Biography
Gary Carlos grew up in the Central Valley. He moved to the Bay Area in 1992 and received a BA from San Francisco State in 1995 and an MFA from San Diego State in 2004.
Intersecting interests in painting, ceramics and public art led him to work in ceramic tile and mixed media. His wall pieces have dealt with issues related to American culture, land use practices and the manufactured relationship between order and nature. His work has been included in many national exhibitions and publications including “Confrontational Ceramics,” by Judith Schwartz and “Suburban Escape: The Art of California Sprawl,” published by the San Jose Museum of Art. Gary moved from the Bay Area back to Stockton in 2007 and is professor of sculpture at San Joaquin Delta College.
Artist Statement
Balancing a career as an artist with the demands of being a teacher is challenging. For several years, I directed most of my energy into the classroom and less into my own studio work. Yet, I never stopped making things; I simply redirected my effort. I often can't bring myself to discard the quick examples I create during class demonstrations, and I constantly stay later than planned, driven to finish what I started.
The work featured here is a series of representational busts, each initiated as a demonstration for one of my sculpture classes. These are not the kind of pieces I would have made in the solitude of my own studio. And that, surprisingly, is the benefit of the college classroom setting. The requirement to produce something with clear rules and limits actually provides freedom, allowing you to focus on a contained task. This environment offers the literal space to experiment, pushing you to work in ways outside your comfort zone. This practice has reinforced a crucial lesson: Every task can have value, if done with focus, intention, and a desire to improve. While I had never considered the figure as an important part of my previous work, these “demos” have led to new possibilities and future directions.
Constantino do Vale
Ceramic, wood, wax
30"x10"x10"
2025
NFS