Sam Lopez

Sam Lopez is a potter living and teaching in San Diego, California. Born and raised smack in the middle of
Southern California in the small farm town of Mira Loma, Sam grew up working between his dad’s
leather workshop and his grandfather’s wood workshop. Working in these shops established a love for
making objects by hand; and making objects of utility continues to be Sam’s primary approach when
entering his studio. Sam has recently graduated from San Diego State University with his MFA and is
transitioning into adjunct teaching at local community colleges as well as outfitting a home studio.

“Southern California is a beautiful amalgamation of diverse cultures and countercultures placed
within a backdrop of an equally beautiful and diverse landscape. As a product of Southern
California, I couldn’t help but be exposed to, and intrigued by, hot rod and motorcycles shows,
punk shows, skate parks, surf contests, street art, and whatever else got thrown my way. As I
grew, I became exposed to galleries and museums as well. These two sects of culture, I find,
established a foundation for looking at art of any kind. In time, I established a sensitivity to
visual stylization and individual expression all the while developing and adhering to traditional
methods and processes. The overexposure, that Southern California can so easily be, remains to
influence the forms I create and the resulting surfaces on each pot. Each object, ultimately, is
influenced by the one that comes before it and is in lineage of a continuously developing body
of work.”