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Article by Jessica Broad and Images by Mitzi Davis  The show “Juan Granados: En Tiempo” is on view at the Averitt Center for the Arts in Statesboro, GA, September 9 – October 22, 2016. There will be a meet the artist reception on October 20 at 6:00 P.M., and a workshop featuring demonstrations of photo transfer techniques by Juan on October 22, from 1-6 p.m. (Tickets are $35; to register call 912-212-2187). Juan Granados is an internationally recognized ceramic sculptor from Lubock, Texas, where he is an Associate Professor of Ceramics at Texas Tech University. He grew up in a family of migrant farm workers, working the fields of the Southern half of the United States. His experiences growing up influenced his body of art. An excerpt from Juan’s artist statement: “I create art in order to share memories both past and present; visions of places I've been; concerns about the environment; and observations of the human condition as well. To do this, I use many different elements from my life and experiences. Subject matter may be difficult to separate and identify, but I try to create work that embodies an intuitive gestalt or the flow and response around an idea. My reasons for using clay are simple and basic. Clay allows me the total freedom to create work that shares its connections to my background and my experiences of working with the land. I believe that our past, present, and future conditions and our environment exert considerable influence on our sense of being. In turn, our experiences also affect who we are. My language echoes the origins of the earth. I have worked the land in various parts of the country and have harvested many types of crops and produce. All of this is part of me, and I have enjoyed celebrating these experiences of cultivation. Now I enjoy cultivating clay as a means of expressing ideas connected with human sustainability.” (For the full statement visit http://www.depts.ttu.edu/art/granados/home.html) The work in the show includes what Juan describes as a “pump-like form” merged with “organic subject matter such as seeds, roots, leaves, and general vegetation forms,” and forms that are more like platters or picture frames. Almost all of the work uses photo transfers to add another layer of information on top of the strong textures he uses. Most of the imagery used references working the land, family and memory.
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