Jason Hooper was born in Bristol, England, moved to London as an adult, and arrived in Austin in 1997.
His interest in pottery was stimulated during family holidays in St.Ives, Cornwall, which has a wonderful artistic community in a seaside town. Growing up in a family of artists, his father a graphic designer, his sister an interior architect, art was always a favorite subject at school.
Throughout his physics and computing university education and subsequent 20 years in the computing industry, he was always drawn back to ceramics as a tangible form of artistic expression. In 1997, his computing work brought him to Austin, where he gravitated to the vibrant artistic community. After studying pottery with a variety of local artists, and attending art events and initiatives, he decided to become a full time potter in 2004.
He currently creates wheel-thrown stoneware pottery that is functional and decorative. His inspirations come from abstract and traditional forms, usually with simple lines and geometric influences. These are complemented by interesting glazes and glaze combinations where the overlap of glazes adds flow and depth to the surface, and variation in color and texture.
His work is made with a white stoneware body, fired to cone 6 in oxidation, using home-mixed glazes.