ARTIST STATEMENT

Originally from Farmington Hills, MI, Don Reynolds is a graduate of the University of Michigan – School of Art. He currently lives in Bridgeport, CT, and teaches at Clay Art Center, and at the Silvermine Arts Center. Don’s functional ceramic work has been included in many exhibitions throughout the United States, and can be seen in the January/February, 2022 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated.

My work is all about ornamentation. Using simple forms as blank slates to adorn, I arrange repetitive marks into compelling patterns that celebrate both the objects and their users.  I reference the rich history of decorative language throughout the ages, and combine those findings with my attraction to the colorful spectacles of modern times including the circus, the rodeo, county fairs, Mardi Gras / Carnival, (punk) rock and roll, casinos, gay culture, and other assorted roadside attractions which exude a gaudy allure.  Contrasting colors and patterns celebrate the diverse range of personalities/possibilities that are revealed as the work progresses.