Beverly Gilroy - Architectural Ceramics

I met Bev Gilroy completely by accident. Her husband Henry and I had attended a conference in Vegas but he left our group a little early. He and Bev had been able to carve a bit of vacation time out of their hectic schedules and I'm smiling when I say that he didn't give the rest of us a backward glance. He was out of there.

We all bumped into each other at the Bellagio and while we walked around admiring the Gardens, Chihuly glass and the world-famous chocolate fountain I chatted with Bev. Later, when we were outside watching the fountain show, Henry told us a little bit about their construction. A friend of his was one of the people who made them go from drawing board to reality and they are an amazing sight.

Eventually we all said our good-byes again, but with Bev included this time. She told me that her website was under construction at that time and a little bit about the art that she loved. I was fascinated just listening and trying to envision it. Then I saw a picture of the chair. Not just any chair, but a lotus chair made from ceramic. That's all it took. If I was fascinated by the potential of her artistic creativity before, now I was hooked. I don't really "know" Bev, but I consider my life richer for meeting her. After you read her statement below and visit her website, I think you'll understand why.

Beverly Gilroy.... you are amazing and I appreciate you. Please visit Bev's website at www.beverlygilroy.com.

Teresa
07.01.11

Beverly's Statement:

"I consider myself a storyteller inspired by three great muses; nature, spirituality and the love of the practical. Drawing from the natural world, I create pieces of art that are functional; designed to be touched and interacted with. My goal is to build environments with my work that encourage collectors to physically and spiritually connect, not only to the stories behind the work, but to themselves. Within my sculpture I try to communicate a place in our everyday lives that can touch the spirit, center the mind and heal the soul. Be it a bench for quiet reflection, a lantern to provide a light source of comfort or an abstract sculptural tower to fuel imagination and wonder, I strive for my work to speak to everyone on some level.

In using clay, I feel that I am borrowing the life of the Earth, for clay lives: eating, breathing and drinking -- and yet once fired becomes frozen in time, immortal. Through shape color and texture, I use clay to speak to you about all that we are, have been and can be. Clay is the dirt beneath our feet, the dust we breathe and part of us all.

When you see my artwork in person I ask only one thing..... please touch it."