Ceramics artist Fred Yokel combines extraordinary craftsmanship with an inate understanding of physical expression. His characters are a mime troupe defining the human condition. Gesture is sign language to this artist, whose figures have titles like "Outta Here!" "How'd this Happen?" and "Think About It". Writer Diane Chin-Lui from Ceramics Monthly called Yokel's works "Jestures", a name he loves for its double emphasis on both physicality and humor.

Yokel received his BA in Ceramics from San Jose State and went on to get his MFA from CalArts. Over the years he has refined his process, creating varied and flawless textures.
Most of the pieces are built using the coil method. He uses coils that are quite fat and flattens them to make them taller before attachment He likes to call them "sloils" –kind of a combination slab and coil.

He says of his work,

Inspiration for poses comes from many places–my kids, Yoga, dance, baseball, Cirque du Soleil. I often sketch poses before I begin so I can refine them and also so I don’t forget them. There are so many possibilities. Many of the pieces express humor. I like to laugh and believe that laughter is therapeutic,