The Ryman Auditorium from the collection of SWIPE RIGHT ART | BEGINNING ANEW

The Ryman Auditorium

Ceramics,

$3,299

The Ryman is part of an ongoing architectural sculpture series which includes the Ryman; the Hard Rock Café gift shop (formerly known as the Silver Dollar Saloon); Acme Feed & Seed;
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge; and Merchants.

The Ryman was built using strong, groggy Soldate clay. Its seams were reinforced to ensure a sturdy structure; then detail was added one brick at a time. After carefully air drying, it was bisque-fired. After this first firing, the Ryman was given a manganese wash to give it grungy detail and then it was boldly painted using vivid underglazes inside and out. Afterwards, it was brushed with a clear low-fire glaze and slowly fired to 1888° with the roof/lid in place to avoid warping and ensure proper fit once out of the kiln.

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About the artist

Tammy Gentuso

Born and raised in the midwest, Ms. Gentuso became a Nashville transplant in 1984. Other than a stretch abroad working in a mission hospital in West Africa, she and her family call Nashville “home”. After raising three sons, Ms. Gentuso worked as a freelance photojournalist until becoming one of the artists on the Clay Lady Campus in 2011. When asked why the change, she cites a calm and centered peace when working with clay. Ms. Gentuso also shares that much of her inspiration stems from a lifelong fascination with folk art and its innocent refusal to follow rules. She recently completed an outdoor installation called the Nashville Clayscape, a large whimsical map of this city, there on the Campus.