Holden McCurry

"I make art to evoke an emotional response and allow the viewer to imagine a story or journey of their own."

Through the use of clay as his medium, Holden McCurry combines elements both from vernacular architecture and rural landscapes to create dream-like sculptures that are intended to stimulate thought, memory and curiosity. Ultimately, it is joyful reactions by others that inspire McCurry to create work that has meaning.

McCurry's artwork is made from terra cotta and stoneware slabs that are allowed to stiffen before construction of forms. The clay slabs are often stretched, scored and torn to achieve desired results. Various textures are applied during the construction process using found objects from nature and hand made ceramic roulettes. Multiple layers of glazes are applied with brushes to give the sculptures a painterly impression with a rich depth of color.

Holden McCurry's exposure to craft began as a child observing his mother's highly detailed ceramic work in Opelika, Alabama. This influence lead Holden to study drawing and painting at Birmingham-Southern College and complete a Bachelor of Architecture at Auburn University. After several years of participation in local clay workshops and art exhibitions in Birmingham, Alabama, McCurry furthered his studies in ceramics at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina.