INFORMATION

JAMES TYLER

SEEKING THE UNIVERSAL THROUGH THE HUMAN FORM

[The works of James Tyler strive to create a global vision of art. Part of an exciting new direction that may sweep the art world into the next century. Stylistically Tyler's works are evocative of the Pre-Columbian terra-cottas of the ancient Americas. Yet his figures revel in a motion and rhythm that is perhaps more reminiscent of the sculptural heritages of the east. Stamped with an unmistakable deific quality, Tyler's figures are also very human, voluptuously rounded thighs and torsos complement their ethereal nature with a marked physicality. It is through pose and gesture, rather than detailed realism that Tyler seeks to capture and convey the human experience.]

Dena Merriam- Sculpture Review Magazine

 

CERAMIC BRICK INSTALLATIONS

2006 - BLUE HILLS BRICKHEAD - Blue Hills Center for the Arts, Pearl River, NY.
Interactive ceramic brick installation .

2005 - BRICKHEAD Truth, SOFA Expo, Chicago, IL. October 2005.
Ceramic brick installtion with interactive sound elements.

2005 - BRICKHEAD: Please Stop, R. Duane Reed Gallery, New York, NY

2004 - BRICKHEAD EVOLUTION, Garnerville Arts Complex, Garnerville, NY.
Ceramic brick installation with sound and light elements.

2004 -Underground Brickhead, Paterson Museum, Paterson, NJ.
Exhibition of ceramic brick installations.

2004 - BRICKHEAD 3, Davlan Park, Indianapolis, IN.
Ceramic brick installation with interactive sound elements, NCECA Conference.
Sculpture purchased by the City of Indianapolis, October 2004.

2003 - BRICKHEAD 2, Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY.
Ceramic brick installation with interactive sound and light elements.

2003 - BRICKHEAD Come and Gone, Gallery at GAGA, Garnerville, NY.
Ceramic brick installation with internal sound constructions.

PUBLIC ART

2006 - Brickhead Evolution - GAGA ARTS CENTER, Garnerville, NY
Interactive ceramic brick installation.

2005 - White River Colossus - Artspark, Indianapolis Art Center.
Ceramic brick Sculpture with advanced computer driven interactivity.
[Projected installation - 2008]

2004 - Brickhead 3 - Davlan Park, Indianapolis, IN
Interactive ceramic brick installation. Purchased by the City of Indianapolis.

1994 - Codfish - Maine Maritime Aquarium, Boothbay, ME.
Sculptural undersea environment for the main entrance.
Materials: Bronze, stSone, and shaped landscaping.

1990 - Sealscape -East Machias School, Machias, ME.
Interactive sculpture for students. Materials: Bronze and stone.

1988 - Salmon Stream Environment - Centroplex Tower Park, White Plains, NY.
Sculptural landscape. Materials: Bronze, stone, and shaped landscaping.

1986 - Faces of East Cambridge - Lechmere Canal Park, Cambridge, MA.
Assemblage of fifty portraits from the neighborhood. Material: Bronze

1980 - Ten Figures- Arts On The Line - Davis Square Subway Station, MBTA, Boston, MA.
Ten life-size figures. Materials: Bronze, Cast Fondu cement.
-Award for Design from Boston Society of Architects.
-Award for Design from Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

RECENT EXHIBITIONS

2006 - Blue Hills Center for the Arts, Pearl River, NY. Ceramic Brick Installation, paintings, sculpture.

2006 - Rice\Polak Gallery , Provincetown, MA. Exhibition of ceramic sculptures.

2006 - SOFA New York, with Ann Nathan Gallery.

2006 - SOFA Chicago, with Ann Nathan Gallery.

2006 - Palm Beach 2, with Ann Nathan Gallery

2006 - Maxwell Fine Arts, Peekskill, NY.

2006 - Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL. Exhibition of ceramic sculptures.

2005 - R. Duane Reed Gallery, New York, NY. Exhibition of ceramic sculptures.

2005 - SOFA Chicago, with R. Duane Reed Gallery.

2005 - Rockland Center for the Arts, Red is Everywhere, W. Nyack, NY. Exhibition of recent paintings.

2005 - Pomona Cultural Center, Pomona NY. Exhibition of ceramic figures.

2005 - Imaging Arts Gallery, Tappan, NY. Exhibition of ceramic brick sculpture.

2005 - Rice\Polak Gallery, Provincetown, MA. Exhibition of wood and ceramic sculpture.

2004 - Ruschman Art Gallery, Indianapolis, IN .Exhibition of wood and ceramic sculpture.

2004 - GAGA Gallery, Garnerville Arts Complex, Garnerville, NY. Brick sculpture.

RELATED EXPERIENCE

2006 - Executive Director, GAGA ARTS CENTER - Garnerville NY
2004 - 2005 - Curator of exhibitions. GAGA - Garnerville Arts Project Gallery, Garnerville, NY.
2001 - 2005 - Curator of exhibitions. Edward Hopper House Art Center, Nyack, NY.
2001 - 2005 - Curator. Hopper House Sculpture Garden, Nyack, NY.

EDUCATION
1994 - African Studies, The living arts of Nigeria. Museums, shrines, archeological sites,
in depth exploration traditional bronze casting, ceramics, and textiles.
1980 - Central & South American Studies, Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil.
Museums, archeological sites, explorations of new world arts.
1975 - Nasson College, Sanford, ME
1973-1974 - Hampshire College, Hadley, MA. Studies included studio coursework at:
Smith College, Northampton, MA.
Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA.
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
1973 - St. Mary’s College, Terra Haute, IN. Apprentice to sculptor Charles Gibson.
1972 - Herron School of Art , Indianapolis, IN.
1971 - Native American Studies, Jemez Indian Reservation, Jemez, NM. Exploration of Native American culture.

 

 

Ceramic Sculptures

The Clay

The life size and larger figurative sculptures are made with an architectural red stoneware. It is a heavily grogged clay body specifically designed for use in making exterior architectural ornamentation.

The sculptures are all hand built, one of a kind pieces. They are constructed hollow, with a wall thickness averaging 3\4 of an inch. This makes them heavy but it also makes them exceptionally strong, and durable. They can be damaged by sharp impact, but are impervious to the weather under normal conditions.

The Patina

The fired clay is coated with a series of oil base finishes, gilded with copper leaf, and treated with oxydizing agents to achieve the final patina. This finish requires no maintenance other than an occasional dusting. It should not be scrubbed or polished.

In an exterior garden setting the patina will change over time. This pace of this process varies under different conditions and exposures, but poses no danger to the clay body of the sculpture. The tendency is for the sculpture to become less green, with more of the underlying buff surfaces showing through. It is often quite beautiful, and always unique. In the case of damage, copper leaf and patina can be re-applied to return the sculpture to its original condition.

Ceramic Brick Sculptures

The ceramic brick sculptures are made with an architectural red or buff stoneware. It is a heavily grogged clay body specifically designed for use in making exterior architectural ornamentation.

The sculptures are all hand built, one of a kind pieces. Constructed hollow, with a wall thickness averaging three inches. This makes them very heavy but it also makes them exceptionally strong, and durable. [Though it is possible that the edges could be damaged by a sharp impact, such as a blow from a hammer.] These sculptures are unaffected by normal exposure to weather.

The sculptures are assembled using stainless steel pins between each course. The bricks are a natural ceramic finish, variation in color occurs during the firing process.