THEODORE OLAF JUVE, known to his collectors as "Olaf", has been working with ceramics for over 40 years. He realized when he first put his hands tothe clay at the age of 15 that he wanted to do this for the rest of his life. Whether he is working with classic stoneware forms, ancient Oriental raku, organic, wood fire pieces or his most recent interest, Obvara, each piece are exquisitely unique and beautiful.

“Each piece has a spirit of its own. You begin to feel what it wants to become the moment you lay you hands on the clay. My task is to keep listening as the wheel spins, making sure my hands yield to the moment‐by‐moment inspiration they’re receiving”. Olaf

Ted is primarily self-taught and his work is inspired by the natural beauty of the Wallowa Mountains of Northeastern Oregon.

Through his affiliation with the LH Project, Ted has worked with several other renowned artists and in the process has expanded his knowledge of kiln design and construction as well as wood fire techniques. The LH Project is nestled at the foot of the Wallowa Mountains, offering an intimate, private setting for artists to nourish their creative process.

OBVARA PROCESS

The Obvara technique,which originated in Eastern Europe around the 12th Century, involves scalding the finish on the pottery to seal the porous surface. Similar to the raku process, a bisqued pot is heated,  in this case to 1650°F (899°C) and removed from the heat. The difference is that the pot is then dipped into a specific Obvara yeast mixture before being dunked in water  to rapidly cool the piece. The effects are quite stunning.