About Alex Long
Alex Long has challenged traditional ceramics by incorporating his immense art pieces and an ancient Japanese form of pottery called RAKU. Raku is customarily very small and is in sharp contrast to his enormous pieces, which can reach up to 7 feet in height and 150 pounds in weight.
Exciting and unpredictable, Raku (which means “happiness through chance”), involves reaching into the 1900F flames with Kevlar gloves to remove the clay pot from the kiln. The much sought-after high luster, colors and textures come from the rapid drop of 1000F or more within seconds, and the interactions of the different glazes used with the flames from burning wood and paper while the piece smolders in a steel barrel.
An accomplished ceramic artist since 1968, Alex was born in La Jolla, California. He now resides in North San Diego county.
