Mixed Media
Thomas Hoadley’s feats of clay
Similar to the Western tradition of agateware, the Japanese technique of nerikomi involves working with colored clays to create patterns in hand-built pottery. Examples of nerikomi pottery from Japan date black to the 16th century, but the technique experienced a resurgence in Japan in the late 20th century.
Ceramist Thomas Hoadley uses the technique to create elegant, fluid vessel forms that verge on the sculptural. A former architect, Hoadley was motivated to shift his focus to pottery after wandering into a Boston ceramic gallery. Inspired by the array of Japanese pottery he saw, he began learning the techniques, experimenting with his own contemporary designs and color palettes.
Patina Gallery (131 W. Palace Ave., 505-986-3432, patina-gallery .com) presents a series of new works by the artist. They were curated by gallery co-owner Allison Barnett.
“I continue to be fascinated by the beauty of nature, especially when examined close up,” Hoadley says. “The intricate designs are endless. When I work with soft clay, itself part of nature, I feel that I am participating in this flow of design creation.”
A master of the nerikomi technique, Hoadley begins each piece using white porcelain. He then folds stains and oxides into the wet clay. The layers of colored clay are stacked, cut into slabs, and then shaped. He achieves a smooth lustrous surface by sanding, firing, re-sanding, and re-firing each piece several times, and then he accents them with gold leaf.
“I start with conscious intent but the forces of nature, i.e. the physical properties of the clay, seem to take over and move my simple ideas to another level,” he says. “When I cut the clay blocks in cross-section I am always taken aback by the transformation that has occurred.”
Hoadley’s work is collected widely and is in some of the nation’s premier art institutions and collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the White House Collection of American Crafts. Patina has represented him for 17 years.
“His pieces are sensual, graceful, and are in perfect alignment with Patina, in color, line, shape, form and craftsmanship,” says gallery director Ivan Barnett. “There is a richness in color that comes from the Japanese nerikomi technique, with density that goes beyond the surface and travels through the body of his composition. When you see a piece by Thomas, you know that it’s his.”
Hoadley’s work is available at the gallery and can be seen on the gallery’s web page for the artist (patina-gallery.com/collections/thomas-hoadley).