Get to Know Rae Dunn

Rae Dunn is a California native and resides in the San Francisco, Bay Area. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Industrial Design and worked in graphics and fashion design for several years before discovering clay, which has now been her passion since 1994. Rae currently has a line of wares that is sold nationwide.

Her inspiration comes from the earth and she finds beauty in simple shapes, natural forms, and found objects. Her work captures the simplicity and playfulness that are the cornerstones of her own life.  A classical pianist, painter, and frequent world traveler, Rae has been influenced by many cultures and artistic pursuits. Rae’s work is deceivingly straightforward.

“I don’t think my art is a reaction against the complexity of life today, but rather a way for me to embrace the joyful, spontaneous elements of daily life that seem to be wanting in so much of what we do. Today, more than ever, I think we all need to slow down and grasp that which is honest, real, and personally satisfying. I try to express those feelings in all of my work.”

Her work is strongly influenced by the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, the beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. “I don’t strive for perfection in line and form in my work, because for me the balance I’m trying to achieve can’t be represented that way. The incompleteness and imperfection of my work is part of the story. Just as the absence of something in our lives can stir powerful feelings and show us the way to wholeness.”

Built entirely by hand, Rae’s work often elicits a physical response, asks to be touched and provides a sense of reassurance that we have our feet on the ground. “In my own way, I am driven to find that balance between expressing something that is deeply meaningful to me, and creating a sense of joy that might quietly touch the lives of others.”