Michael Sharf is a mixed medium artist and designer based in Ojai, California. His pottery studio and woodshop make contemporary objects and furniture inspired by tea ceremony — a reconnection with nature, a reconnection with presence, and a reconnection with a reverence for human made objects. Michael grew up in Northern California, where he was trained in woodworking and ceramics starting at age eight.

Almost every piece in a pottery release comes from the same firing. That's not a marketing choice — it's a kiln-sized one. A firing holds only so much, so each drop stays small by necessity, not design. Bowls stay stocked as often as possible. Kettles and teapots are the newest work coming out of the kiln.

Furniture runs on its own timeline, tied to the wood rather than the kiln. Some pieces are finished and ready to ship the moment an order comes in — no lead time, no wait. Others are made to order: the same designs, built once you've placed the order, six to eight weeks out.

Michael and his team also take on custom commissions — freestanding furniture as well as residential and commercial spaces, built around your own space and your own timeline as studio availability allows. If you're interested in collaborating on a build or a piece, we'd love to hear from you.