DEERWOOD — When Nathan Bray was young, he didn’t see ceramics playing a big part in his future.
“I wanted to be an architect," he said. "I was really good at math.”
It didn’t quite work out that way.
Bray told Area Voices on the KAXE Morning Show that he grew up in an art-friendly home. His mother was a seamstress and taught Bray to sew before he was 10, and his father was a mechanic but enjoyed painting as a hobby throughout his life.
But Bray didn’t care much for art in high school and mostly kept his work in a sketchbook for himself.
“I didn't like having assignments," he explained.
After graduating, he went to school to become an electrician. He only lasted a couple of years due to developing viral arthritis, putting him in a wheelchair for a year. He found himself going back to school for art and business.
Bray got into airbrushing for a while and thought of pursuing a career in painting cars, helmets and things like that. It wasn’t until 2005, when he had a work study position under Bill Goodman in the ceramic studio at Minnesota North College, that he learned to mix clay, fire the kilns and mix glazes.
“The science behind it really got me hooked," Bray said. "There's a lot of chemistry involved. Dealing with fire at the time was fun.”
This led Bray to Bemidji State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, followed by a move to Colorado to be a resident artist and teacher. A few years later, he found himself back in Minnesota and now lives in Cherry, where he has been working in his studio for the last 13 years.
His new exhibit, “We Are All Human,” is currently showing at the Ripple River Gallery in Deerwood. It features Bray’s ceramic work influenced by human rights advocates.
“I couldn't keep making the artwork I was making. It just wasn't in me," Bray said. "So I wanted to change it up a little bit and decided to do something about history. I looked at quotes from past advocates — civil rights advocates, human rights advocates — and decided that it was going to go on my work.”
The ceramics feature quotes from people like Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks and Bob Marley.
“It's really trying to capture history on something permanent," Bray said. "Pottery is, you know, it's breakable, but it will last thousands of years. So, it’s kind of documenting history that is maybe trying to be erased.”
Listen to the full conversation above with Nathan Bray about his history with graffiti art, other influences and how he sees art as a mirror of the world around him.
Tell us about upcoming arts events where you live in Northern Minnesota by emailing psa@kaxe.org.
Area Voices is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.
