Primeval-inspired sculpture

Greg Reiche, Indivisible, steel/stone/glass, 24 x 16 x 6.

This story was featured in the February 2015 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art February 2015 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story!

Greg Reiche has worked with his hands since childhood. A lover of nature, he spent his days outside, constructing things with sticks and stones. At 16 he began making turquoise jewelry, sparking his fascination with carving stone. “I’ve always been attracted to stone; it’s a beautiful material,” remembers Reiche. He continued his art schooling in college, but three years in he decided on a more practical route, earning a degree in business and then working as an accountant for six years before the artistic calling grew so loud it couldn’t be ignored.

After quitting his accounting job, Reiche ran a gallery in Albuquerque for 14 years. But with the birth of his first child, he sold the gallery to focus on his family and his sculpture. Stone, glass, and metals became his mediums of choice because of their connection to nature. “I find so much beauty in the natural world. That was my way to connect with it—to use it as a medium,” he says.

His works range from small studio works to monumental, site-specific pieces. Inspired by the prehistoric forms of the world, his sculptures evoke the sacred forms of ancient carvings and stonework. Recently his art has evolved to include kinetic installations that react to their environment, something he hopes to pursue further in the future. “I’m not the type of artist who’s happy sitting still,” he says. “I feel lucky I have that diversity. It’s a magical process.” —Joe Kovack

Reiche is represented by Pippin Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM, and Howell Gallery of Fine Art, Oklahoma City, OK.

Featured in the February 2015 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art February 2015 print issue or digital download Or subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!