Based in Southern California, Artist Richard Moren creates his ceramic pieces with a confident use of structure. His artwork is a reflection of his many years working as an architect and conceptual designer on hotels and casinos worldwide.

Each of his vessels begins at the potter’s wheel, to form a solid foundation. He then laminates clay ribbons of various layers and hand weaves them into distinct patterns forming intricate subtractions and additions. He starts the piece and then sees what happens as it develops upward. Each one has its own bit of history, which is involved in its final destiny. Sometimes “an unplanned happening” becomes the focal point of the piece.

His rustic, natural clay pieces take advantage of the various shades of clay in his cache, to determine the patterns that glide gracefully throughout.

For his Raku-fired pieces, he mixes his own glazes. The word Raku loosely means “happiness in the accident.” It’s a fast process, and the sudden change in temperature means the pottery is more at risk of breaking. For Richard, the highly reflective and beautiful metallic results are well worth the risk.