Artist

Rob Barnard

born Lexington, KY 1949
Also known as
  • Robert E. Barnard Jr.
  • Robert E. Barnard
Born
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Active in
  • Shigaraki, Japan
  • Timberville, Virginia, United States
Nationalities
  • American
Biography

Rob Barnard studied to become a Roman Catholic priest and served as a marine in Vietnam before deciding to become a potter. In 1974 the artist went to Japan to study at the Kyoto City University of the Fine Arts, where he not only learned about technique but was also taught Japanese philosophies about ceramics. His teachers encouraged him to include imperfections in his work because these symbolized the accidents of life (“The Fire-Marked Pots of Rob Barnard,” The Daily Yomiuri, March 16, 1989). After four years in Japan, Barnard moved to Timberville, Virginia, where he opened a studio and began to produce earth-toned ceramic pieces.