The Artist

Red Alder Studios is the art practice of Alder Gustafson, an artist and naturalist currently residing in coastal Redwood Curtain of northern California. Alder learned the fine craft of ceramics while studying as an environmental science undergrad at Humboldt State University. Although his art background was originally in painting and illustration, his fascination with the interdisciplinary nature of ceramics and appreciation for everyday utilitarian objects eventually led him to work with clay. His passions for art and science have brought him to very different and fulfilling pathways. He worked as a wildlife technician for the national park service for six years before deciding to pursue a career in the arts. Alder’s ceramic artwork is heavily inspired by the beauty of the natural world, integrating his diverse interests in one media. Alder currently sells his work at craft events in northern California and has shown in several galleries across the United States.

Artist Statement

I seek to capture ethereal moments of beauty in nature through the creation of functional ceramic art. The falling of maple leaves on the forest floor, the view from the top of a mountain ridge, the primieval stare of a great blue heron, the trickle of a stream through rocks; all of these experiences fill us with peace and wonder at the gift of creation. My work aims to express and celebrate these feelings through carvings, etching, and paintings of natural imagery on functional pottery.

My work further explores these themes through the organic qualities of clay and glaze. I am inspired by the chemistry and physics behind ceramic processes and how they relate to processes in nature. I am attracted to the stone-like qualities of raw fired clays, as well as the fluidity of the glaze melt, the breaking and pooling of glaze over texture, and the ways in which materials and imagery can interact and layer together.

I am inspired by the relationship between artist and process in ceramics, the loss of control that often occurs when a piece is fired and transformed by the kiln. I enjoy the concept of embracing the unknown, the wild metamorphosis of my work when subjected to extreme heat and atmosphere. I enjoy wood, salt, and soda firings because these effects are amplified. Often, this loss of control results in work that is far more beautiful than could have been achieved based on my vision alone.

I also make my art a symbol of rebellion in a technological, mass produced world. Honest creativity and expression are important to me. I believe items are more meaningful and better for people and the planet when made by independent artisans with a passion for their craft.

My intention is to enrich people’s daily experiences with my functional pottery. I seek to make pots that are comfortable to use, full of natural wonder and ceramic beauty, and meaningful to the user. In this way, the pot becomes part of the fabric of your life, a reflection of you and your reality.