Clayton Bailey
United States, 1939 – 2020
Place of BirthAntigo, Wisconsin, United States
Biography"'Think ugly-but make beautiful things' is basic to the Funk philosophy of Clayton Bailey. His ceramic and, more recently, rubber and plastic objects result from an almost obsessive preoccupation with the redefinition of traditional values. These redefinitions, conceived within an anti-establishment context, are chiefly concerned with elements of the grotesque, humorous, and, most of all, the absurd. The evolution of Bailey's work over the past five years has been consistent and logical, beginning with traditional processes and materials (i.e., clay and salt glazes) and developing to the present through constant experimentation with clay technology and new materials (i.e., synthetics, electric hardware). Discussing this development, he has written, 'The Pinch Pots were attempts to see what could be done with fingers squeezing clay. The Critter and Nose Pot series were equally involved with processes and subject matter; this eventually led to Dead Critters. Painted clay pots of 1965 and 1966 were a relief from the problems of making and firing glazes. They helped make way for the Rubber Grub aesthetic. The rubber grubs, masks, neckties, hats, and miscellaneous objects which I am now involved with require handling, use, and involvement much like pottery, toys, and other crafts.'"Like his Funk mentor, Robert Arneson, Bailey has remained committed to subject matter--rubber bugs, grubworms, 'kiss' pots, hanging noses, nose lamps, and clay critters. At thirty the artist has already had ten one-man shows, including those at New York's Museum of Contemporary Crafts (1964) and Milwaukee Art Center (1967). In addition, he has been represented in numerous national and international exhibitions."
Education: University of Wisconsin, M.A. 1962, Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation grant, 1963.
- Objects: USA exhibition catalog, Museum of Arts and Design, 1970.
