The American ceramicist Peter Shire was born in Los Angeles in 1947. He received his training in ceramics at the Chouinard Institute in Los Angeles. In 1972 Peter Shire established a studio of his own. In 1975 a Hollywood gallery gave Peter Shire his first solo show, where he presented his ceramic objects, teapots and other vessels, as well as painted tiles. In the late 1970s, Ettore Sottsass came across Peter Shire's colorful sculptural works and invited the American ceramicist to Milan to show his works with the Memphis group at their exhibitions. Peter Shire's designs are powerfully creative reinterpretations of traditional forms - art rather than mere designer objects. Notable as they are for the geometric forms composing them, the Peter Shire teapots are not really practical to use although they are imaginatively designed and represent what the Memphis group stood for. Collaboration with Memphis in turn gave Peter Shire an opportunity to work with other materials. In the 1980s Peter Shire designed objects of glass and metal and also furniture. In 1981 Peter Shire designed "Brazil", a table fitted together of triangles, circle segments, and half rounds of wood. The asymmetrical and colorful "Bel Air" armchair is a 1982 Peter Shore design.