We’re Obsessed with These Western Artisans, from Ceramicists to Woodworkers

Japanese-Mexican artist Viviana Matsuda first tried her hand at ceramics when she inherited a set of supplies after the passing of her father, who had trained as a potter in Mexico. Today, the 32-year-old San Francisco native makes colorful mugs, vases, and pots using mostly mid-fire and high-fire clay out of her cozy Mission District studio space. The playful shapes of her work go beyond eye-catching items that are fun to hold. “The base of my designs is always inspired by women’s bodies and body positivity,” she says. “That’s why a lot of them are called Chubby Cup or Venus, and why I use squiggly shapes to represent curves.” Matsudaʼs signature “neutral rainbow” color palette is inspired by her LGBTQ+ experience. “Coming from the queer community you always see a bold rainbow, but I wanted to use more subtle, pastel tones.”

Mica Demarquez’s functional pieces, like her speckled Macaroni Vase, are handmade in a women’s coworking studio. Her ceramics subscription, the Change Series Mug Club, delivers a new mug every season, with a percentage of profits going to a charitable organization.

Ceramists Julia Sherman and Thomas Sprott create porcelain wares using an intensive technique in which pieces are fired at low heat, sanded and washed, fired again, and sanded smooth. Pigments, such as the pastels in their Sunset line, are inspired by desert hues.

“So often we aren’t allowed to touch art,” says Quan. Her pieces beg to be held. “You’re invited to play,” she says. “Roll it around in your hands and it creates a soothing sound reminiscent of seashells. A meditation begins when you start to interact with the piece.”

When it comes to glassblowing, Robbie Frankel doesn’t go for classic forms, color applications, or Venetian-style anything. “I love otherworldly artifacts, iridescent surfaces, and space-y things that produce a sense of awe,” says Frankel, who started the craft at 18 years old. “I experiment with nontraditional color applications and think about whether or not I would be obsessed with it when I was a little kid who cherished magical things.” At his queer-and-people-of-color-owned workspace, Gather Studio (which he co-runs with Rojer Serpas of Little Tomato Glass), Frankel aims to create a space for women, people of color, and queer folk in the glassblowing community.

When he’s not carving up waves on his surfboard, Steven Kean is carving intricate images of waves into blocks of wood. The 39-year-old artist specializes in the woodcut method of relief printmaking and the ocean serves as his muse. A Pennsylvania native, Kean moved to Oahu’s North Shore in 2008, lured by its legendary surf. After immersing himself in the art of woodblock printing at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, he began transferring his sketches of Banzai Pipeline, Waimea Bay, and other famous surf breaks onto blocks of MDF board using a U-gouge and V-tool. A carving can take up to one week to complete.

Next, he rolls a layer of ink across the wood and presses it onto paper. “It’s a very sensory process,” he says. “Carving a line in wood is like flying down the face of a wave on my board. Then there’s the smell and sound of rolling the ink. I have a true passion for the process.” Kean likes the simplicity and stark contrast of working in black and white, but he occasionally adds tones of blue. The resulting imagery evokes the bold wave art of Japan’s Edo period. Kean earned the ultimate honor when he was named the official artist for the 2017 Vans World Cup surf competition. Since being featured on posters at Sunset Beach, his work has been exhibited at the Hawaii State Art Museum, the Polu Gallery in Haleiwa, and on a multicity tour in Japan.

Dave Ball’s Wesley butcher blocks made from walnut and white oak (from $300) launched his brand (Jacob is his middle name, May is his mother’s last name). He has since introduced new shapes, like the round Hudson cutting board ($140), and his Nomad collection of furniture, available at Heath Ceramics..

“I’m really interested in patterns that have movement and feel unexpected,” says textile designer Jen Garrido. Her designs are locally sewn and screen printed in water-based inks, and no scrap of fabric ever goes to waste.

Peter De Jong’s design studio crafts tables, chairs, and benches. His signature hand-rubbed Danish finish alone takes a week to apply. Spice mills ($150) and cups ($38) have charred interiors influenced by the Japanese shou sugi ban technique.

Aleksandra Zee’s zigzag-patterned wood panels have become statement pieces in stylish western homes and Bay Area businesses such as The Assembly in San Francisco and Tender Greens in Berkeley. “I try to create this flow state of repetition that creates a meditative state when you view my work,” she says. “Because of the physicality involved, it’s still considered a man’s job,” says Zee. “But there’s a feminine side to it.” Her designs are based on high-desert scenery and made with sustainably farmed woods. Pieces can be massive, like a recent mural consisting of six 12- by 12-foot panels, or small, like her new Float cubes ($1,800), which can be used as a seat or table. Her most popular DIY projects are featured in her forthcoming book, The Way of the Woodshop (Dey Street Books, October 2019; $27).