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Bruce Johnson
Bruce Johnson Clay Studio, LLC
"I love my job as a ceramic artist. I am able to get dirty all day and nobody yells at me."
Bruce Johnson designs and creates both decorative and functional ceramic art. His work represents his desire to provide an interactive and meaningful part in other's lives. The raku process is based as much on his intuition as it is on science. His functional pieces are created from high-fire stoneware that is wheel thrown, then altered with hand-built additions.
Johnson's raku vessels are created using a fascinating firing technique. He begins by applying a special glaze to the bisque-fired clay. Each glazed piece is returned to the kiln until the proper temperature is reached, then removed from the kiln with tongs and immediately submerged in a container filled with combustible materials. These materials ignite, and then something magical occurs: as the flames lick up against the pots, they react with the glaze, producing colors that are nearly impossible to achieve otherwise.
Johnson's passion for pottery began in 1983 when he began his study of ceramic art in North Carolina. Upon graduation, he returned to Wisconsin to accept a position with one of the nation's largest producers of handmade pottery. During his ten years of experience there, he refined his throwing skills and was given the title of Master Potter. He founded his own studio in 1993.
Bruce Johnson designs and creates both decorative and functional ceramic art. His work represents his desire to provide an interactive and meaningful part in other's lives. The raku process is based as much on his intuition as it is on science. His functional pieces are created from high-fire stoneware that is wheel thrown, then altered with hand-built additions.
Johnson's raku vessels are created using a fascinating firing technique. He begins by applying a special glaze to the bisque-fired clay. Each glazed piece is returned to the kiln until the proper temperature is reached, then removed from the kiln with tongs and immediately submerged in a container filled with combustible materials. These materials ignite, and then something magical occurs: as the flames lick up against the pots, they react with the glaze, producing colors that are nearly impossible to achieve otherwise.
Johnson's passion for pottery began in 1983 when he began his study of ceramic art in North Carolina. Upon graduation, he returned to Wisconsin to accept a position with one of the nation's largest producers of handmade pottery. During his ten years of experience there, he refined his throwing skills and was given the title of Master Potter. He founded his own studio in 1993.
