"I've been working with clay for about 25 years now," says California artist Jon Lovejoy, "and I can still just lose myself in it. I like the surface textures and colors I've been achieving in raku, and I've also had some new directions open up recently in my pit-fired work." 

Jon works in his backyard studio in Mission Viejo, California, where he lives with his wife and two sons. "I love my little studio," Jon says. "It's built from old doors and windows, and really has a very funky feel to it, but it's very functional. I've got two large workbenches, two wheels and plenty of shelves, and I have room to do pretty much anything I can imagine."

Jon finishes his clay work primarily using primitive firing techniques such as RAKU, which has its roots in the Japanese tea ceremony. Pit firing, a process of firing the unglazed work with wood in an open pit, originates from Native American Indian techniques. 

Click the ART GALLERY or PRIMITIVE FIRING links below for further information on the pottery and the processes, or CLICK HERE for upcoming show information.