JEFF MORALES CERAMICS

As an art student, the opportunity to be a potter in a small coastal town in Northern California seemed like an idyllic dream, but thirty years later this is my life. I started exploring ceramics in the late 1970’s and completed my degree in Applied Art & Design from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1981. I have been a full-time potter since 1984.

My primary sales are through large art shows throughout the western United States with some gallery and gift store outlets. Commissions and special orders are gladly accepted and continually in process. I have always enjoyed the romantic ideal of interacting directly with people who are interested in my work. Simple, well-designed forms which display attention to fine craftsmanship are the principles I try to emulate in my pottery efforts. I am intrigued by the idea that the functional pottery I make takes on a life and routine of its own that could last for generations.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Working alone, I produce wheel thrown and slab-constructed pieces, using porcelain exclusively in the process. I appreciate the glaze depth and color intensity achieved using porcelain. Thrown forms are often decorated with altered rims, slip trailing, and multiple overlapping glazes. Much of the work I produce are lidded pieces where bamboo is included in the handle detail. For these handles I hunt through bundles of bamboo to find the right piece in both dimension and color. The bamboo is then individually cut and finished to fit each vessel. All pottery is high-fired porcelain with lead-free glaze. Those pieces intended for food service can go into the microwave, dishwasher and oven.