Toy bears, guns and bullets are just some of the things viewers will find encased in ceramic tiles at Daniel Hunter’s new Gallery 621 show “Tile Tales.” (Artwork by Daniel Hunter)

When you go to Gallery 621, you will see more than just ceramic tiles. You will see children’s playthings encased in those tiles.

This is the premise of El Sobrante artist Daniel Hunter’s new show “Tile Tales.” Hunter has had an interest in ceramics since taking classes at the University of Arizona, where he got a bachelors degree in sculpture. He got a master’s degree in the same discipline from UC Berkeley and also taught ceramics and photography at Oakland High School as well as private classes out of his studio for 17 years.

Hunter created everything from teapots to bowls and plates, but he eventually gave way to creating flatter art forms. In the last four years, he has gotten into creating ceramic tiles.

“Ceramic tiles are very accommodating as a medium,” Hunter said. “A person can work with patterns, any kind of form, color (or) texture. They are also small and can easily be handled. Yet, when they are added together they can make a large statement.”

Despite the presence of toys in his latest show, Hunter says the tiles were inspired by a tragic incident in Mexico. In 2014, 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College went missing in Iguala, Guerrero and reportedly had taken control of many buses to host a protest in Mexico City on the anniversary of the 1968 Tlatelolco Massacre. While en route to Mexico City, they were stopped by police in Iguala, and a confrontation followed leading to them being arrested and turned over to the local crime syndicate, Guerreros Unidos.

According to government reports, the students were abducted by gang members, driven to a local dump, killed and had their bodies burned with the remains of their teeth and bones put into plastic bags and dumped into a river. Outside investigations have disputed the government’s claims, and the case remains open.

As this happened, Hunter was working on a series titled “Bone Tiles” which featured casts of bones, guns and bullets. As a result of the tragedy, Hunter said, the work evolved.

The guns and bullets featured are actually toy guns and bullets purchased from the Dollar Tree and local thrift stores. In addition to other toys, Hunter brings them home and saws them up until he has a table of toys and forms.

“I usually start with one form then lay others beside it,” he said. “Eventually, after several days, if I’m lucky, I come up with a combination of forms that are juxtaposed that I like.”

Hunter then makes plaster molds, and the clay is pressed into or cast from the molds. He then sprays multiple glazes or underglazes from the tiles before firing them to give them color and texture. After the firing is done, the tiles are cemented into a wooden frame and hung on the wall.

“Working with ceramic tiles the way I do is an extremely slow process,” Hunter said. “Many of the tiles were cast in November and December of 2016. It takes at least one month for the tiles to dry before they can be fired. Developing glazes that work for me and finding combinations of tiles that I like is also a slow process. And for every tile that works there is one that misfired, cracked, warped or did not take the glaze nicely.”

Hunter hopes that people will enjoy looking at his hard work and reflecting on it.

“Tile Tales” will be on display through Sunday, June 4 at Gallery 621, located at 309 First St. The gallery is open from noon to 6 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays. For more information, go to gallery621.com.

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