NICHOLAS GALLERY

Tony Ray-Jones
Eton, 1967
Gelatin silver print
Museum purchase

In a brief period of documentary activity, British photographer Tony Ray-Jones introduced a new way of looking at his own society, a view tinged with irony, nostalgia, compassion and humor. Ray-Jones was born in England in 1941 and moved to the United States in the early 1960s, intending to study graphic design. Instead, he was drawn in by the lure of American street photographers and their documentary way of looking at life.

Returning to England, he undertook a project documenting the social customs and idiosyncrasies of the British during their leisure time. He aimed to create “an important statement about British society,” exploring the class system and different geographic areas of the country. The majority of this work, for which he is now well known, was done in a relatively brief period during 1966 and 1967.

Tragically, Jones contracted leukemia and died in 1972. Although rejected by British publishers during his lifetime, a book of his photo project, A Day Off: An English Journal, was published posthumously in 1974, and has had widespread, international impact. His keen observations of British culture helped to promote photography as an artform and inspired a new generation of British photographers.

Raymon Elozua
Transfer Slip, 1979
Earthenware with stains
Gift of Carlo Lamagna Gallery

Raymon Elozua’s works include ceramic vessels, color photography and fascinating sculptural landscapes. His artistic tendency has been to follow ideas that intrigued him. After distinguishing himself as a ceramist, he took up photography, visiting industrial sites and amusement parks, showing weathered structures and furthering his exploration of the passage of time and decay. Elozua continues to photograph decay and banality today, with websites devoted to photographs of found objects, including stoveburner.com and rustybucket.us.

Elozua’s ceramic sculptures reflect the industrial environment of south Chicago where he was raised. The decline of American manufacturing, the images of abandoned mills, and the impact of these changes on the workers and their families served as his inspiration. Elozua’s rail yards, water tanks, empty factories and billboards are created in meticulous detail in clay. The sculptures are assembled from thin ceramic strips, cut, textured, painted and assembled to recreate reality.

Ruth Newton
Peter Rabit Front Cover, c.1937
Pencil, ink, watercolor and gouache on board
Gift of Dr. Kirk Steehler

Noted illustrator and doll designer Ruth Eleanor Newton was born in Erie in 1884. She produced illustrations for greeting cards, advertisements and most notably, children’s books.

After studying in Philadelphia and doing commercial work in Boston, Newton settled in New York, where she maintained a studio in Greenwich Village for 38 years. She illustrated over forty titles for Whitman Publishing Company, including The Night Before Christmas, Mother Goose, Kittens and Puppies, and Peter Rabbit. She won several prizes for her book illustrations.

Newton began designing dolls in the late 1940s, including one called Amosandra, in conjunction with the “Amos and Andy” radio show. She went on to design nearly 30 other dolls. Newton returned to Erie in 1968 and lived here until her death in 1972.

Newton’s illustrations are whimsical and bright, perfectly suited for children’s books. She worked in watercolor and gouache. Her distinctive style is geared toward young people, with colorful, chubby figures and bright-eyed, gentle-faced animals. She was regarded as one of three leaders of children’s art in the United States during her lifetime.

American Ceramics

The Museum's holdings include a wide range of ceramics, featuring a variety of styles and decorative techniques. A selection of American ceramics make up this exhibit, including Teco pottery, works by Frederick Hurten Rhead, a selection of iridescent-glazed Sicardo vases, works by George Ohr, a Louis Comfort Tiffany vase, and a group of contemporary ceramics. A selection of Art Deco works includes Viktor Schreckengost's iconic Jazz Bowl.

Drawings from the Collection
The 34 drawings on view range from abstract to realistic, with a strong emphasis on the figure. Most are by contemporary artists, but historical examples date from as early as the eighteenth century.