Monday, April 03, 2006
Biographical Information
Frank Bauer
President and Owner, BauerKraft
When Leonardo DaVinci said, “where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art,” he might have been speaking of Frank Bauer, an artist who plies his trade in one-of-a-kind ceramic art compositions.
The youngest child in his family, Bauer was born in the United States after his parents emigrated from Germany in 1952, and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to run a successful tailoring business. His childhood was spent geographically in Wisconsin, but remained entrenched in his German heritage, with a continuous flow of friends and family from Germany staying with the family for often weeks at a time. This early blending of cultures survives importantly in his work today, where he blends European traditional folk artistry, craftsmanship and design within the ceramic pieces he creates.
He went on for his higher education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he received a BA in fine arts and entered the world of graphic and creative design in the advertising industry. He eventually opened his own graphic design studio, Harmony visual design with his wife, Laurie, in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward. But his passion for more traditional art forms never really left him, and so in1997 he made the decision to pursue his dream of working in ceramics, founding BauerKraft, a German-influenced name that means "Bauer's Strength".
Bauer's success to-date can be attributed to the combination of his unerring commitment to traditional craftsmanship and his flawless design interpretation expressed in his colorful mosaic work, known for its intricate patterning. His work is diverse, including garden furniture, pottery, hand-built vessels, accessories and planters for use indoors and out, and even full-scale pieces such as wall and floor mosaic installations.
Bauer has received numerous accolades for his work, and today his pieces grace the homes of celebrities such as Anthony Hopkins, and fellow renowned artisans such as Ann Sacks, the founder of the tile and stone company named after her.
Bauer recently relocated from his studio in rural Wisconsin and his work can be seen at Patio Culture 1612 Abbot Kinney, Venice, California, and Private Gardner 190 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He resides with his wife Laurie in Playa Del Rey , California.
President and Owner, BauerKraft
When Leonardo DaVinci said, “where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art,” he might have been speaking of Frank Bauer, an artist who plies his trade in one-of-a-kind ceramic art compositions.
The youngest child in his family, Bauer was born in the United States after his parents emigrated from Germany in 1952, and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to run a successful tailoring business. His childhood was spent geographically in Wisconsin, but remained entrenched in his German heritage, with a continuous flow of friends and family from Germany staying with the family for often weeks at a time. This early blending of cultures survives importantly in his work today, where he blends European traditional folk artistry, craftsmanship and design within the ceramic pieces he creates.
He went on for his higher education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he received a BA in fine arts and entered the world of graphic and creative design in the advertising industry. He eventually opened his own graphic design studio, Harmony visual design with his wife, Laurie, in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward. But his passion for more traditional art forms never really left him, and so in1997 he made the decision to pursue his dream of working in ceramics, founding BauerKraft, a German-influenced name that means "Bauer's Strength".
Bauer's success to-date can be attributed to the combination of his unerring commitment to traditional craftsmanship and his flawless design interpretation expressed in his colorful mosaic work, known for its intricate patterning. His work is diverse, including garden furniture, pottery, hand-built vessels, accessories and planters for use indoors and out, and even full-scale pieces such as wall and floor mosaic installations.
Bauer has received numerous accolades for his work, and today his pieces grace the homes of celebrities such as Anthony Hopkins, and fellow renowned artisans such as Ann Sacks, the founder of the tile and stone company named after her.
Bauer recently relocated from his studio in rural Wisconsin and his work can be seen at Patio Culture 1612 Abbot Kinney, Venice, California, and Private Gardner 190 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He resides with his wife Laurie in Playa Del Rey , California.
# posted by bauerkraft @ 6:20 PM 
