The Watchers, Ryan Flores

The Jane Hartsook Gallery presents The Watchers, new ceramic work by Ryan Flores exploring still life traditions and creatures of the air. About The Jane Hartsook Gallery at Greenwich House Pottery is pleased to present The Watchers, new ceramic work by Ryan Flores. Flores uses the "still life" as a format of reference and inspiration to create low relief sculptures in the ceramic medium. Flores's ceramic works bridge the gap between two-dimensional imagery and sculptural space, each sizable piece testing the limits of the medium while containing delicate, highly-detailed structures and fragile elements. Flores's work adopts a painterly visual language mimicking the chiaroscuro and rich surface textures characteristic of historical painting. The artwork entices viewers through vibrant color and material sumptuousness, and offers a captivating experience that balances historical reverence with intimate self-expression. The Watchers continues to draw inspiration from still life traditions through depictions of bright, lush fruits and flowers, while specifically exploring "creatures of the air." Birds and butterflies sit before windows and perch within bouquets surrounded by darkness. Here, vibrant beauty and life flourish against the unknown, ambiguous backdrops of each work. Ryan Flores received his BFA in Ceramics from California State University, Long Beach and an MFA in Sculpture + Extended Media from Virginia Commonwealth University. Recent exhibitions include "The Undergrowth" at Moskowitz Bayse, Los Angeles and "Rising from the Garden" curated by Art Production Fund at Frieze Projects: Set Seen. Notable group exhibitions include "Clay Pop" at Jeffrey Deitch Gallery and "Wayfinder" at Craft Contemporary Museum, both in Los Angeles, as well as participating in "Shelf Life" at Marlborough Gallery, London. In addition, he has participated in residencies such as Lighthouse Works and Vermont Studio Center, where he received the Harpo Foundation Native American Residency Fellowship. In conjunction with the exhibition, Flores will lead a one-day workshop at Greenwich House Pottery on Saturday, September 19, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Details can be found here. Please register in advance for the 4:00 p.m. artist talk preceding the exhibition opening. Read more Toggle Crafts Sculpture