THE GALLERY at ROUND TOP
Round Top, Texas
Billy Ray Mangham
I AM ONE OF THE FORTUNATE FEW. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PERSUE MY PASSION FOR CLAY FOR THIRTY FIVE YEARS. UP UNTIL THE SUMMER OF 2006 MY WORK REVOLVED AROUND THE RAKU FIRING PROCESS. IN JULY OF THAT YEAR I SPENT THE MONTH IN PANEVEZYS, LITHUANIA WORKING ON LARGE SCULPTURES AND THAT HAS BEEN MY FOCUS SINCE THEN. I AM CURRENTLY WORKING ON FIGURATIVE PIECES IN TERRA COTTA.
I LIVE WITH MY WIFE, BEVERLY, WHO IS ALSO AN ARTIST. WE LIVE WITH FOUR DOGS, TWO CATS, LOTS OF CHICKENS, AND A CANARY NAMED “HAMBONE” IN OUR HANDMADE HOUSE ON TEN ACRES. THIS YEAR WE ARE RAISING A GARDEN, I HAVE EIGHT TYPES OF ORGANIC GARLIC GROWING. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING THE “EYE OF THE DOG ART CENTER”, A PLACE TO CONDUCT WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS CONCERNING THE PROCESS OF CREATIVITY, A SUBJECT THAT HAS OCCUPIED MOST OF MY LIFE.
