Studio FraJas

Studio FraJas is a collaboration between artists Francisco Rocha Salazar and Jasper Isaac Johns. Their work marries bold, geometric forms with vibrant glaze patterns, synthesizing the artists’ respective heritages into a colorful vision for the future. The design and disruption of structure is a central concern in their collaboration. What is achieved by methodical hand-painting contrasts with the unpredictable behavior of glaze when fired. Working from a broad repertoire of glaze recipes developed over years of experimentation, they select combinations that complement Jasper’s forms and Francisco’s patterns. They favor glazes that drip, pool, or react with slips, introducing variable textures to otherwise organized surfaces. While the result unleashes organic irregularity upon geometric ideals, the two paradigms meet in conversation rather than conflict. Underlying pattern guides glaze “flaws” at the same time as being disrupted by them. The finished work reflects the nature of the artists’ collaboration: a dialogue between structure and spontaneity, independence and exchange.

Francisco and Jasper come from different backgrounds, and met at the Rhode Island School of Design. Francisco grew up in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, and trained as a painter. Jasper grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and studied ceramics. Before collaborating, both artists spent years developing their individual practices through fabrication work, teaching, and independent studio work. Shared interests in form, pattern, and the relationship between function and ornament laid the foundation for their ongoing collaboration.

In the studio, their roles follow the two stages inherent to the ceramic process, merging sculpture and painting to create lyrical vessels. First, Jasper sculpts the form in clay and fires it. He throws geometric shapes such as domes, cylinders, and spheres, assembling them into graceful vessels. Then, Francisco draws patterns on the bisqueware surface and paints them with glaze. The patterns start as small motifs inspired by the vessel’s architecture and are multiplied, interlocked, and often distorted. While these stages are distinct enough that the two artists often work independently, there’s constant communication between them. As Francisco sketches in colored pencil and watercolor, Jasper refines glaze formulas, adjusting them to achieve just the right effect. They collaborate most closely when choosing glazes. At this point, they come together to evaluate the overall composition and its impact. Patterns are often revised like editing a paragraph—shifting a line, trimming a flourish, starting over.

Their work has been featured in group exhibitions within New York City, including Gathering Pieces, curated by Jane Yang-D’Haene for Hudson Wilder in 2023. In 2024 and 2025, they participated in NYCxDesign through exhibitions curated by Sculpture Space NYC, and took part in satellite events hosted by Erria XYZ and Sample House. Their works have found homes in private collections across North America.

Visit Studio FraJas ‘s w e b s i t e and their Instagram page.