Like many potters, Barry Rhodes is inspired by the great pottery work of Japan. However, he has always felt free to pick and choose the most interesting aspects of many cultures and to re-interpret the essence of those cultures in interesting ways within his work. His graphic approach to pottery pays homage to the depth of surface found on hi-fired stoneware.
One of his strongest influences is the Japanese Boro cloth, which consists of fabric pieces (usually indigo dyed stripes) quilted together to make clothing.
While in graduate school, Barry took a pottery class to keep a friend company and became captivated by the art form.
By 1981, Barry had a piece selected for the permanent collection at the Mint Museum in North Carolina and was attending shows across the country—while simultaneously teaching physics and working at the Centers for Disease Controlas a computer scientist. Not one to rest on his laurels, he has continued making pottery ever since.
Revel in more of Barry’s work on his websiteor join him in person at the American Craft Exposition (ACE) from September 20-22, 2019 at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Tickets to ACE 2019 are available herenow.