Matthew Lovein (Born 1949) American, "Wish Keeper" Raku Ceramic Vase with Accessories. The teal iridescent piece features a distinctive black-trimmed mouth, a dark sculpted rosette accent on the body, and a metal foot. Signed and numbered 102 on the underside. The top piece, formed like bamboo, acts as a lid, with a string that dangles down inside the piece, holding a couple charms. The base is similarly dark and rough-hewn like the lid, emulating the volcanic rock that is found in abundance near the artist's studio in Hawaii. 

Size: 22 x 14 1/2 x 15 in. 

Matthew Lovein was born January 14th, 1949 in California, and was first introduced to art by his father, the photographer Elvin Oscar Lovein, working alongside him in their home darkroom as well as exploring metal etching and wood carving. Trained as a design engineer in college, he worked for the California Water Department before meeting his wife, fellow artist Mary, who encouraged him to open his own company. They moved to Hawaii in 1989 and founded a furniture design and manufacture business working with wood, glass, and metal, co-founding Holualoa Gallery in the early 1990s. He began working with clay and the potter’s wheel as a hobby and got more serious when he studied Raku Ceramics at Laguna College of Art. His ceramic forms, which are original yet often imbued with Oriental influences, are now highly sought by collectors around the world, particularly his signature piece “The Wish Keeper,” and can be found in galleries and public collections throughout Hawaii as well as the mainland. 

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