rd year of college Beverly went abroad to study sculpture in Florence, Italy and was accepted into the art school founded by the Master Michelangelo himself; The Accademia Di Belli Arti. She was the first CSU student to be accepted in 5 years. "After this amazing experience, I realized I wanted to sculpt. However, when I returned to the states and looked into the MFA program for sculpture, I discovered the department had gone far away from traditional sculpture and was concentrating on video, installation and abstract conceptual work; none of which appealed to me with my freshly instilled classical foundation. So, after graduation I decided to go in a different direction."
In 2000, Beverly was inspired by her husband, an Emmy nominated television writer, to explore a career in maquette/figurine sculptures based on film, television and comic book characters. "I honed my ability to execute extremely fine detail and stylized versions of the human form. While capturing beloved imaginary characters in three dimensions brought great satisfaction to their fans, I soon realized that working on the small scale was not for me. I wanted to create pieces that would be much larger and while beautiful, could somehow be practical. Yes, I was my mothers daughter.
In 2005, Beverly discovered the work of ceramic artist, Peter King. His book, 'Architectural Ceramics', was a turning point in Beverlys evolution as an artist. "I was drawn to Peters techniques because he used clay like a building material. Known for his ornately sculptured ceramic door surrounds, I was inspired at how Peters pieces were large and beautiful, yet extremely useful at the same time.
For the next several years Beverly refined her ceramic skills and visited Florida to take workshops with Peter and other renowned ceramic artists such as Stan Bitters and Gwen Heeney. Beverly intended to combine the practical aesthetic of architectural ceramics she was learning with the work of her mentor masters, I was inspired by how the simple shapes of Henry Moore communicated so much, by the moving, flowing living textures that Rodin put into bronze and the dramatic, passionate emotion that brings a Bernini marble statue to life. Beverly soon discovered, however, that having inspiration and direction was only the beginning. Execution would be a whole new challenge.
In 2006, requiring larger studio space, Beverly moved to Sedona, Arizona where she would draw even more inspiration from a spectacular natural environment and establish a studio with room enough to refine the techniques and combination of materials needed to create the large ceramic pieces coming to life in her minds eye. Much trial and error ensued as she strived to discover the right mix of clay so the large sculptures would be strong enough to support their own weight, the multiple kiln firings required to perfect the desired glaze results, and so on. As difficult and time consuming as the development process was, I knew it would be worthwhile."
As Beverly refined her process, her vision crystallized, I knew whatever I was going to create would involve nature and sculpting on a large scale, but it was in Sedona that I embraced myself as a 'texture-freak'. Be it the bark of a tree, the grit of a stone, or moss on a stump, I am obsessed with transposing the surfaces of the natural world into my work. I combine simpler forms and colors with very expressive textures to create sculptures that are reflections of nature. My meditation chairs, spirit lanterns and personal shrines are made to draw people into my work physically so that no matter where the piece is Nature will be there for them too.
Coming full circle, Beverlys passion for nature mirrors how many are growing to feel about our society, In a world where we are increasingly separated from nature, rushing around on the go, with seemingly no time to stop and smell the roses, it's very important to have a natural sanctuary to retreat to. Even if it's only a small place or an object you can touch; something that grounds you and brings you back to yourself. Not only reconnecting people to the Earth but hopefully helping them with their everlasting quest of self discovery, healing, and spirituality. Let us not forget...clay is the earth. When we interact with it, it draws us back home. So please, put your hands my sculptures. They were made for your touch.
