All purchased artworks will be shipped after the end of the exhibition on December 9th.
Christian Bailey, Smile Kid, 2024, clay, wheel thrown and altered, underglaze, 6"H x 5"W by 4" deep, electric oxidation cone 6
Christian is a husband, a cat dad, an award-winning artist, and an art teacher living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He earned a BFA in sculpture and a Master's of Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. This is his 19th year as a high school art teacher, teaching Art 1, 2, 3, 4, Advanced Placement Studio Art, and ceramics. He was recently selected to review visual art portfolios for the College Board’s 2D, 3D, and Drawing portfolios for this school year. He has been a resident of Mississippi since 1981. Throughout his childhood and teen years, he explored the piney savannahs and underwater realms, dreaming of being Jacques Cousteau.
He eventually settled in the pine forests, where many of the denizens became subjects in his work. He creates his artwork using clay and strives to use only kiln-fired techniques for surface decoration and color, primarily through the use of colored slips and underglazes. This gives the work the warmth and soul of a well-loved coffee cup, while continuously offering challenges in the studio that keep it fresh.
The firing process ranges from low-fire electric to atmospheric firings, such as wood and soda kilns. The final finish of each piece is determined by the nature of the work and the visual conversation it inspires.