Julia Galloway is one of the premier makers of utilitarian ware of our time. Raised in Boston Massachusetts, Julia's love of clay began as a High School student. She was particularly attracted to her High School's pot shop and saved her baby sitting money to purchase her first potters wheel which she kept in her bedroom beside her bed. Upon graduation Julia entered the NYSCC at Alfred University where she earned her BFA. She then went on to receive her MFA from the University of Colorado in Boulder. She is currently a utilitarian potter and professor, serving as the Chair of the School of Art at the University of Montana, Missoula.
With Quiescent, Galloway celebrates Audubon and the birds of North America. Within the confines of the gallery space she creates an environment in which to contain her cups, pitchers and plates, the walls covered with chalk drawings of fencing creating the illusion of a contained garden space. Upon entering the gallery one is faced with a row of pitchers, their trailed glaze decoration mirroring the metal work of a gate. Walking through this gate, one comes upon a magical garden space filled with the birds of North America. The cups sit on shelves which line the walls, with many of the cups sitting on sound boxes that contain a motion activated speaker. When triggered, the speaker plays the call of the bird pictured on the cup.
When speaking about her current exhibition, Quiescent, Galloway states, "Pottery weaves into our daily lives through use and decorates our living spaces with character and elegance. Cups are especially intimate objects. On the cups and plates in this exhibition are drawings of all the birds of North America. In a great salute to fantasy and Magical Realism, I can’t help but wonder: if I drink from this cup, could I sing like this bird?"
"I am profoundly interested in the watercolor paintings of “The Birds of North America” by John James Audubon. Late in his life, Audubon realized that he was not going to live long enough to paint all of the birds of North America, so he began to draw with both hands. I relate to his passion for making and am touched by the detailed simplicity of his work "
" The title of this exhibition is “Quiescent” (being at rest, quiet). When I am walking home from work or hiking a mountain and hear a bird call, I pause. I always stop, just for a minute. And in that pause is a quiet moment of reflection and stillness. "
"A formal gallery exhibition is a brief but important time for a piece of pottery. It marks a time of transition that helps the user understand the work when they first see it, bridging the gap between studio and home."
"I am insistent about making things with my hands. My need for domestic objects and an instinctual drive to create things have proven to be tremendous dance partners for my ideas and desires. "
