Jesse Moore's Pottery and Ceramics

I was raised in Summerville, South Carolina. I had little to no exposure to art classes of any kind, except for an acrylic painting summer class in college. I really began exploring creating my own art in my mud hut, while serving in the Peace Corps in Zambia. Another volunteer gave me a box of oil pastels, which I used to document some of my experiences in southern Africa. Oil pastel drawings were my primary form of artistic expression for the next 4 years. I discovered ceramics while living in Olympia, Washington in early 2004. I was very interested in functional art and learning a craft, so when the children's art school across the street offered an open studio for pottery one night a week, I jumped on it. The artist running the studio showed me the basics of throwing clay on the potter's wheel for the next two months, after which the open studio class ended, as I was the only student. At that point I was hooked, so I bought a potter's wheel, 500 pounds of clay, a gas kiln, and a couple of how to books. After a couple of years of learning in my studio, I landed a job teaching ceramics to children and adults at the same art school where I had been introduced to ceramics.
I have since relocated to Oakland, California where I have a small studio. I am not a production potter, I am interested in each individual piece being unique. I try to keep my art fun and low-key. My influences are everything I have seen in my life. I am currently working primarily with porcelain clay. As this is a hobby for me, I am only producing a few batches per year, and having fun doing so.