Ceramics by George Lea

George Lea refers to the Butter Yak Studios as home. A somewhat ephemeral studio which over time has traversed three continents. Over the course of 40 years he has produced work in a broad range of mediums, though he is primarily known as a ceramist or studio potter.

At present his functional wares are influenced by Folk Art traditions. While we may consider some of those traditions to be naive in our western culture, many of the vessels derived from Asian cultures that inspire him, are quite sophisticated in their simplicity.

A hallmark of George's stoneware is the emphasis he places on surface design and the effort he puts into hand painting each piece that comes out of the studio. It's a labor of love, and many of the collectors who possess his wares swear that they can feel it.

There is another side to the work he does, and recently this has been expressed through what he refers to as "The Center For Advanced Butter Dish Research". Why butter dishes? Well....1. He believes every bar of butter deserves a roof over it's head. 2. He believes no bar of butter should be left behind. 3. The idea of creating an intersection for function, painting, and sculpture and consolidating it into a butter dish humors him. 4. On the serious side...George believes that social change and engagement is possible through the arts, and initiatives the arts are capable of funding.

Oh please don't get too hung up about the buttons on this site... those bells and whistles will be made functional eventually. For now @george.lea.ceramics on instagram remains a great way to keep up with what is happening in the studio. Feel free to email me with gallery or acquisition inquiries.

Thanks for your support!