Peter Olszak, Ceramist
Peter was born in New England to a mother who was a first generation American and a Polish father who was a World War II political refugee. After he spent his formative years in Ohio, he began his university studies in Cracow, Poland. While in Poland, officially studying the Polish language and culture, he wandered over to the college of art and participated in classes of life drawing, lithography, illustration and human anatomy. His year in Poland went by very quickly and became a trans-formative experience.
Peter currently lives and works in Chicago. He has been admiring and making pottery for 25+ years. He was drawn to Raku pottery after the experience of participating in a Raku firing during his senior year in college in Dayton, Ohio. Peter has studied with various pottery teachers and taught pottery classes in the Chicagoland area. In 1993, he established a studio in his home. In his own words Peter states:
“I don’t make pottery to compete with the industrial aesthetic that permeates our culture. I make pottery to provide an alternative to the industrial mass produced object. I create soulfully handcrafted objects that contain all the steps of my journey to master the art form. These pieces are the basis of a very human connection that speaks to and is appreciated by unique individuals that find the mass produced ceramic object cold and uninspiring. I enjoy the Raku process because the outcome is always unpredictable; every piece is a one-of-a-kind object. I couldn’t make two identical pieces if I tried.”
The glazes used on functional pottery and non-functional raku pottery are hand-crafted just like the pottery pieces themselves. The functional glazes are lead-free and food-safe making the pieces oven, microwave and dishwasher safe. The functional pottery is made to be used. The raku pottery glazes are not food-safe and the pottery is very porous so it will not hold liquids. Raku pottery is made to be admired.
Peter’s creative drive isn’t limited to the pottery studio. He loves to cook and create in the kitchen and in the spring, summer and fall you can often find him in his garden coaxing plants to grow and thrive.