Brian Recchia is a skilled craftsman who has been working with clay for more than two decades. Over that time, he’s observed that pottery is a lot like people.
“When you’re making pots on the wheel, your focus is on the inside and not necessarily the outside of the form,” the Monroe, New York-based potter explains. “Pots are like people, it’s what’s on the inside that counts first. But even something misshapen on the inside can look really nice on the outside.”
For Brian, creating pottery brings peace and clarity, and it drives him to test the boundaries of creativity and ability. He is inspired by nature and traditional Japanese pottery, in both form and technique. Brian’s wife Lynda is another important source of inspiration, encouraging him to try different things in the studio. “She’s both my harshest critic and biggest champion,” says Brian, fondly.
Brian’s inherent desire to create started at an early age. Thoroughly enjoying the ceramics classes he took in high school, he even visited the school’s art studio after hours, sneaking in through a window left unlocked by an approving teacher. He would hone his craft further in classes he took at college, learning more about clay and how to mix his own glazes, refire kilns and more.
He fell in love with Raku, a traditional Japanese pottery technique that involves firing glazed ceramics at low temperatures and then removing them from the kiln while they are still hot. This technique starves the piece of oxygen, which creates a myriad of colors within the glaze. “Most of my designs are functional, but even my decorative Raku vases and other pieces are often based on functional items,” Brian explains. “On these pieces, I sit down at the wheel and let myself go a little bit, exploring the forms as I’m throwing them. The exploration of form is really where my passion lies.”
Some of Brian’s latest creations reflect his desire to try new things – for example, using mountain laurel to make handles for jars, teapots and other items. “I love the way mountain laurel bends and the natural curvature it brings it brings to my work,” Brian notes, “I get a lot of inspiration from being out in nature, going hiking.” He is also experimenting with obvara, sometimes called Baltic Raku, an Eastern European firing technique originated in the Baltic region. It involves taking a hot piece of pottery out of the kiln and quickly immersing it into a fermented liquid, leaving especially unique patterns on the clay.
Brian also enjoys sharing his time and talents with others, teaching pottery lessons at The Newburgh Pottery in Newburgh New York, not far from his home. Students are surprised to learn that Brian was born blind in his left eye – a condition that he considers an advantage. “I’ve learned that I’m able to see silhouettes differently, and I can spin images around in my mind without having to put them on paper,” says Brian. “I ask my intermediate throwing students to close one eye and it really changes things for them.”
Brian and Lynda dream of one day buying a roadside motel in the Adirondacks, converting it into a bed-and-breakfast style place with a large studio where he can host pottery workshops. “I encourage young artists to learn from as many different people as they can and to question everything,” Brian says. “And if you’re a potter, keep making pots, as many as you can, every day.”
Away from the wheel he remains drawn to making things, working with wood, metal and other materials. He comes from a long line of makers and fixers, in fact. His great grandmother was a seamstress who made clothes for Eleanor Roosevelt and held the patent for the first reversible jacket. One of Brian’s grandfathers was an airplane mechanic. “It’s in my blood to want to make stuff, fix things and take things apart,” says Brian.
Look for Brian at the Anderson Park Art Show taking place in Upper Montclair, NJ September 21-22. The show runs from 10am to 5pm both days. Follow Brian on social media at facebook.com/brianrecchiapottery or instagram.com/brianrecchiapottery.