MEET AJ

AJ Evansen is originally from Portland, Oregon and moved to Bend to pursue a life surrounded by pottery and an outdoor lifestyle. Growing up in a city felt stifling to AJ’s creative side, and he found solace in working with clay. Bringing nature and art into his life gave AJ a renewed sense of purpose, and jump-started his obsession with all things ceramic. His preferred style is highly specialized crystalline glazes on dramatic porcelain forms, echoing the shapes and colors found in his outdoor explorations. AJ is drawn to crystalline because the glazes stand out in both their depth and colors, a rare find for a colorblind potter. This love of dramatic shapes also guides AJ’s secondary style of carved geometric pieces. He describes these works as a reflection of the geometry we find in life, like the radial symmetry of a sunflower or the logarithmic spiral of a shell. AJ believes that he will never be a master, which guides him to continually learn new techniques and gain experience in crystalline glaze chemistry.

While fine-tuning his crystalline glazes in Portland, he quickly realized that being surrounded by other artists is an integral part of his love of pottery. This sense of community is AJ’s first priority with his new joint venture into Bend’s art scene. When describing his ideal teaching style, several themes arise: community, free-form exploration, and continual learning. AJ believes that each person has something to offer, both as students and as teachers. He rejects the rigidity of the formal education system, instead encouraging students to pursue their own ideas and style under his guidance. AJ encourages students to try several techniques with the same objective, to find which methods work the best for each person. This approach allows students to learn at their own pace. His hope is that pottery will be as therapeutic for his students as it continues to be for him. AJ has been working with clay consistently for the last 10 years, with last 4 years teaching in Bend full time.

In his free time, AJ can be found fire spinning, climbing trees and rocks, disc golfing, paddle boarding, and exploring Central Oregon. Drop AJ a line if you have any recommendations!