Farther Down the Road

Clayton Keyes

Tulsa, OK

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Keyes’ work is an investigation of the human form, its gestures and postures, and how they may communicate or trigger an emotional response in the viewer. He strives to imbue his sculptures with narratives and emotions that may be difficult to confront, and in which whose form one may find stimulation or allure or maybe something troubling. While these characteristics are what typify Keyes’ static work, his experiences as a teaching artist have begun to influence and otherwise motivate his interests as an artist to create better opportunities for connection. It has become increasingly important for him to seek a connection to a larger community through learning, collaborating, making, and displaying. There is an inherently collaborative and performative component to teaching, and especially so when teaching in the arts. And for Keyes, there is a joy in that. By working in a communal space, whether as teacher or artist, he derives a deeper satisfaction.