Gordon Bryan’s vessels and sculptural works play with texture and forms from nature with layered glaze applications. His terracotta and stoneware pieces reflect pre-industrial ceramics and an interpretation of the ancient cretaceous period when flowering plants thrived on Earth. His ornately embellished floreros and vessels offer a glimpse into the dream world of geologic time. He became known for his highly original, artistic, and finely crafted tiles and murals that married art and function.
Bryan earned his BFA in painting and sculpture from the University of California, Berkeley, studying under Elmer Bischoff and Sidney Gordon. In 1982, he established his ceramic studio, Blue Slide Art Tile, in downtown Point Reyes Station. Today, he creates hand-built ceramics that express both the imagined and the real and explore a balance of interior and exterior life.
Bolinas Museum Artist Spotlight (December 2023)
Point Reyes-based artist Gordon Bryan’s ceramic vessels play with textures and forms found in nature. His terracotta and stoneware pieces reflect pre-industrial ceramics and are inspired by the ancient cretaceous period when flowering plants thrived on Earth. The palette of his glazes is soft and earthy, with echoes of sea life and underwater realms. Bryan hand builds his sculptural ceramics, working from a visual language he has created in response to the natural world. Living in Point Reyes, he is endlessly inspired by the flora of land and sea found in this area. His ornately embellished floreros and vessels offer a glimpse into the dream world of geologic time.
Bryan earned his BFA in painting and sculpture from the University of California, Berkeley, studying under Elmer Bischoff and Sidney Gordon. In 1982, he established his ceramic studio, Blue Slide Art Tile, in Point Reyes Station. Gordlandia: The Ceramics of Gordon Bryan is on view in the Coastal Marin Artist’s Gallery at Bolinas Museum through December 31.
Q. What creative project are you currently working on?
A. The most recent project I have been doing is a series of ceramic headstones. I have always been intrigued by old cemeteries and love the stonework, sculptures, and ornamentation. My latest piece for Andrew Romanoff, who recently passed, is in the Olema cemetery. It is a very personal headstone that honors his life.
Q. How does coastal Marin or the Bay Area influence you as an artist?
A. West Marin is a major influence on my ceramics. I am a local forager for wild mushrooms and berries, a fisherman in the bay and ocean, and a gardener. I look to nature, both the micro and macro, for inspiration and fulfillment in my daily life.
Q. What have you been reading, listening to, or cooking lately?
A. Cooking, for me, is another creative outlet. I maintain a year-round garden, and with seasonal foraged edibles, I cook simple meals of steamed veggies and salads. There’s a real pleasure in serving homegrown food on ceramic plates and bowls I’ve made with my own hands.
Q. Why is living with art in our homes important for our daily lives?
A. I just returned from a trip to Japan right before the opening of the exhibition at Bolinas Museum. While traveling around Kyoto prefecture, I was amazed and inspired by the art and beauty incorporated into everyday life. The food preparation and presentation, the gardening and pruning of trees, how people dress, and human interaction are all mindful and respectful. I felt a true sense of integrating art into daily living that goes beyond what sometimes feels like a purely economic transaction.