Rosemary Griggs Clay Art

Fall 2011 New Work

2011-11-02T13:14:00.000-07:00

The fruits of my labors...
Some of these pieces are being exhibited at the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, Georgia, through early January. My Slightly Skewed Showroom is stocked with faces, platters, jugs and other crockery. Please feel free to contact me or come by for a tour of the studio, showroom and sculpture garden.

The studio before an exhibit

The Singer

The Gardener

T-Bone Honker Face

Left Leaning Liberal Nude

Face Jugs

Heavy Metal Fish

Angel Hare

Agnes' Women III

2011-06-10T03:49:00.000-07:00

AGNES' WOMEN III
A Continued Celebration of One Family's Art

June 2 - July 14, 2011
Glynn Visual Arts Center
St. Simons Island, Georgia

Marilla Martin, Lucile Stephens, Marcia Scroggs,
Rosemary Griggs, Claudia Davis, Carolyn Simmons

This show is very dear to me as it is named in honor of my grandmother, Agnes Stephens, who was a wonderful artist and inspiration to so many of us. This was our third family exhibit over the years that included my mother, her three sisters and a cousin. Several younger family members (the Agnes’ Women Junior League) contributed their artistic musings to the opening night festivities.

While sitting around drinking beer and coffee after the last Agnes' Women opening reception, we came up with the idea of building art pieces with different themes that each of us could make our own interpretations of. In this year's exhibit we ended up with some very different pieces with the same or similar titles. My theme was “Roots”. Others included “More Than Enough”; “Under Pressure”; “To Hell in a Hand Basket”; Mythology and Fairy Tales.

Amazing Yellow Winged Tutu Girl in Disguise

Anna Anderson, Lucile Stephens, Olivia & Emily Coiner, Rosemary Griggs

The opening night reception was a big celebration. Each of the six artists came dressed in a primary or secondary color from the color wheel. Many friends, art patrons and family came decked out in their own versions of inappropriate island attire. Our family has a long history of playing dress up. Any holiday or family gathering we're apt to bring out the costumes. We've had Thanksgivings where the attire was inspired by turkeys from outer space. Another Thanksgiving the family came dressed as cavemen. Some of my earliest memories are of an entire male cast of Cinderella as a silent musical with my grandfather being the fairy godmother in boxer shorts and a sheer hoop slip. No wonder my art is slightly skewed.

More Than Enough

Jack's in the Box - Featuring Jack's Rabbit

To Hell in a Handbasket

Til the Fat Lady Sings

A Fairy Tale Debunked

Under Pressure

Roots

Catch & Release

Beware! Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

I've done a few commission pieces lately where the collectors gave me free reign to create pieces within a fairly loose parameter. We worked together to build on a general idea and created pieces that had personal significance to the collector.

Kate's Jack

Bonding

The Studio and Showroom are open for tours by appointment.

Studio with eager studio assistants

Slightly Skewed Showroom

Spring 2011 Exhibits & Goings On

2011-04-01T03:19:00.000-07:00

Spring is here and the sap is rising in all living things including myself. This time of year I am torn between the studio and our two vegetable gardens as I dust off from one and dig into the other. One of my favorite quotes, written in an 1880 edition of Harpers Weekly, seems fitting this time of year –

“Handling dear old Mother Earth, whether it be digging potatoes or making pots and plaques, does not leave much room for hysteria.”

I will be exhibiting in three art shows in the next few months beginning with Glynn Art Association’s 18th annual Spring Arts and Crafts Festival here on St. Simons Island, April 9-10 from 10 am – 5 pm. My usual booth space is #3 along the side walk across from Glynn Art’s beautiful new gallery space.

On Mother’s Day weekend, May 7-8, I will be showing at the Dunwoody Art Festival in Dunwoody, Georgia which was voted “Best New Event in the Southeast”. This is a new show for me but I’ve heard good things about it and am eager to see how my work is received there.

The next show in my spring schedule is the one I’m really excited about. It’s my family’s third exhibit at the Glynn Art Association Gallery titled “Agnes’ Women III”, named after my grandmother, Agnes Stephens who was an accomplished artist and an inspiration to us all. Over the years, several of my family members, including my mother, three of her sisters and a cousin put a large exhibit together and pull out all the stops with costumes, props and spontaneous frivolity. Though our art covers a wide range of subjects and mediums, it’s easy to see the common thread of humor and wit that runs through it. Opening reception is Thursday, June 2, with the exhibit running through mid July.

Last fall over a dozen pieces of my work were used on the set of an upcoming Universal Studios movie called Wanderlust, starring Jennifer Anniston, Paul Rudd, Alan Alda and Justin Theroux . The directors, David Wain and Judd Apatow, directed the hit movie The Forty Year Old Virgin, among many others. My pieces were displayed in prominent places around the set and I imagine they will be in the background of a number of scenes. We’ll see how it goes but I’m pretty excited about the possibilities this may open up. It’s scheduled for release this fall. I’ll post more about it as the opening date gets closer.

Another opportunity that has opened for my work came from my experience with breast cancer a few years back. While I was going through chemo and umpteen surgeries, I was unable to work in clay for almost two years but did muster the strength to draw and ended up with a journal of about 100 drawings and poems titled “A Stroll Down Mammary Lane”. My plastic surgeon expressed interest in using some of the drawings in an article he authored for a national plastic surgery publication to be out later this year. Though it won’t be titillating reading for most of us, its subject matter is very relevant to what I went through as it concerns the psychological effects of breast cancer and reconstruction and how creativity plays a part in the healing process.

I’ll be posting pictures of new work as they get completed so check back in periodically over the next few weeks. Please come visit me at one or more of the exhibits this spring. If you have any questions you may contact me via email or by phone at 912-223-2239. Happy Spring!

Catch & Release

Face Jug with Spigot

Heavy Metal Angler

Crookneck Crock

Party Favor Teapot

Chew Puppy

Goddess Platter

Fresh Squeezed Fruit Platter

Face w/ Metal Attachments

Vase Inspired by Peas

The Last Kiln Load Before the Fall Art Festival on St. Simons Island

2010-10-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

PotHead

Table Top PotHead

Flying Dream

Big Mama Cookie Jar

Set of bowls that stack

Some of my new favorites

2010-10-07T05:15:00.000-07:00

"A Well Bred Mount"

"She Did It On Porpoise"

Here We Go...

2010-10-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

You'd think after exhibiting in the fall fine arts festival here on St. Simons Island every year since 1998 I'd have it down and wouldn't be glazing and gluing and rummaging around for random metal widgets at the last possible minute. Apparently I don't. Maybe I'm a slow learner. Maybe my work is more involved. Maybe I just can't do the math.

On that note, I'm almost ready for this weekend's festival but not quite. It's Tuesday night and I've got one more kiln load to glaze and a few more pieces that need extensive assembling. I'll either get them done or not but will continue to post pictures over the next few days.

Please come visit me at booth #3 this weekend at the 41st annual Fall Fine Arts & Crafts Festival in the Village on St. Simons Island, Georgia. I will be exhibiting a large inventory of new hand built ceramic sculptures and other crockery including platters, bowls, planters, jars, teapots, and pitchers. There will also be some small faces and tiles and terra cotta garden art. If you make it by and I look a little frazzled with epoxy still on my elbows and glaze in my hair, be kind. I've been hard at it.

And, as always, feel free to call me at 912-223-2239 or send me an email if you'd like to tour my island studio and showroom. Prices of work shown on this site are gladly provided upon request.

"Who Let Jack Out?"

"Beware! Wolves in Sheep's Clothing"

"Moon Snail"

Random PotHeads and Garden Faces
(PotHeads make great planters)

"Hammerhead Horse"

"Gossip Girls"

"Face Jug on Tap"

"Amanda Lynn"

New Pieces for Spring 2010

2010-03-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pieces for spring exhibits that include my continued exploration of firing found metal objects directly into the clay. I've been going in this direction for about a year after having attended a workshop by sculptor, Lisa Clague, who graciously shared her creativity and wisdom of adding metal to clay - something I had previously never considered possible.

I've rummaged through all my friends and neighbors old coffee cans of nails, screws and junk. I've scoured the back shelves of antique shops and hardware store attics. Friends have left treasures of old tools, bed springs and car parts on the front porch. My small studio has gotten even smaller as these new finds pile up. And my tetanus shot is current.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.
You can click on any photo to see a larger image.

Face Jugs

Face Jug with Spigot
14" H x 10.5 W

Stripped Face Jug
12"H x 6" W

Trojan Horse Tour Package
14"H x 20"W

Refurbished Nude #3
18"H x 10"W

Go Fetch
10" H x 11.5 D x 6" W

Salmon Platter
26" x 11.5"

Hammerhead Horse
12" H x 10 W (with cigar box pedestal)

Three Part Tarpon
56" x 15.5"

Warrior
15.5" H x 6" W ( with 4" cigar box pedestal)

Triple Cock-A-Doodle Plaque
14" H x 18" W

Philly Leaf Platter

19" x 14"

Banana Leaf Platter
24" x 9"

Face Pitchers
11" H x 12" W (average)

Trout Jar
9" H x 10" W

Squash Jar
9" H x 10" W

Two Faced Teapot
6.5 H x 10.5 W

Peter in the Wolf
11.5" H x 17" W

New Year - New Work

2010-02-03T08:45:00.000-08:00

It's been some months since my last post but I've been hard at it making clay sculptures with metal attachments. Unfortunately, the clay dries very slowly this time of year so months pass without me having any new work to post. I look forward to having new pieces out of the kiln in the next few weeks that will reflect more of this current phase of firing metal into the clay.

The latest Refurbished Nude balances on one leg made from a rusty old drill bit and uses other unidentifiable metal parts for an arm and head. The reoccurring theme of replacing body parts with metal attachments is a direct influence from my experiences with breast cancer reconstruction.

Refurbished Nude #3

18" H x 10" W (with 4.5" pedestal)

For the piece titled, "The Trojan Horse Tour Package" I used wire in the mane and stomach, screws for eyes, a hook for the tail and wheels from an antique dresser. Rather than being warriors inside the horse, the figures are casually leaning, sitting and peering out through the bars. I plan to explore the Trojan Horse theme further and have several sketches for upcoming pieces.

The Trojan Horse Tour Package

14" H x 20" W

I'm getting ready for several spring art festivals and will post new work as it comes out of the kiln so please check back in periodically. If you have any questions concerning prices, sizes or need further information, please feel free to contact me at rgriggsclayart@gmail.com.

A Stroll Down Mammary Lane

2009-10-14T14:48:00.000-07:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Starting on 13th of this month, my breast cancer drawing journal titled "A Stroll Down Mammary Lane" will be featured in the web news site, Like The Dew.

The Like The Dew folks will be posting a drawing a day through the remainder of the month. This illustrated journal chronicles eighteen months of me and my husband, family and friends experiences with breast cancer's diagnosis, treatment and cure. Each of the drawings were done during the long convalescence spent mostly horizontal, healing from multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and other treatments. I was unable to work in my pottery studio and my career as a full time ceramic sculptor was put on hold while I focused on getting through one procedure at a time. I wasn't able to do much but I did draw and it resulted in about 90 illustrations of the process of my fight with breast cancer.

I am sharing these very intimate drawings in hopes that they will bring further awareness to this insidious disease.

Link to the website: LikeTheDew

Southern Living Magazine Featured Artist

2009-10-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

A Quick Post Before St. Simons Art Festival

2009-10-10T04:04:00.000-07:00

This is a very quick post before the St. Simons Fall Fine Art Festival. Some of the photos are not that great but if you see something that you want more information about please send an email or give me a call.

Hand Built

Zippered Nude

Big Ol' Sun

Whole Hearted

Skate Goat

Trout Jar

Bass Relief

Teapot with Metal Attachments

Horse with a Wirey Mane

Jack and James in the Box

Breeze

PotHead
(a hanging planter that's a pot and head)

Mixed Media Exhibit at Glynn Art Association

2009-10-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

I am displaying my latest sculptural pieces at a mixed media and three dimensional group exhibition that opened October 1 at Glynn Art Association, here on St. Simons Island. The exhibit runs through November 29.

In this show my work uses several different hand building techniques with the inclusion of found metal objects. I enjoy the thought of the metal becoming one with the clay after having gone through several firings together.

I have tried to emphasize motion in the human form with some of the limbs left vague and incomplete and others incongruously replaced by metal parts rummaged from dusty boxes of junk and built directly into the white clay body which is then slowly fired. I have used glaze sparingly, if at all, choosing instead to work with stains and acrylic washes to highlight the textural qualities of the sculpture. I feel that even the hardness of the metal doesn't stop the flow of movement within the piece.

Featured Artist in the October 2009 Issue of
Southern Living Magazine
in the Georgia Living Section

And...

Exhibiting in the 40th Annual
St. Simons Island Fine Arts and Crafts Festival
October 10th & 11th
Booth #3

912-634-8929 or 912-223-7153
Email: rgriggsclayart@gmail.com

It's a busy month.
New work will be posted in the next few days - when the kiln cools.

The Perfect Tool

Dancing with Abandon

Refurbished Nude #1

Refurbished Nude #2

August 2009 New Work

2009-08-26T08:34:00.001-07:00

Bejeweled and Bewildered

Jack!

ShePot
w/ metal attachments

Monarch

Zippered Nude

Face Jugs

Triple Face Jug

Spotted Sea Trout Jar

Flying Fairy

A Few More Pieces...

2009-04-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple more pieces that will be exhibited at the arts festival on St. Simons Island, April 4th & 5th. As always, click on the picture if you want to get a closer view and more detail of a particular piece.

Zen Totem

Seated Nude

Blue Nude w/ Open Arms

A Grouping

Lover's Dance

New Work for Spring Art Show

2009-03-30T15:55:00.000-07:00

It's been three months since my last post but I've been hard at it getting ready for the spring arts festival coming up this weekend here on St. Simons Island. With some of my new pieces I've tried to place emphasis on action and movement. I'll be showing some out-there teapots with titles like the "Dog & Pony Show Teapot", the "Rise & Shine Teapot" and the "Mother Bucking Teapot". I'm also in a fairy tale/old wives tale mode with wolves playing a large role in several pieces titled "Beware: Wolves in Sheep's Clothing" and "Little Red Riding Hood & The Wolf - After Obedience School". I've had a big time making the Jack in the Box piece. Each of the four sides and the lid of Jack's box have a little illustration celebrating Jack. I'll post again in the next few days with a couple more pieces that still need finishing up.

BEWARE! Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

Jack in the Box

Mother Bucking Teapot

Dog & Pony Show Teapot

Rise & Shine Teapot

Midnight Rider

Big Shell Bowl

Nude with Cat & One Breast

Face Vase with Bad Manners

Mouth Breather Face Jug

Pitcher with Attitude

Manly Man Teapot

Banana Leaf Platter

Some new, some old - some silly, some bold

2008-12-12T12:59:00.000-08:00

A few new pieces and some from the archives. Look for new work coming out around the first of the year. If all goes well with the firings, I'll be showing some gravity defying teapots.
Currently showing pieces at the Swan Coach House in Atlanta and at Glynn Art Association here on St. Simons Island. Of course, my showroom and studio are always open for tours.

Jester with a Wild Hare

Blue Virgin

Happy Harvest

Male Man

Nude with Lace

Cockle Doodle Doodle

Big Old Mare

Little Red Riding Hood and The Wolf
After Obedience School
(sit, stay)

Fresh from the kiln.

2008-10-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

New work fresh from the kiln. Getting ready for the 39th annual Golden Isles Fine Arts & Crafts Festival held on St. Simons Island. Plus Southern Living Magazine is coming next week to do a photo shoot for an upcoming feature story.

Grouper at a Picnic Platter

Trout Jar

Prawn Platter

Live Oak Platter

Blue Hare Jar

Good Dog Cookie Jar

Twirling Dancer

Twirling Dancer (back)

Triple Face Jug

Rosemary Griggs Clay Art

2008-09-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

Slightly Skewed Sculptures
& Other Hand Built Crockery
by
Rosemary Griggs

Fish Minder

Face Jugs

Dancing Blue Nude

Big Boy Cookie Jar

Fresh Squeezed Fruit Platter

Resting Rabbit

Triple Face Jug

Crab Jar

The Dancer

Nice Bass!

Warrior Woman

Face Pitcher

Feets of Love