Robert Fornell’s ceramic journey began in his Minnesota high school where he was making Japanese and Folk inspired functional pots. His work gradually turned purely sculptural until his first trip to Japan in 1987. While in Japan he came to understand how entwined ceramics is with the culture of ceremony. His influences turned to reference Korean Hagi and Buncheog style ware. Within that inspiration, he seeks to expand on the vernacular through his own experimentation, continually altering glazes and the firing process. Most recently, he has been creating work referencing contemporary and universal themes of mortality, evolution of social norms, and emotional states. His work has been exhibited internationally and is represented in New York, Kyoto, Tokyo, Chicago, and Minnesota.