About my work

I begin by creating three-dimensional "canvases" in clay that may be functional or sculptural. Each piece is primarily hand-built and one of a kind. Working across a range of firing methods and temperatures—including gas, electric, and pit firing—I develop surfaces using both hot and cold finishes. The final surface is determined by the firing process, the clay body, and, ultimately, the form itself.

My background in drawing and painting informs every stage of the work. I use traditional ceramic glazes that I mix myself, along with raw oxides, stains, stencils and architectural patinas. The patinas, a more recent discovery, invite an unpredictable layering of earthy and metallic surfaces, expanding the visual language of the clay.

Serendipity is central to my ceramic process. I embrace the unexpected, allowing the materials and firing to shape the final outcome as much as my own intentions. To paraphrase the British painter Francis Bacon: If I know exactly what a painting is going to look like beforehand, why paint it? The same philosophy guides my work in clay.

Email: rshapiro313@yahoo.com
Instagram: @art__roh.com