Keith Rice-Jones shares his artistic journey, discussing his cultural and artistic influences along the way
Date/Time: Sep 8 2016, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Surrey, Surrey Art Gallery
The materials and size may change, but artist Keith Rice-Jones has been making things for over forty years. On Thursday, September 8 as part of the SAGA Thursday Artist Talk series at the Surrey Art Gallery, master clay artist Keith Rice-Jones will give an illustrated talk on his journey from a cabinet maker to a ceramic sculptor, discussing his cultural and artistic influences along the way.
The influences and sources for Rice-Jones’s ceramics are broad: from Neolithic Cycladic figurines and historical African masks to Easter Island statues and modernist sculptures. He originally trained in England as a woodworker, but then discovered clay in the early 70s. He says clay “continues to be a compulsion and ongoing journey of discovery.” Stylized functional vessels comprise the majority of his earlier work, but his current focus is with monumental sculptural work such as those currently on display at the Surrey Arts Centre. Examples from his Organic and Geometric Series—large-scale assembled sculptures made from molded and sculpted forms—can be seen in the reflecting pool of the courtyard to stunning effect.
About the Artist
Keith Rice-Jones has an extensive exhibition history in BC, as well as in Britain and Japan. Recently, Rice-Jones received a residency at the Sturt Centre for Craft Excellence in Australia. His pieces are in numerous collections around the world, and he has also created a number of public artworks. He was honoured with a major retrospective exhibition in 2013, held at the Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam. Find out more at wildricestudio.com.
There will be time for questions and conversation during and following the talk. The event concludes by 9pm. Refreshments are provided. This event is presented by the Surrey Art Gallery Association (SAGA) in partnership with the Surrey Art Gallery, and with support from the Arts Council of Surrey.
Surrey Art Gallery Association is a non-profit society that offers its members the opportunity to participate in and respond to contemporary art, and be part of a community that actively supports the Surrey Art Gallery.
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