Currently on view at Mineral Gallery in the Dome District is a variety of work by local artist Nicholas Nyland entitled “Ceramics and Works on Paper.”

Nyland has been on the move lately, having recently shown in a group show at the Telephone Room Gallery, SOIL and Grey Gallery in Seattle, and he will soon be showing in the Bellevue Art Museum’s 2010 Biennial.

For his exhibit at Mineral, Nyland chose a few bright pieces that pop inside the square space with brightly painted red walls.

“Untitled 2009” is a glazed ceramic piece, smaller compared to the other similar piece of larger stature in the show. Small ceramic pieces are connected and pieced together to almost appear like multicolored bubblegum remnants fused together, partially due to the wide array of colors - differing shades of blue, aqua, yellow, green, pink, orange and red - placed together. The piece almost appears to be sea anemones or algae on a reef underwater. Pieces of ceramic that are interconnected point up and in various directions, successfully creating a piece that is pleasing and stimulating to the eye in its variety of texture.

An also untitled set of nine pyramids grace the top of a display case for Mineral owner Lisa Kinoshita’s handmade jewelry. Lined up in a row, each ceramic piece is painted a different color on each side, giving off almost a circus-tent like vibe pointing upwards. More bright colorings, such as blue, orange, green, purple and pink, all further that impression. Standing in a row, though they are simply adorned with paint, the pyramids give off an impressively bold and powerful impact to the viewer.

“Untitled 2010” is the masterpiece and largest sculpture in the space. The larger ceramic sculpture sits on its pedestal and boasts a bit more height than the other similar ceramic piece. Its shape is slightly peculiar - almost appearing to be shaped like a human, with a head and round body, or possibly a vase. Little ceramic “bowls” were constructed and then pieced together to form the large piece, and the middles of the bowls were filled with puddles of muted color in comparison with the brightness of the other pieces. Mustard yellows, beiges, light blues, pale purples, brown and taupe all adorn the insides of the piece. Every interconnected facet of the sculpture is of a varying shape and size and totally unique. The overall effect of the piece is charismatically thoughtful.

Nyland affirms that his abstract pieces have a range of influences, from Chinese scholar’s stones to Japanese gardens, early American decorative traditions and ‘70s design, and this is why he feels anyone who views his pieces can create their own meaningful associations to them. Catch Nyland’s ceramic pieces and watercolor prints at Mineral before they’re gone.

“Ceramics and Works on paper” by Nicholas Nyland is on view through July 29 at Mineral Gallery, located at 301 Puyallup Ave., two doors down from Tacoma Bike, in downtown Tacoma’s Dome District. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 12-5 p.m. Info: (253) 250-7745 or www.lisakinoshita.com.