Chris Casey’s ceramics explore the space between the concrete and the abstract, the familiar and the foreign, teasing the human mind’s urge to look for order in chaos. Drawing inspiration from the intricate construction of machinery, technology and the worlds of science fiction, Casey’s elegantly executed forms and mesmerizing surface designs offer a playground of color, pattern and texture.

“As far as my surface designs, I say I’ve made a career out of doodling,” Casey says. He began working with clay in high school, when he would fill the margins of handouts and notes with whimsical drawings that would later inform the surface design of his ceramics. He went on to study ceramics and sculpture at the University of New Mexico, and has since worked as an art assistant, glaze maker, ceramics lab manager, and teacher. He currently works at a company that manufactures the full rainbow spectrum of glaze and underglaze colors, which has encouraged him to explore a wide breadth of color in his studio practice. His work has evolved into a distinctive abstract and colorful visual style, and has been shown widely across the U.S. In 2023 he was commissioned to make six vases that were featured in the 2025 A24 horror/musical film Opus starring Ayo Edebiri. 

Casey’s work in this show illustrates the range of his abilities, from functional ceramics like mugs and bowls to wall-hung pieces and sculpture. Each piece is totally unique, showcasing Casey’s characteristic intricate surface design and wide, bright color palette. “My work hinges on improvisation,” Casey says, explaining that each piece has an idiosyncratic set of rules that guide its design, meaning that no two pieces will ever be the same. He begins with color, then divides the space into sections that will each have their own design. “I tackle each space individually, so even I don’t know what the end result will be—this approach keeps it fun and unpredictable for me,” he says. He builds the designs piece by piece using sgraffito, usually beginning by choosing a carving tool to make the initial marks that will set the tone for the design—for example, a V-tip carving tool lends itself to arcs, dashes and straight lines, while a clean-up tool can create more irregular, random shapes. 

While Casey throws the majority of his work on the potter’s wheel, some is slip cast from molds he has created, and his sculpture is coil-built for versatility in construction. His wall domes are modified bowls thrown on the pottery wheel, trimmed, and carved. Though he often draws inspiration from the precise and complex interplay of mechanical objects, Casey avoids direct representation of real-world objects in his designs, preferring to think of them as shadows cast by an unknown object, lending them an air of cosmic mystery. His work challenges the human urge to categorize, inviting viewers to question their own pattern-seeking. 

Though Casey’s work has evolved significantly in form and adornment since his high school days, his work is still guided by the playful spontaneity of doodling in the margins, keeping each piece fresh for both the artist and the viewer. “There are always new color combinations and design approaches to try, so I haven’t become bored yet,” Casey says.