John Bauer (born 6 January 1978) is a South African ceramist known for his contributions to

Ceramic art Ceramic art is art made from ceramic materials, including clay. It may take varied forms, including artistic pottery, including tableware, tiles, figurines and other sculpture. As one of the plastic arts, ceramic art is a visual art. While ...

. He resides in

Muizenberg Muizenberg ( , Dutch for 'mice mountain') is a beach-side town in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is situated where the shore of the Cape Peninsula curves round to the east on the False Bay coast. It is considered to be the main surfing spo ...

and operates a studio at the Montebello Design Centre in Newlands, Cape Town.

Early life

John Bauer was born in

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha ( , ), formerly named Port Elizabeth, and colloquially referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipal ...

, Eastern Cape, to a middle-class family. Tragically, in 1983, his mother and grandmother were killed in a car accident involving a drunk driver. Later in his early twenties, his surviving grandmother was murdered, which deeply influenced his artistic work. In 1985, Bauer's family relocated to Newlands,

Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...

, to start anew. He attended Westerford High School, where his dyslexia went undiagnosed, leading to academic challenges that made him averse to reading. At the age of thirteen, Bauer discovered his passion for pottery, which would shape his future career.

Career and influences

Bauer's commitment to pottery led him to study with local potters despite initial financial struggles. He explored various aspects of porcelain, experimenting with clay compositions, molding techniques, glazes, and coloring agents. His work is influenced by Imperial Chinese porcelains of the

Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...

(960–1,279). Bauer's research led to the development of a unique process for incised ornamentation, increasing his production capacity. One of Bauer's notable creations is a collection of over 4,000 small porcelain bowls produced from 2000 to 2004. These bowls feature intricate low-relief, incised decorations, exploring themes of love, loneliness, and the pursuit of happiness. While often whimsical, they also touch on profound subjects, including bereavement and the role of providence. In addition to his bowls, Bauer diversified his artistic repertoire, creating plaques, tiles, and bowls that simulated basketry, knitwear, and textiles. His sources of inspiration range from lace and crochet to oriental lacquer and relief ornamentation found on various objects. Bauer's work honors traditional hand skills and folk art, celebrating the craftsmanship of the pre-industrial era. He particularly acknowledges women who crafted objects to enhance domestic life and explores themes related to the 'eternal feminine' and the redemptive power of love in his art. John Bauer's artistic achievements include being recognized as an Emerging Creative at Design Indaba 2009. His work has been featured in exhibitions, including a retrospective at the

South African Museum The Iziko South African Museum, formerly the South African Museum (Afrikaans: Suid-Afrikaanse Museum), is a South African national museum located in Cape Town. The museum was founded in 1825, the first in the country. It has been on its present ...

in 2012. His art is part of collections at the Slave Lodge in Cape Town and the William Humphreys Art Gallery in Kimberley.

References

External links

"Smashwords – An Emotional Dictionary: I’m Feeling Very Kylie Minogue Today… and Other Emotions" a book by John Bauer

John Bauer Web Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bauer, John 1978 births Living people South African people of German descent South African artists African potters People from Gqeberha Artists from Cape Town People with dyslexia