Gary Merkel’s life’s body of work can simply be summed up as his taking a humble yet temperamental and sometimes complex group of element‘s provided by nature to compose his lyrical and fanciful visions to be choreographed and composed in fine white porcelain.
PORCELAIN BOOKENDS SALT & PEPPER
Often riots of colour can be juxtaposed against the metallic and ruddy earth’s simplicity of clay. Strictly dedicating himself to hand building with clean lines and precision offers him no restriction of form, function, sculpture, or pure frivolity, always sustaining a vocabulary of own voice.
WOOD FIRED FANTASY LEAF BOWL
Place has always been of keen interest to Gary. Having spent equal time, both in the east and on the west coast of Canada. Surrounding himself with a balance of both natural and urban beauty, reflects itself in the work making organic and manmade meld into pieces that can be both work in harmony together.
CHIEF PONTIAC LEATHER LOOK VASE
Unapologetically he actualizes his work as stimulatory with a decorative bent. Exploring new Idea’s and working with other materials illustrate his capable skills always taking the viewer to new heights.
PORCELAIN CURLED LEAF CYLINDRICAL VASE
His work has found itself in many public museum corporate and private collections. He exhibits widely and has shown in many prestigious events such as S.O.F.A. in N.Y.C. and Chicago, to cultural exchange exhibitions from Morioka Japan, to Paris France. The art Gallery of Victoria recently purchased a piece of Gary’s work for their collection of influential Canadian ceramicists.
WOOD FIRED STELLAR UNIT
“Gary Merkel has been a ceramicist for twenty years. His art, which he masters to perfection, has made him well known throughout North America as well as internationally. His sculptural teapots are easily recognizable due to the fantasy and eccentricity of their form. Merkel’s work can be functional: a piece can be used to serve tea during mealtime. However, its use can be more philosophical in nature: the elegant, sometimes mysterious shapes of the piece can lead to reflection. One can say that gravity, in every sense of the word, is pronounced in the artist. The harmonious unbalance of the forms allied with unbridled imagination makes one instantly recognize the work of Gary Merkel.”( Le Sabord art magazine)
Gary now has his home in Victoria B.C. and his magnificent work can be seen athttp://www.sidestreetstudio.com/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=80560
