Artist Statement
My work consists of objects made from North Carolina clay that are formed on the potter's wheel as well as using a variety of handbuilding techniques. Pieces range from tableware intended for daily use, to larger decorative vessels. After the pots are made, they are fired in a gas or wood kiln. These specialized atmospheric kilns produce a wide variety of surface effects, adding an extra layer of depth to both clay and glaze.
Although not makers themselves, my family put a premium on things we interacted with on a daily basis, like a hand carved wooden bowl on the kitchen table or the salt glazed crock that three generations of Doty’s have made pickles in. My grandfather was a collector and curator who had a particular interest in folk art. There was a simplicity in these works, a delicate balance of precision and an unselfconscious attitude. Growing up around these sometimes strange and unsophisticated works was impactful, forming the connection to the work I would discover later on my own.
There is a vitality in the physical forms created by the hands of our predecessors. However, my intention is not to mimic, rather an attempt at creating something new that has an understanding of where it came from. Along with a deep reverence for historical works, I am drawn to primitivism, vernacular architecture, and the natural landscape we all exist in. Those influences are rooted in a similar place, simplicity, practicality, and functionality. I am constantly balancing those ideals with the persistent challenge of problem solving with this transformative but sometimes humbling material. When I am in the studio, I aim to create something new that is accessible while still possessing deeper connections to the world around us and the people who inhabit it.
Bio
Gillan Doty was raised in the Northeast, spending time in both the Adirondacks in New York and the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. Gillan discovered clay in high school and went on to receive a BFA in Ceramics from the Maine College of Art in Portland, Maine. After graduating he was awarded several residencies including a year-long residency at the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, MN and at Odyssey ClayWorks in Asheville, North Carolina. Following his time at NCC and OCW, Gillan set up his own studio in Asheville where he worked for four years. Recently, Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville, NC, and Gillan's studio was completely destroyed. He is now in the process of rebuilding.
