Gayle Antonides

This piece was thrown on the wheel in parts from a speckled ceramic stoneware in order to achieve its super tall and slender form. Many different techniques such as incising, low relief, brush glazing and more were used in order to achieve the image inscribed on the front of the barracuda. The lid has an interlocking system to allow it to sit securely in place. 

I can not help but recall the warnings, like wives-tails, that floated around in my head as a child who spent everyday in the ocean on the island here. Looking back the warnings as they relate to barracudas are now filed away in a place similar to that of where "Do not swim until thirty minutes after eating." lives. Many times we were told that wearing shiny jewelry in the water might attract their sharp teeth and unpredictable ways. I feared those teeth, but now I cant help but to admire them. I often wonder how I can be more like a barracuda but fear my teeth are just not sharp enough.

This piece is approximately 22” tall and 4” across.

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As a social worker and artist, I am fascinated by the intersection of traditional crafts and contemporary art forms. My latest series, "Framed," explores this intersection through mixed media pieces that combine ceramics, crochet, high fire wire, and various embellishments including pearls, beads, and precious gemstones.

The central theme of "Framed" is the idea of gender and the societal constructs that define it. By using a traditionally feminine craft such as crochet and juxtaposing it with the rigid, structured medium of ceramics, I seek to challenge traditional notions of femininity and highlight the complexity and diversity of gender expression.

Each piece in the series features a ceramic frame, which serves as a metaphor for the societal constraints and expectations placed upon individuals based on their gender. The center of each piece, made of varying textiles represents the fluidity and adaptability of gender identity and expression.

The incorporation of pearls, beads, and precious gemstones adds another layer of meaning to the series. These materials are often associated with beauty and femininity, but I use them to subvert these associations and highlight the power and agency of women.

Through "Framed," I aim to start a conversation about the complexities of gender and the ways in which societal expectations can limit our individuality and self-expression. By combining traditional crafts with contemporary art forms, I hope to challenge and inspire viewers to question their own assumptions about gender and identity.

Patchwork Pt. 2 is the second of two sets of dishes created as part of a quilting inspired series.

“Patchwork” delves into the artists admiration for traditional craftwork. It touches on folk art and it’s range of mediums. Most importantly this set of dishes is a reflection by the artists on textile work and other traditional crafts from the perspective of gender and how crafts traditionally performed by women hold lesser value. The juxtaposition of a male dominated medium meeting that of something so traditionally female such as the quilt made by daughters, mothers, and grandmothers for generation upon generation and tying the ideas together with a set of dishes. Dishes are something the family comes together at but also hold their own gendered weight. Those who fill the dishes financially and those who fill them literally with stew or bread. The winners of bread and the winners of soft hand stitched fabric. Patchwork’s fine art presentation can be interpreted by the audience in itself.

The artist aims to invoke a sense of nostalgia upon viewing the familiar traditional quilt pattern in a unique and unexpected way. Patchwork is just one of Gayle’s work which often reflects on gender, politics, and race reflecting their background on social work.