About the Artist

During the first half of his professional life, Peter Syak chose not to pursue a life in clay. He earned a bachelors degree in Biomedical Engineering and a masters degree in Business Administration. He spent over 10 successful years at AT&T and got used to wearing a suit and tie to the office.

In 1996, he took a chance to chase a dream and started his own ceramics studio. This was not out of the blue. He had been playing in the dirt during his engineering studies in college when, with the help of a friend, he set out to make a giant beer stein. What college student could survive without one? That not-so-simple project in 1981 began a life-long love of clay.

Since then, Mr. Syak has studied with many of New Jersey’s foremost ceramics artists and has worked with some of the giants in the field. After moving to New Jersey in 1986, he attended a workshop at the Summit Art Center and discovered that one could place red-hot clay covered with molten glaze into flammable substances and not only produce breathtaking works of art but also remove unwanted facial hair. Peter’s love of Raku was both immediate and enduring. He has carefully and painstakingly developed his unique techniques over the past 20 years and currently produces an ever-growing array of gallery-quality Raku.

In 1993, he began exploring and creating custom-made ceramic tiles and has since designed and executed numerous projects in homes and institutions. Drawing inspiration from nature and the masters of the Arts and Crafts period, Peter’s tiles feature intricately carved relief and meticulously applied glazes. His own home features many of his tiles and is a continual work in process.

Several years ago, in response to requests by friends, Peter began to design functional tableware. Seeking to create distinctive and unusual pieces, he set out to make rectangular serving platters and sushi plates featuring smaller version of his embossed tiles. Today he makes several lines of small plates, decorative bowls and unique items for entertainment and the kitchen.

From the day he opened his doors, his Raku has been recognized as some of the best of its kind in the country. His unique style juxtaposes clean architectural lines and natural ornamentation. Bright copper lusters and rich hued glazes are offset by rich, black, etched designs. Ancient eastern motifs are typically paired with simple geometric forms to produce work that is at once dynamic and visually pleasing.

Today, the Raku of Peter Syak is prized and collected by individuals and institutions alike and his tile projects and tableware grace both homes and institutions. His work continues to evolve and new themes and techniques are frequently incorporated in the development of each new series. He hopes his work will be as much of a joy to own and to collect as it is to create.

Recent Exhibitions include:

Montclair Studio Inc. – Bloomfield, New Jersey
Artist Guild of Ouray – Ouray, Colorado
Elinoff Gallery – Telluride, Colorado
The Collection – Telluride, Colorado
The Butler Gallery – Youngstown, Ohio
Peter’s Valley Art Center– Layton, New Jersey
Serengeti Plains Gallery – Montclair, New Jersey
Rose Art Gallery – Bloomfield, New Jersey
The Donald B. Palmer Museum – Springfield, New Jersey
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey – Summit, New Jersey
Bloomfield College – Bloomfield, New Jersey
Ward-Nasse Gallery – New York, New York
PaineWebber Corporate Collection – Cleveland, Ohio
AT&T Corporate Collection – Basking Ridge, New Jersey
Trinity Industries Corporate Collection – Salt Lake City, Utah
United States Senate Collection of the State of New Jersey