Brett Thomas is an artist, educator, and founder of MobileRaku. Brett recieved his BFA: Ceramics from The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and an MFA: Ceramics from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He currently lives in Haverford Pennsylvania. Brett’s process as a ceramic artist is a balancing act “of devoting myself to personal expression, while teaching and helping others to realize their vision and potential as artists.” “I want to share the joy of art and I envision Mobile Raku as the best way for reaching out to an ever-expanding circle of creative people,” Thomas said recently. “I hope to venture beyond the controlled space of the classroom setting in a way that will enable me to balance my journey of artistic discovery with helping other people explore the creative paths of their lives in unique and inspiring ways, which raku ceramics so perfectly embodies.”
“A Ceramics Studio on Wheels”
“Like most great ideas, Mobile Raku was born out of necessity. While teaching classes at schools and institutions, I had a following of students, “regulars”, who were eager to fire at every chance they got. They would bribe me to do extra firings before or after class. Eventually the class became non-stop firings. I had to take some of the firings out of class so that there was still studio time. I’m not one to disappoint my students so I developed “Mobile Raku”. I assembled a studio and kiln that I could bring wherever it was needed; full teaching facilities, complete with teacher, at your doorstep….lessons and firings to suit an individual’s or group’s needs. Mobile Raku is a ceramics studio on wheels. I can travel to any location in the continental U.S. The mobile studio has everything that is necessary to conduct a raku workshop. Mobile Raku allows me to teach at all levels, from children to adults, as well as a wide variety of skill levels.”
