Ralph Nuara began making pottery while attending Rhode Island School of Design where he received a BFA in Textiles in 2003. He continued his pottery practice while working in NYC as a designer and buyer in the textiles and home furnishings industry. After three years of designing full time he decided to dedicate more time to hands-on making in the studio. Before relocating to Minneapolis in 2008 he has moved about studying and making pottery at studios in RI, NY, and IL. He is continually exploring the relationships between function, form, and surface to keep his pieces fresh and his time in the studio challenging. He draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources ranging from traditional Japanese folk pottery and textiles to Abstract Expressionist painting. He makes pieces with the intention that they be used regularly and strongly feels that a broken pot has fulfilled its role better than one which has never been used.