HELENA — What started as a vision to give artists a place to work and create has grown into something much bigger. For 75 years, the Archie Bray Foundation has put Helena on the map as a destination for ceramic artists while leaving a lasting impression on our community.
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“The 75 years is a signifier that it is going to continue,” Steven Lee, the Bray’s artistic director, said.
Helena brickmaker and arts patron Archie Bray founded The Bray in 1951 and built it on the grounds of the former Western Clay Manufacturing Company, turning an old industrial brickyard into a hub for artistic creativity.
“The artistic activity outlived the brickmaking facility, so I think he would be really proud to see what an impact it has made in the community of Helena, the number of people that have come through Helena from all over the world because of this ceramics center,” Lee added.
What started as a small pottery has grown into an internationally recognized artist residency, welcoming more than 600 artists from around the world over the past seven decades.
While the Bray has helped shape the careers of hundreds of artists, its impact also comes down to something much more fundamental: our connection to clay.
“As a material, it is very present in our lives, and when you get to use it to transform into art, there is a tactile familiarity that sometimes people don’t and aren't aware of, but it's very real, I think,” Lee said.
Lee has had a full-circle experience, going from a resident artist in the nineties to the institution's artistic director.
“I just remember that summer looking at this place and thinking this is a really special organization that is helping artists very directly, and then in the back of my head I thought I would love to work for that organization some day and be part of that energy,” Lee added.
An auction to celebrate the legacy and a show to kick off the holiday season will be held on Thursday, November 12. More details can be found at this link.
