Jason Walker

1973 Born Pocatello, Idaho  

EDUCATION

1996 BFA Utah State University, Logan, Utah

1999 MFA Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania

APPRENTICESHIPS AND RESIDENCIES

2001-2003 Long Term Residency, Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana

2010 Artist in Residence, Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Jingdezhen, China

2010 Artist in Residence, A.I.R. Vallauris, Vallauris, France

2011 International Ceramics Workshop, Kecshemet, Hungary

2011 Artist in Residence, The Pottery Workshop, Jingdezhen, China

Jason Walker’s sculptures are primarily hand built with cast elements that may be repeated within one individual piece and used as needed as components in other sculptures. Walker uses white porcelain forms as his canvas. Underglaze images cover the entire surface of each piece. 

The decoration often uses patterns formed by leaves, grass and flowers that meander over the surface. Some spaces are set aside for a central painting where he tells a specific story. He chooses images from the two distinctly different elements of the planet, air and water. Recurring themes use images of birds or fish juxtaposed with cities, factories, planes and industrial waste.

Walker initially majored in illustration. A chance experience with clay changed his direction. As a BFA student at Utah State he studied ceramics with John Neely and as a MFA candidate at Pennsylvania State University he studied with Chris Staley.