Justin Rothshank

"I have a passion and belief in the work of art to transform communities and seed social change. I use my ceramic ware to deliver social, political, and religious commentary into the world around me. "

Justin Rothshank is interested in creating artwork that also serves a physical, tangible purpose, thus functional pottery. The dual purpose of using these pieces to deliver social commentary is what compels him. He is also intrigued by the technical challenge of designing and using graphically compelling images, throwing technically sound pots, and meshing the two at high temperatures.

Rothshank stands at a potter's wheel to make his earthenware pottery. After each piece is glaze-fired in an electric kiln, it is decorated with custom made decals that the artist prints in his own studio. The decals are applied using a water slide technique and then re-fired to become permanently affixed to the pottery. Color decals are then applied and a final firing finishes each piece.

Justin Rothshank is a studio artist working in Indiana and a graduate of Goshen College. In 200, he co-founded the Union Project, a nonprofit organization located in Pittsburgh, PA. He has been a presenter, panelist, visiting artist, and artist-in-residence at numerous universities, schools, conferences, and art centers throughout the United States and abroad.