Keith Gordon, Ceramic Artist
I first learned about clay from my mother Mildred Gordon, a professional potter in Maryland. While in my teens, I helped in her studio, building wheels, building, loading and firing kilns and mixing glazes. I began learning to throw on the wheel while in college in 1971. For two years I was class assistant at the Baltimore Museum of Art for two years to Olin Russum, a wonderful teacher, sculptor and master potter. Since then, I've taken ceramics and sculpting classes at Fairmont State College, Westchester Art Workshop, Belle Levine Art Center, Garrison Art Center, as well as workshops at Clay Art Center, Rockland Art Center, Kissimmee River Pottery, Touchstone Crafts Center, Peters Valley Craft School and Sugar Maples Art Center.
My work is a mix of functional stoneware (oxidation and reduction), figurative and abstract sculpture (stoneware and raku) and tiles. I strive to emphasize the plastic and three-dimensional potential of clay and often draw on the organic forms found in nature and fantasy when building my sculptures. I enjoy making things for daily use as well as enhancements to one’s home. A few examples include a tile hallway floor, ceramic sinks, chimney caps, and house numbers.
As my studio is in my home, I have unlimited access to work on small and large projects while the clay changes from soft to leather-hard to bone dry. I fire my oxidation work in electric kilns and use propane kilns for reduction and raku firings. My current focus is making translucent sculptures out of thin porcelain lighted from within to glow in multiple shades and colors.
In 2017 I set up the Ceramics Studio at the newly created Cedar Lane Arts Center for the Ossining Recreation & Parks Department. Since then I have taught adult clay classes and managed the studio. I have also taught adult clay classes at Pelham Art Center, New Castle Art Center and Five-Star Premier Assisted Living. I am an officer of the Hudson River Potters and Ossining Arts Council.
My work has been exhibited at various juried shows including the New Rochelle Art Association 2019 and 2020 shows where I won two prizes in both the 104th and 105th Annual shows, the Blue Door Gallery, and Bethany Arts Community. Two of my sculptures were selected (in 2018 and 2020) by playwrights as the inspiration for one-act plays produced by the Westchester Collaborative Theater in conjunction with the Ossining Arts Council.
My work is a mix of functional stoneware (oxidation and reduction), figurative and abstract sculpture (stoneware and raku) and tiles. I strive to emphasize the plastic and three-dimensional potential of clay and often draw on the organic forms found in nature and fantasy when building my sculptures. I enjoy making things for daily use as well as enhancements to one’s home. A few examples include a tile hallway floor, ceramic sinks, chimney caps, and house numbers.
As my studio is in my home, I have unlimited access to work on small and large projects while the clay changes from soft to leather-hard to bone dry. I fire my oxidation work in electric kilns and use propane kilns for reduction and raku firings. My current focus is making translucent sculptures out of thin porcelain lighted from within to glow in multiple shades and colors.
In 2017 I set up the Ceramics Studio at the newly created Cedar Lane Arts Center for the Ossining Recreation & Parks Department. Since then I have taught adult clay classes and managed the studio. I have also taught adult clay classes at Pelham Art Center, New Castle Art Center and Five-Star Premier Assisted Living. I am an officer of the Hudson River Potters and Ossining Arts Council.
My work has been exhibited at various juried shows including the New Rochelle Art Association 2019 and 2020 shows where I won two prizes in both the 104th and 105th Annual shows, the Blue Door Gallery, and Bethany Arts Community. Two of my sculptures were selected (in 2018 and 2020) by playwrights as the inspiration for one-act plays produced by the Westchester Collaborative Theater in conjunction with the Ossining Arts Council.
Questions?
Please email me at: CageyCreate@optonline.net
or call: (917) 297-5494
Please email me at: CageyCreate@optonline.net
or call: (917) 297-5494
These works (below) won first prize (Fine Crafts) and Third Prize (Sculpture) in the 105th New Rochelle Art Association juried art show in September 2020.
These pots each won a prize in Fine Crafts at the 2019 New Rochelle Art Assoc. juried show.
These sculptural pieces inspired 2 WCT Plays.
When the Arts Center was opened, the Town commissioned me to make this tile sign in the building entry. Brian Sheridan created the design and the Ossining Parks Crew repurposed wood from an old fishing pier from the pond to complete the project.