Ken and Pat Larson live about 100 miles north of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. Their house stands on 80 acres of the original family homestead and is widely know to be prime wood tick and mosquito country in the summer. In the winter, along with making their clay pieces, they like to cross country ski and spend some evenings getting really hot in their sauna. In the summer, along with making their clay pieces, they like to work in their garden and, if they can work it into their busy schedule, they like to go backpacking in the mountains of Wyoming, Montana or Utah.

Since the land Ken and Pat live on is rural and fairly wild, some natural themes gradually got into their work. Literally outside their windows are deer, bear, coyotes, eagles, herons and quite a variety of smaller birds, mammals, amphibians and snakes. In their woods you can find anything from the insect eating “Pitcher Plant” to rare and wild orchids. Early in their careers they made functional stoneware, carving plates and bowls with wildflowers, birds, dragonflies, and whatever else caught their fancy. Since changing to “Raku” in 1997, they have continued their interest in wild themes, sometimes representational, sometimes abstract, influenced by their environment and experiences.

Pat and Ken Larson are a collaborative team, working together on every piece, each in his/her area of expertise. They have worked as self-employed artists since 1975, collaborating on their work since the early 1980's. There are no assistants helping with any part of the work.

Larson Clayworks uses both wheelthrown and handbuilding techniques to make its clay vessels, wallpieces, and raven sculptures. All outer surfaces, both smooth and textured, are finished with burnished terra sigillata (a very fine clay slip) and then bisque fired.  The final firing is raku, a firing process where the ware is heated to the desired temperature, withdrawn from the kiln, and subjected to various processes to produce the desired surface on the finished work.

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