Ceramic artists Jim Shea and Naoko Teruya present their work in a new show, Outside Influences, from June 7- July 3, opening on Saturday, June 7th from 6pm-9pm at 18 Hands Gallery, 249 West 19th Street in the Houston Heights. Shea and Teruya share an interest in creating outstanding ceramic art that reflects the quiet beauty of the natural world. Shea and Teruya evoke a compelling chemistry in their respective approaches to the art form. "Her work is crisp and geometric, while mine is soft." says Shea. "Yet, we are both interested in the quiet power of nature and its subtle designs." Teruya is delighted to be sharing her first two-person show with Shea.

Since 1989 Shea has been crafting work that unites function and art. "It's all art to me," says Shea. "I enjoy using my own work, but that's a little like talking to yourself. I feel it's a much more meaningful and enjoyable conversation when other people use and think about the work." Shea admits the impact of eastern culture in his work but also acknowledges the natural world around him as a major influence. Shea's collection of new pieces includes an assortment of functional objects and sculptural forms reflecting these influences.

Richly textured surfaces characterize much of Shea's work. Whether it is the scales of a fish, a snake or the bark of a tree, Shea stays focused on nature-based forms. His color palette ranges from deep dark greens to burnt oranges. "The fall still informs me from a color standpoint," says Shea.
"When the season changes, you can just about feel it in your whole body.
It's one of the driving forces in my work."

Shea draws from his experiences growing up in Northeast Pennsylvania. He experiments with ash glazes using wood gathered from his family's wood stove. The potent mixture of wood ash and clay beads up and creates rivulets that run down the surface of the piece. "A little bit of my home is in this work," he admits. "Images of rock strata, characteristic of rural Pennsylvania, also factor into my work." Shea prefers organic shapes reminiscent of his family garden, the woods and his Northeast roots.

Sapporo, Japan-native Teruya merges form and function along with eastern and western influences in her new collection. A bold sense of line and restraint dominates her work. "I know my Japanese sensibilities run in my blood,"
Teruya admits, "yet my work blends the contemporary with the traditional."

Drawn to ceramic art by the desire to make her own distinct tableware, Teruya always includes functional items such as cups, bowls and teapots in her collection. "When I make dishes, I always think what food I would put in," Teruya says. "I think tableware should make food look delicious; but still it should be beautiful."

Teruya's newest work includes both low-fire and high-fire pieces. She became interested in low-fire salt vapor technique a few years ago while she was studying at the Glassell. Intrigued by the unpredictable results, Teruya enjoys the surprise element in this process. "I don't use any glazes in low-fire work, yet I can get beautiful patterns by the flame moving through the ware in the kiln. The effects depend on the way of stacking the ware, the temperature of the kiln, and the amount of wood and salt; even the weather is a factor," says the artist. "The variety of colors and patterns produced by flame is always mysterious and beautiful. It's a beauty of nature."

ABOUT 18 HANDS GALLERY:
As Houston's only gallery exclusively dedicated to the ceramic arts, 18 Hands Gallery holds a unique place in the city's cultural landscape.
Representing the work of 22 local and nationally known artists through monthly exhibits, 18 Hands' mission encompasses showing a broad range of decorative, sculptural, figurative, and functional work. Inviting and accessible, their friendly heights-based shop also includes a rotating selection of works for sale. Founded by five passionate clay artists, the Gallery also seeks to create a bridge between potters, the larger ceramic community, and with nonprofit initiatives such as ClayHouston and the Empty Bowls Project. Outreach projects are in the works with MD Anderson and other organizations.
www.18handsgallery.com; 713-869-3099.
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