Robert Hessler

EDUCATION

1991BFA Photography, School of Visual Arts, New York, New York

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1991—Studio Potter, Kingston, New York

BIOGRAPHY 

Robert Hessler is a self-taught potter known for his mastery of crystalline glazes applied to his  wheel thrown porcelain vessels. The forms are kept simple with fluid symmetrical silhouettes to accommodate the organic free form nature of the glazes.

Hessler’s primary focus is the search for the perfect pairing of crystalline glazes and firing technique with each porcelain form. The glazes are fired in a very specific firing cycle to yield the actual crystal formations within the glaze surface. These glazes are very unpredictable and require constant research and experimentation. The end results are pieces that seem ancient yet modern, simple yet complex.

Hessler is influenced by Beatrice Wood, her life and her work which inspired him to pursue ceramics as a lifelong vocation.

Public Collections

Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California

Bibliography

 Hessler, Robert, and Martha Vida. "Crystalline Glaze from the 19th Century Through Today: A brief history and a conversation with studio potter, Robert Hessler." American Art Pottery Association Journal Fall 2020.

Taylor, Brian J., and Kate Doody. GLAZE: The Ultimate Ceramic Artist's Guide to Glaze and Color. Hauppauge, New York: Barron's Educational Series, 2014.

Website: www.roberthessler.com

Southern Highland Craft Guild