Gustav Reyes

Who is Gustav Reyes?

Gustav Reyes grew up in a modest home on the south side of Chicago. His father was a construction worker, who exposed him early on to art and artists of all varieties. He remembers these days as some of the happiest moments of his childhood. As a young man, Gustav attended the Art Institute of Chicago, where his horizons and understanding of art were greatly broadened. He learned art as a gift, as a freedom, and as a proud tradition. After his years at the Art Institute, he spent time at the Chicago Bauhaus Academy, where he developed a strong understanding of and appreciate for architecture and the finer aspects of woodworking. Gustav was working in the shop of a local cabinet-maker, listening for inspiration to hand him his next turn, when his wife asked if he could craft for her a ring made of wood. This simple request sent him on the journey that has come to define his work as an artist. Determined to craft something lasting and elegant, he quickly threw out the idea of drilling or carving into a piece of wood, seeking a method that would result in something beautiful in structure as well as form. Before long he hit upon the method currently used for his rings – it was simply a matter of listening to the wood. Gustav’s early influences can be seen in his work, which originates in the heart and is formed by a strong sense of structure, balanced by a deep understanding of the nature of his materials. On each piece, he works in symbiosis with his materials, allowing their defining characteristics to be the greatest strengths of the work. His formal training, hands-on experience, and years of dedication to his craft have allowed him to find the point where nature breathes through the form, striking a balance between the contemporary and the ancient, crafting fine art that is deeply personal, contextual, and alive.