17 Facts About Clayton Bailey

Clayton George Bailey was born on March 9,1939, in Antigo, Wisconsin.

In 1962, Clayton Bailey served as a technical assistant to Harvey Littleton, who was conducting glassblowing seminars at the Toledo Museum of Art.

At the request of Robert Arneson, Clayton Bailey taught Arneson's classes at the University of California, Davis while Arneson was on sabbatical in 1967.

In 1968, Clayton Bailey relocated to northern California, where he became a leading figure in the ceramic vein of the regional Funk art movement, pioneered by Arneson.

In 1968, Clayton Bailey began teaching at California State University, Hayward.

Clayton Bailey retired from this position in June 1996, with the title of Professor Emeritus of Ceramics.

Clayton Bailey became an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church in 1969, then formed The First Psychoceramic Church with headquarters in the Dairyville Cafe in Crockett, California.

Clayton Bailey's church was created for the purpose of disseminating crackpot ideas.

In 1970, Clayton Bailey established a home-studio space in rural Port Costa, California, where he became neighbors with fellow artist Roy De Forest.

In 1972, Clayton Bailey co-curated the first-ever Nut art show at California State University, Hayward.

Stylistically, Clayton Bailey's work bridged several different categories and styles including Funk art, Nut art, ceramic and metallic sculpture, and Performance art.

In 1974, Clayton Bailey was profiled in Esquire Magazine as Dr Gladstone.

Clayton Bailey continued to work in a variety of mediums and styles until his death.

In 2011, Bailey was honored with a 50-year retrospective exhibition at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California.

Clayton Bailey died at his Port Costa home on June 6,2020.

Clayton Bailey's health had deteriorated after a stroke in 2019.

In 2021, a significant collection of Clayton Bailey's work was acquired by Curated Storefront, a nonprofit arts organization in Akron, Ohio, through his daughter, Robin.