Amber Aguirre’s journey as an artist began in kindergarten with a blue clay ashtray imprinted with her small hand. Mesmerized by the transformation of soft mud into a hard, waterproof object, she was immediately captivated by the magic of ceramics. By second grade, after winning a school poster contest, she had already decided her future: she would be an artist.

Years later, Aguirre earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Southern California, followed by a Master’s degree in Art Education from San Francisco State University. She also obtained a California teaching credential and spent several years teaching ceramics in the public school system. In 2001 she relocated to Hawaii, leaving teaching behind to pursue her own creative work full-time—realizing the professional path she had envisioned since childhood.

Aguirre’s early sculptural work was rooted in a technique known as Naked Raku, a process traditionally used on pottery with smooth, rounded surfaces. Drawn to its organic aesthetic, she adapted the technique for her figurative sculptures, despite its limitations for detailed forms and its inherent fragility. Because Naked Raku pieces are not vitrified, they are particularly vulnerable to breakage—an issue compounded by the challenges of shipping from Hawaii to mainland galleries.

Driven by the desire to maintain the visual qualities of Naked Raku while creating stronger, more durable pieces, Aguirre spent over a year experimenting with alternative methods. Her efforts culminated in the development of a technique she named Naked Fauxku. The term combines “naked” (denoting the absence of glaze) and “faux raku,” referencing the simulated appearance of traditional Raku. Fired in an electric kiln to vitrification at any temperature, Naked Fauxku retains the visual elegance of its predecessor while significantly increasing the work’s strength and durability. The technique can be applied to both sculpture and functional pottery and has been featured in Pottery Making Illustrated as well as in the book Naked Raku and Related Bare Clay Techniques. Aguirre now teaches Naked Fauxku and other ceramic techniques in workshops throughout the United States.