"My want is to keep doing what I have been doing since my initial clay seduction: being a joyous maker of possibilities, a maker for joy's sake."
Self-proclaimed "mud man" William Daley (1925–2022) was a leading figure in the field of ceramics for more than 60 years. Through his large-scale vessels, which he referred to as "Vesicas," Daley explored geometry, symbols, and cultural icons, as well as the relationship of interior and exterior. Daley's exhibition history dates back to the 1950s and his works have been included in numerous collections at venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the National Museum of Art of the Smithsonian Institution. A former prisoner of war in World War II, Daley received his art education through the G.I. Bill and spent decades teaching others, both inside the classroom and at lectures, workshops, and symposia around the world.
