Betsy Evans
My life is a myriad of styles and effort. At times, it requires some heavy lifting, and at other times, the lightest touch makes all the difference. Sometimes it calls for a serious approach, while at others, my levity and humor, and the smiles and laughter they bring, makes it all worthwhile. All of it is tempered by my passion. My work reflects my approach to life. Each piece requires physical effort to haul large, heavy bags of clay to my studio. A delicate touch is needed to throw each pot. Sculpting necessitates a serious approach, while the whimsical images, textures, lines and colors provide levity. The kiln fires and tempers the final result.
After stints in woodworking and metalsmithing, I’ve spent the past thirteen years working with clay and quickly realized that it is my medium of choice. Browse through samples of my work, both past and present, below.
In addition to creating my own works of art, I joined with two business partners in October, 2008 to found 18 Hands Gallery, Houston's finest ceramics-focused art gallery. For eight years, we represented hundreds of artists from both in and around Houston, and from around the country. Through an average of fifteen art shows each year, we helped to expose Houston's culture scene to the artistry of ceramics.
Additionally, 18 Hands Gallery participated in the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) annual convention. Here, we continued to showcase the work of our impressive collection of artists and share their work with a national audience.
In 2005, I opened my ceramics studio in the Winter Street Studios, one of the original 11 artists to do so. Since then, Sawyer Yards, of which Winter Street is the original building, has grown to become one of the largest cultural campuses in the United States. In addition to being my creative home for the past 12 years, Sawyer Yards also hosts many shows throughout the year.
If you're in the area, Winter Street hosts art shows on the second Saturday of each month, along with bi-annual shows in April and October. You can find me in my studio for most of these shows.
