Artist Richard Shaw is a master at tromp l'oeil ceramics, with an ability to transform porcelain into arrays of still life objects that fool the eye and even touch. A long-time Marin County resident, Shaw is associated with Bay Area Funk, a movement characterized by its irreverent, sometimes surreal assemblage of everyday objects.

Since the late 1960s, Shaw has had a major impact on the creative culture of the San Francisco Bay Area. A long-time collaborator with Robert Hudson, he has also worked together with the major Bay Area ceramic artists including, Peter Voulkos, Robert Arneson and James Melchert.