Macon Magazine

Ovations365.com O V AT I O N S 3 6 5 . c o m MACON MAGAZINE OVATIONS Frank Vickery loves clay. He enjoys working in the mud. Though entrenched in the long history of the field, he is highly engaged in contemporary developments. His work ranges from traditional forms to avant-garde sculpture. In April, he will be the featured regional artist at the 8th Annual Fired Works Ceramics Exhibit and Sale. Vickery graduated from Winthrop University in South Carolina with an art education degree, but he did not immediately enter the classroom. Instead, he returned to undergraduate study earning a BFA before accepting a position teaching art. As a middle school teacher, he affirmed his love for education, but he also realized his deep appreciation for clay. After four years on the job, he returned to school to pursue his MFA in ceramics from Western Carolina University in North Carolina. His academic training is important to understanding his work, which draws on many influences. These include Don Reitz and Peter Boulkos, who Vickery calls, "Forefathers of the American Ceramics Movement." He is heavily influenced by Shadow May, a contemporary sculptor in Chattanooga, Tenn., who values uninhibited risk taking and intuitive decision making. Vickery respects what he calls "avant-garde" work, but he is a scholar of the traditional forms of pottery too. He believes that one must understand the properties of the medium before stepping in the world of experimentation. "Look at Picasso's work," he continued. "He didn't start off with abstraction. He started off doing realism." According to Vickery, once an artist understands the history and the properties of their medium, they must begin push its bounds. In ceramics, this means exploring new forms and different glazes. Vickery believes he is at such a point in his career. He's also in the perfect place. Frank teaches pottery, but he is also learning. He adopts techniques but then changes and adapts them as he moves forward. Alex Matisse, who was a featured artist at Fired Works in 2012, is one of his influences. Matisse recently exhibited at the Bascom where Vickery works as the ceramics program coordinator, a position that keeps him focused on his mud. "It's all I have to think about," he said. "I did my thesis here. I can't say enough good things." His job keeps him immersed in pottery. The position affords him the opportunity to perfect technique through instructing others. He tries to gain knowledge from everyone he encounters, and he feels his work is as much a testament to his practice as it is to those around him. "I've worked with some of the best artists in ceramics," he recalled. "You could say that my work is a reflection of the people I have worked with... not that my work is as good as theirs... but it's influenced by them." He is currently making pieces exclusively for Macon. "I'm making very large pieces for Fired Works," explained Vickery. "Five to six Greek and Roman-inspired pieces and five to six modern, avant-garde pieces." See Frank Vickery's new work on display April 13-21 at Fired Works in the Round Building at Central City Park. Daily tickets are $5. Get a special preview of Fired Works on Friday, April 13 at the Fired Works Preview Party from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $40 each. Learn more about Fired Works at FiredWorksMacon.com North Carolina artist Frank Vickery to unveil new work at Fired Works by JONATHAN DYE

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