August 19th – 20th 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Meet Raku Pottery Artist, Jerry Rhodes and Show

Jerry has an Electrical Engineering degree from Penn State University, is a former Air Force officer, and currently serves as the Joint Staff Air and Missile Defense Liaison to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

“The firing process I use for my pottery is often described as Raku, but the motivation behind my use of this technique might be considered its philosophical opposite. Rather than seeking a harmonious balance or simplicity through my work, I try to achieve dynamic and imaginative results by challenging the boundaries of gravity, material science, chemistry, and sometimes, common sense. Often I will use traditional style glazes and classic post firing reduction techniques, but other times I’ll use plant food, steel wool, and horsehair during the firing, and add African porcupine quills to complete a composition. The results are usually very dramatic.”

“I also like to combine seemingly disparate elements drawn from a global, temporal, and cultural palate to form a composition. Some pieces may blend science with antiquity; Einstein’s equations for Special Relativity carved around the rim of a classic Greek form, for instance, while others may represent a cultural fusion; African and Polynesian tribal components combined into a loosely symbolic presentation. In the end, I’m not trying to resolve the different elements that go into a piece, but rather, trying to bring the composition to a point where it finds a temporary détente within itself.”

“Each piece I create is unique, each one represents a new and exciting learning experience, and every one is an adventure.”