Archie Bray Foundation Preview

Archie's Garden

Designed and built by Archie Bray- who was an avid gardener- the garden was used by Archie to test new varieties of plants. There are several outdoor sculptures including Untitled (tool), 1994, by Joel Mesnikoff; Deborah Masuoka and other resident artists.

Bray Family Home

Built by Archie's father, Charles Bray, this house was once the Bray family home. It is now under private ownership. This building is NOT open to the public.

North Gallery & Storage

Originally a garage to repair brickyard vehicles, the North Gallery once housed the Clay Business before it was remodeled in 1986 to provide studio space for year-round resident artists. In 2005, the year-round resident studios moved into the David and Ann Shaner Resident Artist Studio Complex and it was used as a multi-use educational and temporary exhibition space. In January of 2008, the North Gallery was remodeled to allow for a permanent expanded sales gallery and year-round rotating exhibition space. In 2022 this building was remodeled for ADA accessibility.

Rotunda & Sales Gallery

This building is the main entrance to the Bray; the round rotunda was constructed to mimic the shape of the beehive kilns. This is also where the permanent expanded sales gallery is located. Works available are from both current and recent past resident artists. The work is also available to view and purchase on our online sales gallery. www.archiebraygallery.org.

Artworks Inside Gazebo

On the Ceiling: Soy Yo/ It Is Me by Edith Garcia, 2001On the Wall: Untitled (wall tiles) by Cary Esser, 1982

Picnic Area & Gazebo

Used for special events, the picnic area buzzes with activity during the summer months. In the summer, flowerbeds brim with color and frame the gazebo, which was originally a cupola from atop the turn-of-the-20th-century Broadwater Hotel & Hot Springs. Inside the gazebo is a large tile mural by former Bray resident, Cary Esser, and crowning the corners of the roof are sculptures by Jiman Choi. A brick walkway leads to an arch created by local Helena ceramic artist, Chip Clawson.

Chicken Coop (Private Residence)

Originally built as a brick chicken coop to help feed the brickyard laborers, this building was converted into a living residence by Peter Voulkos in 1951. It has served as the residence for many of the past directors of the Bray and has been renovated a number of times over the years. It is no longer used as a residence. Please do not enter the yard or building.

Francis Senska Center for Education & Engagement

Workshops and Community Classes are held in the Bray's 7,500 square-foot Francis Senska Center for Education & Engagement, which opened during the fall of 2017. Fulfilling Archie's dream of providing "...a fine place to work" that stimulates creative work in ceramics and is "available for all who are seriously interested in any of the branches of the ceramic arts," this studio contains large flexible classroom spaces, state-of-the-art equipment, a research library and plaster room. If you are interested in workshops or classes visit our website or stop in the gallery or offices for more information.Public restrooms are located in this building.

Bray Odyssey Arch

Chip Clawson, 2001

The Bray Box

Nancy Blum, 1992

Brick Pallet

Louis Katz, 1988

Potter's Shrine

This on-site sculpture was built by local artist Robert Harrison between 1985-87. Constructed of a variety of brick and tile materials produced at the Western Clay Manufacturing Company, the Potter's Shrine was created to pay homage to the history of the brick factory, Archie Bray's vision, and the future artists who would come to the Bray. The bust of Archie Bray inside the Potter's Shrine was sculpted by Rudy Autio in 1952. Also surrounding the shrine are pieces of work left by former resident artists. The Potter's Shrine is just one of the many site-specific sculptures on the grounds.

Odyssey

Robert Harrison, 2001

Untitled

Theresa Welty Northway, 2001

Untitled (figure)

Pam Thomas, 1993

TileX

Robert Harrison, 1985

Composition

Sergi Anufriey and Alexandr Hitchev, 1995

Block with Funnel

John Utgaard, 2001

Angel

David Porter, 1986

Storytellers

David Porter, 1997

Bray Range

Nicholas Bonner, 1992

Untitled

Fred Spaulding, 2004

Brickyard Kiln

Louis Katz, 1988

Tre Arenz Memorial Dog Park

Created by friends of former Bray resident artist Tre Arenz in her memory, 2006

Sculpture

Shadow Stack

Gwen Heeney, 2011

Sculpture

Fossil Pit

Gwen Heeney, 2005

DOGU 51

Michael Osborn, 1993

Original Brickyard Sales Office (private residence)

This building was originally the Brickyard Sales Office and served for many years as the main administrative office for the Foundation. Since then it has been moved and is currently being used for visiting artist housing.

Untitled (tombstones)

Eun-Kyung Choi, 1999"The tombstone is the object which represents everything in the world that cannot be eternal, not just the immortality, or the death of human beings.Human beings believe in eternity. However nothing in this life is eternal, including happiness, sadness and life itself. Eternity is merely continuity of every moment.Ultimately we must accept that.It is necessary to focus on the value of life. Otherwise inhumanity exists in this world created by an endless desire to achieve power and wealth.Watching the birds in the sky with freedom for eternity, human beigns wish to achieve freedom of soul. But birds also have to fold their wings someday. There is no eternity. The folded wings are a metaphor for the realization that eternity cannot exist.These tombstones with the inscription "The Memory for the Folded Wings" are installed on the circle which means Earth in eastern philosophy. The surrounding square is a symbol for Heaven. Because human beings came from the earth, and will return to the same place.The tombstones are made only of Earth (clay), water and fire."

Infinity Stream

Yukinori Yamamura, 2001"In response to the soft landscape near the Bray," Yamamura said, "I chose to design the form with gentle curves. In preliminary sketches, I recognized similarities between the form and that of an Airstream trailer. With this connection in mind, I visualized sharp, metallic shine against soft, undulating, natural textures in the grassy hills."--from the Helena Independent Record, 9/21/2001

Aruina

Robert Harrison, 1988

Untitled (big head)

En Iwamura, 2018

Clay Business

Built in 1959 to house an industrial Harrop Tunnel Kiln for the brick factory, this building is now the home of the Bray Clay Business. The Clay Business supplies wet and dry clay, ceramic materials, equipment and tools to resident artists and individual artists and schools throughout the western United States. They also provide technical help to artists around the country. All proceeds help support the residency program and the Archie Bray Foundation.

Resident Artist Summer Studios (summer only)

Formerly a brick factory warehouse, this building has housed resident artist studios during the summer months since 1986. Ceramic artists from around the world are invited to work in this community studio between May and September. We ask that you do not enter individual studio areas without the permission of the artist.

The David & Ann Shaner Resident Artist Studio Complex

Completed in 2005, this 12,000 sq.ft. facility is designed to provide studio space for 10 year-round resident artists as well as studios for the Resident Artist Director and the Voulkos Studio for visiting and guest artists. In addition to the individual studio spaces, it has a comprehensive kiln facility, glaze lab, plaster lab and photo room. Resident artists spend between three months and two years developing their work in this nurturing creative environment provided by the Bray. For more information about the resident program and how to apply, and/or to find a full list of past resident artists, and visiting and guest artists, please visit our website.

Untitled (wall tiles)

Nathan Craven, 2010

Untitled (exterior wall piece)

Tyler Lotz, 2017

Resident Center

The Resident Center is a meeting space used by the resident artists. Artist lectures and meetings are also held throughout the year and there are kitchen facilities and a computer lab for resident use only.On display in the Resident Center is a portion of the Bray's Permanent Collection.

Friends

Suwanee Natewong, 1988

Untitled

Jennifer Prichard, 2003

Untitled (figures)

Koi Neng Liew, 2005

Warehouse Gallery

This former supply warehouse is now used for seasonal exhibitions including the Bray's annual Benefit Auction and Resident and Fellowship Exhibitions. It is open from June through September.

Untitled (wall tiles)

Sanam Emami, 2000

Untitled (outdoor wall tiles)

Del Harrow, 2010

Clay Incubator

Tom Barnett, 2004

Sculpture (head)

Sculpture (throne)

George Rodriguez, 2018

Chair

Suzanne Kane, 2009

High Tea at the Bray

Susannah Israel, 2002

Untitled sculpture

Robert Rose, 2010, 2013

Untitled (tools)

Ovidio Giberga, 1998

Beehive Kilns

The beehive kilns of the Western Clay Manufacturing Company are windows to a bygone era. When the kilns were functioning, they were used to fire industrial and decorative bricks, sewer pipe and tiles. Examples of these products can be found scattered on the Foundation grounds. Only a handful of brick factories containing kilns such as these remain in North America. Originally fired with coal, they were converted to natural gas in 1931. You may enter the first beehive kiln through the crooked stacks of brick but please stay on the designated paths.

Brick & Tile Factory

The brick factory site was founded in the late 1800s and throughout its history involved several family names: Thurston, Kessler, Switzer, and ultimately became the Western Clay Manufacturing Company in 1905 under the Bray family, Charles and then Archie. It produced various types of brick and tile, many examples of which you can find in historic Helena architecture. The various structures you see here are a part of the clay and brick production system, which included refining and mixing the clay as well as extruding, drying and firing brick and tile. For years, the factory was a mainstay of the Helena economy, employing many from the community and producing building materials distributed throughout the Northwest. The brickyard has not produced brick since 1961. It was purchased by the Archie Bray Foundation in 1984, and continues to be an important part of the landscape of the art center that Archie Bray once envisioned. The beehive kilns and Brick & Tile Factory are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and this includes all bricks and tile parts on the grounds. The bricks are no longer for sale and we ask that you do not remove them from the grounds. Please do not enter these buildings, they are off limits for safety concerns.

Top of the Pile

Chip Clawson, 2004