Shaping the Future: Gabriel Poucher’s Ceramic Symphony
Gabriel John Poucher’s ceramic artistry is a masterful blend of imagination and precision, exploring the boundaries of decay, growth, and the human experience through clay. From his roots at Kent State to earning his MFA at Alfred University, Gabriel’s journey is one of relentless creativity. Dive into his world of intricate sculptures and the stories they tell.
I'm delighted to highlight my ongoing collaboration with the exceptionally talented ceramic artist, Gabriel John Poucher. Gabriel earned his BFA in Crafts, focusing on glass and ceramics, from Kent State University in 2017, and recently completed his MFA in Ceramic Art at Alfred University in 2024.
Gabriel's work delves into the decay of architectural structures and organic growth patterns, exploring the construction and unraveling of complex systems through drawing and ceramic sculpture. His unique approach examines technology, ecology, and the impact of the Anthropocene through the lens of queer theory and the materiality of ceramics.
Our collaborations have involved photography and video documentation of his abstract ceramic sculptures, which are influenced by his fascination with childhood toys, models, and 'space junk' as nostalgic cultural artifacts. Gabriel's pieces are both maximal and cacophonous, reflecting his building block approach to highly complex ceramic structures.
Currently, Gabriel is the 2024-2025 Ceramic Artist-in-Residence at the Lawrence Arts Center, where he continues to inspire with his innovative creations. Working with Gabriel is always a rewarding experience, and I look forward to our future projects together.
Gabriel Poucher - Space Trash Mug production
Neal Richmond
I recently had the pleasure of doing some product photos for Neal Richmond. I’ve known Neal for quite some time now and was happy to finally provide him with some quality pics! He brought some boxes over to my basement “studio” and we got to work. Photographing glass can be tricky. You want to make sure you don’t get a big glare on it or light it so much that it is hard to see. What is arguably more difficult? Blowing glass!
I’ve had the honor of working with Neal in the studio a few times over the years. (When I say working with Neal, I mean letting him do all the work, and telling my friends “Look what I made!”) Watching him work over the years has been amazing, and the work he puts out continues to impress me. When I first saw Neal blowing glass at Kent State, he was making paper weights and floppy bowls. Now he is pulling pony’s and turning out all sorts of drinkware! Having worked at Chagrin Falls The Glass Asylum, Mantua’s Frost Glass, and now being full time with Akron’s Akron Glass Works, he is honing his skills more with each day.
During our Product Photography session, Neal and I were both excited about the images turning out. We decided why not do a video of him knocking out some of his whisky glasses. Two days later, I find myself outside a beautiful old church ringing Neals cell to figure out where to come in. I am introduced to Jack, the owner of the studio, a kind man who doesn’t hand around too long. Once he leaves, it is just Neal, myself and another man named Christian. Throughout the night, it becomes apparent that Christian is the resident Goat. I did not see him create anything. The entire time I was there, he was separating clear glass shards from the colored ones so that it could be recycled. When I cracked a joke “Hey, shouldn’t Neal be doing that?” he responded that he prefers to be a studio lead, not a studio manager. He would never ask someone to do something that he would not do himself.
Christian would go on to assist Neal when necessary, getting the punty ready and secured to the base of each glass when necessary. He would also occasionally make sure Neal was keeping on track as I can be quite the distraction. It was a great experience over all. Just two glassblowers in their element, shooting the shit and creating. When we finished recording, the three of us sat for a short while talking about the things they have created, much of which is on display or for sale at Akron Glass Works Studio. I had a fantastic time, and encourage anyone reading this to stop by and watch the crew at Akron Glass Works create amazing works of art.
You can find Neal on Instagram @neals_does_art and at nealrichmond.com
You can find Christian on Instagram @cjamesglass