Perry Haas has been working in ceramics since 2003. He holds a BFA in ceramics from Utah State University. Ceramics has taken him to China where he studied in Jingdezhen, and Korea where he stayed and studied with ceramic artist Hung Chung Lee. Perry’s work has been in numerous exhibitions, most recently at Pottery North West, in Seattle Washington, Market House Craft Center, Petersburg Pennsylvania, and Plinth Gallery, Denver Co. He has been in international shows including ICMEA emerging artist in China, and has received a purchase award from NCECA Biennale. He is currently a long term resident artist at Red Lodge Clay Center.
How did you become so involved with pottery-what led to your passion?
I went to Waubonsee community college in Illinois after high school and that’s where I got my start, I went there to do graphic design and fell in love with clay.When I was at Utah state it is a functional driven school, the professors were critical about form and function. I studied firing techniques and made a lot of work functional pots. While at Utah State we had an exchange program and I went over to Jingdezhen China for a semester and studied at a ceramic institute. I took classes like art history, language and studio. I was introduced to a lot of different cultural things and interesting work and was heavily influenced by their culture. That led me to go to Korea the following year. Korea blew me away even more, and a lot of my work is influenced by that culture now. I’m in Red Launch Clay Center now and have done the American Pottery Festival in the past.
What is your favorite piece to make? Mugs, bowls, vases etc.
I’m making a lot of tableware right now, in Korean culture that means a lot of dishes. In the states there are a lot of plates but the Korean culture has a bunch of little dishes throughout the table. They’re really simple and quick. Tea pots are enjoyable as well because I’m interested in the tea ceremony as well. Making a functional tea pot is always a challenge but is enjoyable when it comes out right.
I went to Waubonsee community college in Illinois after high school and that’s where I got my start, I went there to do graphic design and fell in love with clay.When I was at Utah state it is a functional driven school, the professors were critical about form and function. I studied firing techniques and made a lot of work functional pots. While at Utah State we had an exchange program and I went over to Jingdezhen China for a semester and studied at a ceramic institute. I took classes like art history, language and studio. I was introduced to a lot of different cultural things and interesting work and was heavily influenced by their culture. That led me to go to Korea the following year. Korea blew me away even more, and a lot of my work is influenced by that culture now. I’m in Red Launch Clay Center now and have done the American Pottery Festival in the past.
What is your favorite piece to make? Mugs, bowls, vases etc.
I’m making a lot of tableware right now, in Korean culture that means a lot of dishes. In the states there are a lot of plates but the Korean culture has a bunch of little dishes throughout the table. They’re really simple and quick. Tea pots are enjoyable as well because I’m interested in the tea ceremony as well. Making a functional tea pot is always a challenge but is enjoyable when it comes out right.
Favorite Firing technique:
My favorite technique is the high fire wood fire, which is firing up to the vitrification of the clay and making sure the glaze is melting. I put draw rings in my kiln to make sure everything is melting properly. The wood fire brings out different colors and the clay body reacts differently. What’s your favorite CCC clay body to work with? I use the fire porcelain, all of my work is porcelain based. It’s really nice to work with in the kiln because it gives interesting surface and color ranges. |
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What’s your favorite part about continental clay?
It’s one of my favorite clay's to use, I make my own porcelain but I’m getting tired of making my own clay's, I’ve tested a lot of different clay's, but the porcelain from Continental Clay does what I want it to do.
It’s one of my favorite clay's to use, I make my own porcelain but I’m getting tired of making my own clay's, I’ve tested a lot of different clay's, but the porcelain from Continental Clay does what I want it to do.