Duluth MN was an inspiring hometown for an artistic child and its influence touches my work yet today. Also, I’ve enjoyed teaching art which I began in my teen years volunteering at an inner-city youth center. Since earning a BFA degree from Kendall College of Art and Design, I’ve been a self-employed artist teaching classes in various media in community-based programming such as Artists Creating Together (ACT) of Grand Rapids, the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, Forest Hills Fine Arts Center and Georgetown Connections in Jenison. In my own work, I favor various sorts of drawing and painting mediums.
Thomas A. Reynolds
I drew a lot when I was a kid. It wasn't until college that I was bitten by the clay bug. I graduated from Western Michigan University in 1977 with a degree in Art, a minor in Drawing and Design and an emphasis in Art Education and Pottery. I "dabbled" in pottery for the next 33 years. In 2010, pottery became a significant part of my life, as well as my wife's. Since then, I have gone from a small space in the basement to a large garage transformed into a pottery studio.
As a potter, I strive to make my pieces unique, colorful, and fun. Using colorful glazes in various combinations helps me accomplish this. It is my intention that the functional pieces be beautiful and yet useful for everyday living, whether it is for the kitchen or the yard.
I use two different types of clay - brown for outdoors and white for indoors. I mix glazes for my own colors, all of which are non-toxic and all my work is oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe.