Jeff Oestreich
Taylor Falls, Minnesota
Jeff Oestreich is a practicing potter in Taylor Falls, Minnesota. Having been an apprentice to Beearnard Leach at the Leach Pottery from 1969-1971, Jeff embodies both the Leach Pottery tradition and the Mingei aesthetic. His style is reserved, has minimal surface decoration, and speaks to both the highly utilitarian and sculptural realms of functional pottery. Jeff is strongly influenced by the Art Deco movement, Japanese ceramics, Chinese and Korean mingei, and German salt-fired stoneware. Jeff’s work can be found in many private and public collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Incheon World Ceramic Center, and the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery.