Opens 2nd Friday, June 10, 5-8pm
Continues through Friday, July 1. All work will be available online for purchase as well at in-gallery.
GALLERY HOURS AFTER OPENING: THURS 5-8pm, SAT 1-5pm
Hours during Tulsa Pride: Saturday, June 25, 1:00-10:30pm
Liggett Studio is a located at 314 S Kenosha, Tulsa, OK 74120
Keyes’ Artist’s Statement:
“Clayton Keyes of Tulsa, Oklahoma is the Assistant Professor of Art in Ceramics and Sculpture at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, OK.
Clayton’s academic work focuses on the figure for creating emotional narrative. In addition, he creates a body of homo-erotic pottery and art objects known as Kinky Clay Goods. Clayton provides workshops and demonstrations of his various processes nationally. For the exhibition, Fleshy Bits and Kinky Clay, Clayton has included pieces from both bodies of work. As this exhibition coincides with Pride month, the overarching theme of his work celebrates and depicts his own queer lifestyle and that of so many of his friends.” claytonkeyes.com. kinkyclaygoods.com
Adrien Lee’s Artist Statement:
This body of work is based on junctures in life I remember as chaotic and confusing.
Constantly coming back to these memories, I decide to filter them through the physical. Emerging from clay are portraits and figures to physically express the emotion and energy of these moments in time. In creating these works, I used a brutalist style of unprotected clay with highlights of cone six glaze. Each piece is built solid and then hollowed out before firing.
While filtering these moments through clay with only fragmented memories, I came to the realization these points in time were not just confusing and chaotic but also comforting and romantic.
At a young age I was taught illustration skills by my father, a professional artist. As a teenager, I applied those skills to ceramics, metalworking, and woodworking courses in high school. At 17, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, without understanding how my life would radically change. Stepping foot in basic training, I realized the military was not the right decision. I found comfort in art when returning to base following missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Following four years of service and an honorable discharge, I was free to follow my passion.
I started at my local community college and went on to graduate with a bachelor's degree in fine arts from The American University of Paris. With the opportunity to pursue an education and travel abroad, I learned much about opening my mind to perspectives other than my own. I also became interested in art history and world history and how the two converge. Learning about art and artistic techniques was an amazing experience, and I am constantly searching for new ways to apply these skills to my own work.