Sculptor Greg Reuter works in clay, bronze and iron. The Texas-based artist describes his unfussy, well-crafted work as “impressionistic with a gestural quality.”
The artist: Born in Santa Monica, CA, Reuter grew up mostly in the San Francisco Bay area. He earned a BA degree at California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland and an MFA at the University of Hawaii.
In 1978, Reuter moved to Corpus Christi to take a job teaching at Corpus Christi State University, now Texas A & M University Corpus Christi (TAMUCC). From 1978 to 2018, he was professor of ceramics and sculpture.
The company/studio: Greg Reuter Studio is based in Corpus Christi. The studio is in a 20-foot-by-40-foot metal shed attached to his home.
In the beginning: After graduate school, Reuter worked as a studio potter for Studio 5 in Seattle for three years. He then taught ceramics at various institutions in California before landing a tenure track position at CCSU – now TAMUCC.
Art & materials: The content and materials, including clay, iron and bronze, of his 3-D forms have varied over the years.
- One constant has been dogs, which to Reuter exemplify love, loyalty and courage. Carved in clay, the stylized dogs were then cast in bronze, aluminum, iron, and resin
- For several years, he created heads and hearts, rendered in clay and bronze, to explore the tension between our objective and subjective tendencies or impulses.
- A series inspired by the beach at Padre Island National Seashore. Reuter used the textures and trace fossils found at the beach to create a variety of forms in bronze.
- Currently, his focus is on birds and dogs.
What’s popular: Dogs, birds and heads.
- Dogs in clay ($150 to $700) and dogs in bronze ($600 to $2,000).
- Heads in clay ($200).
- Birds in iron ($350 to $900).
Other favorites: Pottery ($45 to $350), which he combines with sculptural elements.
Inspirations:
- Alberto Giacometti, a Swiss sculptor and draftsman
- Japanese rock gardens
- Pre-Columbian sculpture
Fun, special, unusual requests:
- Crafted a clay baptismal font and pitcher.
- Sculpted a dog to commemorate a client’s dog. “It was my style dog, but painted to match the fur of the client’s pet.”
- Hosted raku parties, where guests decorate pots and assist in the process of raku firing.
- In 1988, his sculpture was featured in the gallery scene of the movie “D.O.A” with Dennis Quaid. He also landed a role as an extra in the movie.
Big break: Included in group show: “Texas: Between Two Worlds,” at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston in 1993-1994.
The show, which included 15 artists, traveled to the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Art Museum of South Texas.
Awards: Several, including:
- AIA Corpus Christi, Artisan/Craftsman Award, 2002
- Excellence in Creative Activity, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, 2014
- Harte Hero: Champion for the Gulf, 2016
What’s new: Experimenting with processes that are new to him. They include pit fires and naked raku for ceramic pieces. Also casting sculptures in resin.
What’s next: Participating in The Cabinet Oak Project culminating in a live auction and celebration event in the spring of 2023.
For this project, selected artists, like Reuter, will work with a piece of the historic oak tree adjacent to the “Texas White House” on the LBJ Ranch in Stonewall.
Where to buy: Gregreuterart.com
Get social:
- Instagram: @greg_r_reuter
