Larry Spears

For more than 30 years, Larry Spears has spent much of his day at the potter’s wheel. A self-taught artist, Larry works with various stoneware and porcelain to create functional pottery that is lead-free and safe for everyday use.

Larry utilizes numerous individually formatted glazes and various glazing techniques but nearly 60 percent of his work features a spray-on wood ash glaze. Recently he began experimenting with crawl glazes in a low-fire technique and exploring thrown forms with alterations and attached appendages.

“I’ve done a little bit of everything,” Larry says. “Pottery is such a versatile medium. You never stop learning different aspects about it.”

Larry often collaborates with other Brown County artists, who supply him with wooden handles, glass and metal pieces that he incorporates into his work. He also leans on his friends when he wants to use the wood-fire kiln.

“The kiln is pretty labor intensive. We fire it for 40 hours at a time,” he says. “It’s a lot more fun if you work in shifts.”

His son, Kyle, also is an Indiana Artisan and has been a great influence on Larry’s art. “You don’t see many younger artists out there. Kyle saw his parents doing this, and now he really enjoys it. It is neat to travel to shows together.”

Larry’s work is shown primarily in his studio, at various juried art shows during the year, and has been exhibited at numerous galleries across the United States.