Brave

Nancy Jurs

stoneware, glazed with a copper patina.

23.75 in x 10 in x 10

Inscribed Signature

Blending the organic beauty of nature with the strength of architectural form, this sculptural work transforms the familiar column into an elegant abstract composition. Its graceful bends, crisp edges, and flowing curves create a dynamic sense of movement while maintaining a powerful feeling of stability and balance.

At once structural and expressive, this striking sculpture invites viewers to explore the relationship between the built and natural worlds. Whether displayed as a standalone statement piece or incorporated into a larger collection, it offers a refined balance of strength, form, and artistry.

Artist Biography

Trained in traditional pottery at Rochester, NY's School for American Craftsmen, Nancy Jurs spent the first fifteen years of her artistic career creating functional raku works. In 1980, however, she began to expand the parameters of her ceramics, creating functional wall shelves, or "wall pouches," that suggested butterflies or female forms. These pieces were soon replaced by "blouses" that Jurs considered emblematic of women's bodies and spirit.

The relationship of the clothing-inspired pieces to Greek and Roman draped sculpture led Jurs to experiment with larger-than-life-size sculptural forms that suggest goddesses, women, and animals. The emotionally expressive clay shapes are hand-built or wheel-thrown and are glazed, painted with acrylics, or finished with any combination of techniques that appeals to the artist. "Where all my work was once a many-faceted female expression," Jurs has said, "it now appears to be much more about women in emergence-a growing out, rising above, or hatching from other forms and constraints."

• All winning bids are paid in full before artwork leaves The Clay Studio.
• Winning Bids are automatically billed at the close of the Auction at 12:00 pm on September 27th 2026.
• Shipping is NOT included in the winning bid.
• Items can be packed and shipped, and the winner will pay the cost.
• Items can be picked up at The Clay Studio for no additional cost.
• Items with alcohol CANNOT be shipped.