Where are you from? and a little bit about youI live in Pittsburgh, aka the Steel City. These days we’re more known for our football team than our actual steel production, though. I’m a magazine publisher and a youth arts educator. I make pottery for fun (and occasionally for profit). I love bicycles and learning about other cultures—especially Asian culture because their food is so good!
What items do you carry in your shop?
I sell functional pottery, mostly drinkware, because frankly I love to drink (coffee, tea and various spirits). I’m fascinated by Japanese pottery, and often emulate their forms. Otherwise, I do a lot of common western forms like mugs, many of which feature ceramic decals.
Well, it’s my name. As I’m to understand, my name means “Bringer of Peace,” “God’s Chosen One” and “Warrior.”
Do you have anything new you plan on adding to your store?
I’ve just added some of my most recent works. I’ve started carving again, which is something I experiemented with early on, but gave up on because it was too time consuming. Now I’m less concerned with making a quantity of work, and more interested in making unique pieces. Plus, the act of carving is really quite enjoyable. On the downside, it means I invest more than twice as much time in every piece
Do you have a blog, twitter, or facebook page?
I don’t Tweet, but I have a blog, a Flickr account and a Facebook page, all of which can be accessed via http://www.guerreroceramics.com/.
What is your inspiration when making a new item?
I have a few motivations. The best one is the desire to create. I’ve always enjoyed making art, and ceramics is a great medium because it combines aesthetic values with function. I also like the feeling I get from harvesting a bounty of new work from the kiln, whether it’s for sale, for gift-giving or even for myself. And, yes, I do enjoy selling work and making a little extra money.
I like making what comes to mind, so I’m glad ceramics is a hobby and not my occupation. If I want to make sake cups, I can make them. If I’m inspired to make a teapot, I can. Right now I’m inspired to make mugs with elaborate carving. And I’ve been making small ceramic sculptures that aren’t for sale, but are certainly fun to make.
Anything else you would like us to know?
I am a believer in the power of art and its ability to change the world. As someone who teaches kids art, I’m not trying to train the next Michelangelo; my goal is to show them that they’re capable of being creative and of expressing themselves. Hopefully these successes will inspire them to achieve great things in life.
