cheer clay studio

BIOGRAPHY – JOHN CHEER

John Cheer was born in 1966 in Communist China and raised in Shanghai and Peking. As a child, he had a natural gift for taking things apart and putting them back together again. At the age of 8, he spontaneously made an entire Chinese circus out of child’s clay, in miniature, including every act from bicyclists to twirling plates.

After living in Hong Kong for two years, he immigrated with his family to California at age 13 and became a U.S. citizen. During his high school years, an inspirational art teacher led him to pursue his interests in clay and sculpture. While rising to the challenge of supporting himself in high school, he also studied auto body and mechanics and eventually had his own small auto body and paint business.

In 1991, he relocated to the northeast and in 1993 became a full-time clay artist, selling his work at fine art and craft shows throughout the country. In Pa., he studied glazing techniques under a master Italian ceramics artist and later, art theory and design under artist Myron Barnstone.

His early work was traditional Chinese and/or functional, but evolved over the years into decorative and abstract contemporary, bearing his unique style. The majority of finished pieces combine fused clay and glass on a large scale, with a striking look, not only in design, but also in glaze appearrance after firing in his 6-ton propane gas kiln. Some pieces also contain copper wire in the finished design.

John does about 24 shows per year, primarily along the east coast and the south, but has also done shows inTexas, Colorado, and Arizona. He has won hundreds of awards for his work over the years at these fine art shows. He has been featured in Ceramics Monthly and Crafts Report and had his “Soul Search” lamp and fountain exhibited at the State Museum in Harrisburg, PA.

RCN’s Channel 53, Ebru TV’s “Blank Canvas” segment featured him in February, 2010, Season 2:4. He was also featured in an interview of The Potter’s Cast podcast Episode 693 in December 2020.

In 2013, John designed and created “Mandalas For World Peace”, a 600 pound, 9 x 5 foot clay sculpture, funded by the North Port Art Center. He guided the project to completion which was contributed to by 14 other artists from near and far, ranging in ages from 12 – 69. The sculpture resided at Warm Mineral Springs in North Port, Florida, and was beauteous to behold.

After the temporary shut-down of the Springs, the sculpture suffered from neglect and John was commissioned by the city to restore and modify “Mandalas” in the summer of 2020, to eventually be displayed again at the Springs upon completion of its restoration under the Park Master Plan.

John has a knack for creatively transforming life’s adversities, plus a mechanical aptitude to fix anything that is broken. He presently lives in northeastern PA.

www.cheerclaystudio.com

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Artist Statement

Inspired by the energy and flow of nature, my decorative clay pieces each possess an unmistakable spirit.

Stoneware clay is wheel-thrown and hand sculpted into a unique design idea. Bisque ware is glazed and high-fired in a propane gas reduction kiln up to 2800 degrees. During the glazing process, crushed glass is added to certain pieces. This is a process long and delicate, perfecting the fusion of stoneware & porcelain, glass & glaze.

I believe, as humans, we are all creators. Only our imagination will change our physical future. Artistic imagination is therefore not something to be taken lightly. For that reason, in my work, I strive for beauty and wonder.

John Cheer, Clay Artist