Gregory Story

Every piece of my ceramics is completely hand-built using the most basic and ancient techniques. My pots are hand-coiled, shaped using wooden paddles, and scraped smooth with an old piece of glass. The platters and tiles are hand-rolled with an old wooden rolling pin. There is not an inch of any piece that has not been touched by my hands many many times. The myriad patterns I use come from my historical study of the decorative arts, from Pre-Columbian to Italian Damask, from ancient Greece to MidCentury Modern. The patterns are incised into the surface of the leather hard clay after each piece has been shaped. The incising process is laborious and detailed, with great care taken to create smooth, even lines that will carry and hold the glazes for a full expression of the designs.One reason I build my pots by coil rather than throwing is that I want each piece to be unmistakably hand made. If a pot comes out too symmetrical, sometimes I’ll slap it to give it a subtle “wobble”! To me the wobble, though usually unperceivable if the pot is not spinning, is a sign that the piece is absolutely hand made. My art is contemporary, but at the same time, I hope it evokes a sense of timelessness. I use classic shapes and decorative patterns to create new works that speak of the past.