Jake Johnson
Virginia

Porcelain
Functional
8.25"w x 5.5"l x 6"h

About the Artist
I grew up in Peoria, Illinois, and attended Bradley University, where I studied both sculpture and ceramics. After graduate school at Penn State—where I earned my MFA in ceramics—my wife, Katie, and I lived in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania, before moving to Waynesboro, Virginia, in 2014.
I now live and work in Waynesboro, exhibiting my work nationally and selling through galleries, my online shop, and occasional art fairs. In 2017, I opened Make Waynesboro Clay Studio, offering memberships and classes to the community.

Artist Statement
The first time I made something years ago, something clicked for me. The act of making something from relatively nothing made it seem that there was something special about me. It was unlike any work I’d done before—much more meaningful somehow. I was hooked. I began to take art classes in college to see what else I could do. Through exposure to various artists, I learned that there were some who made a living making their craft. Once it occurred to me that this possibility existed, I was convinced that it was what I wanted for myself.

I think I was drawn to clay because of its working properties; Clay is a very squishy, soft, malleable material. These are qualities which I fully embrace and exploit in making my pieces. By giving my work just some of the basic qualities of life—a sense of movement, growth, and breath—the pieces develop presence and take on unique personalities and trajectories. I strive to give a feeling of animation to my work that suggests gesture. This speaks to the inspiration for many of my forms and surfaces, which is drawn from nature.  I spend a lot of time in the woods hiking, looking for mushrooms, and finding plenty of other things along the way. The variety and diversity of life that I encounter finds its way into my work.

Working for myself and making things with my hands makes me feel more grounded and perhaps more human. My work is not rooted in a particular tradition or style, but rather a tempo or mood that I think comes from some combination of my personality and my interest in nature and biology. I try to make works that engage users visually and tactfully, while also fulfilling a purpose for the user. While I’ve gone through many styles and types of work, I think that feeling of animation and energy has remained constant, and it is this which I view as the defining characteristic of what I produce. 

*Teapots that are purchased will remain on display in the gallery for the duration of the exhibition, through September 14, 2026. 
After the show closes, teapots will be carefully packed and shipped by September 28, or they may be picked up at the gallery.