John Ikeda

John Ikeda was born in 1948 of Japanese descent in Lethbridge, Alberta. His family was forced to work on sugar beet farms, endure deprivation, shame and racial prejudice. This led him to develop personal values based on truth, beauty and simplicity in life and art.

He graduated from the University of Lethridge (B.A. Fine Arts) in 1971 and became an early pioneer during the emergence of the studio art pottery practice of the 1970’s. He lives in St. Bernardin, Ontario.

John’s functional pottery works are hand thrown or hand built using white earthenware clay. He multiple-fires in an oxidation atmosphere within an electric kiln. John also creates sculpture/paintings and ceramic tile compositions, drawing emphasis upon the emotional expressiveness of colour.

His inspiration derives ultimately from abstraction and landscape, whether visceral or literal.

John’s functional pottery works are hand thrown or hand built. Made of white earthenware clay multiple fired in an oxidation atmosphere within an electric kiln. The firing technique consists of a preliminary low-temperature hardening bisque, the colour application comprised of individual techniques of layering colours through the use of fritted stains and underglazes; nest, a high temperature hardening bisque for vitrification of the clay body, a second re-application of some stains to achieve the desired colour saturation and tonal values; the application of a transparent overglaze: a final third low temperature firing to complete the stages of my glazed earthenware.