5 Ceramic Artists Making Positive Environmental Impacts

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<a href="https://vimeo.com/675671114">Tony Natsoulas at Sonoma Valley Museum of Art</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user122517837">Sonoma Valley Museum of Art</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.



Check out this video about how Tony Natsoulas honoured his friend and fellow ceramic artist Clayton Bailey (1939-2020) in a one of a kind exhibition back in 2021. I can't think of a more beautiful way to honour a friend! Find out more about Clayton's inspiring life on his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/claytonbaileyart" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">instagram</a>. 







<h2>Video Transcript</h2>



So this show at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art came about because Clayton had suffered a stroke and he was not, he was very depressed and so we would go and visit him once a week and I thought that just to make him feel a little happier I would apply to the Sonoma Valley Museum and they had said yes. It was great,a two person show in 2020. Of course,with COVID we actually had to postpone it to 2021 which was really unfortunate because Clayton passed away in 2020. We're going to have the show anyway. I wanted to honor Clayton Bailey by doing the show by doing the sculptures that I did this whole entire year. I did a portrait of him of course. What my idea was in honoring Clayton was to build sculptures that had to do with him and what his interests were. So I did three artists and I did Clayton. I did a sculpture of Alexander Calder who I just thought was wonderful. He was so inventive and Clayton was so inventive. I thought that went together. The other sculpture that I did to honor Clayton was a sculpture of Keith Haring which I thought was,I think Keith Haring was very inventive and very succinct. The second part of the honoring of Clayton is I wanted to do some inventors and so I did a sculpture of Rube Goldberg even though Rube Goldberg is,you know,he's an artist but he invented all these fantasy machines on how to make something,some event as difficult as possible,some task as difficult as possible. Clayton also was a musician so I wanted to honor that part of his work. So I did a sculpture of Annie Lennox and she has been my hero for years too. She was in the Eurythmics in the 1980s and she has since had an incredible solo career. She's won all kinds of awards and she's also an amazing activist which I just think is wonderful. She has a organization called The Circle and the neon circle represents that. And then in her dress I made it look kind of like the Coliseum in that there's all these I guess they're not doorways but there's all these cubbies where I stuck all the pieces that I thought were important parts of her life. I did the sculpture of Clayton and I decided to of course put him in a pith helmet because he,his altered ego was named Dr. Gladstone and Dr. Gladstone was an archaeologist who dug up all kinds of bones,Bigfoot bones, Cyclops bones,he was amazing. So he's got a pith helmet on,he's got a bone that he dug up and he also,his body is made up of a big boiler because he also did a lot of robots that he built from different objects like coolers and ovens and all kinds of different things. And so I thought a boiler would be great cause he was such a wonderful guy you know,very warm like a boiler would I mean,like a boiler would be. Warm hearted that is. And funnier in hell. So I got this,I got a picture of a boiler and I made that and then I also had the door open at his chest and I found this light bulb online that flickers like a candle would and so I put that in there and it looks like the boiler is hot. And then what I did is it just didn't seem like it was going to be tall enough, so what I did is I made a flying saucer underneath him and I thought how can I make this flying saucer more interesting so I covered it with these little marbles,the little flattened marbles and that didn't do much,so I had my friend Tim Laser blow some glass cups and so I put those in the windows and covered those with more flattened marbles and then I found online these little disco balls and put those in the windows of the flying saucer. Now Clayton loved flying saucers,loved ray guns,loved that whole thing so then I had someone make me a base like kind of a flying saucer base might be. He also collected a ton of ray guns and he had bunches of them,so I have ray gun in his hand with a little zap on the end of it. So these pieces I did,I'm very happy with. I feel like I made another step in a direction that I wanted to be in the past. I haven't really been very happy with a lot of my work and these I'm pretty happy with all of them,which is really amazing. I think the big step is that I've actually honed more in on the people's lives and their personalities. The other pieces I sort of just made sculptures of them and these I think are talking more about them and their lives so it's a little more compact about the person. The Picasso piece I like a lot,but it was just about the idea of fine art versus craft whereas the Annie Lennox piece really has to do with her and her activism and her being a mother and being just an amazing person all round. The same thing with the Rube Goldberg piece,each piece is about his life,and I really like that idea of trying to show people,not just on the surface,this is a portrait of them. I want to say this is a portrait of them and the things they've done and who they are.







<h2>Clayton Bailey</h2>



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<h2>Annie Lennox</h2>



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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/tonynatsoulas/?hl=en">Follow Tony on Instagram</a> for more info about his work and this fabulous exhibition. 











Discover thousands of other artists,exhibits,galleries and more in <a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/directory/">our online ceramics directory</a>!

Tony Natsoulas at Sonoma Valley Museum of Art

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Screen-Shot-2022-04-06-at-1.58.40-PM.png"><img src="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Screen-Shot-2022-04-06-at-1.58.40-PM-1024x915.png" alt="" class="wp-image-85862" /></a><figcaption>All images in this post are via Charlie Cummings Gallery.</figcaption></figure>



It's fair to say that during the May 2021 Ceramics Congress,Brenda Quinn blew us all away with her unique and signature decorative techniques. It's always a pleasure to check back in with our workshop artists to see what they've got going on in the studio. 



Brenda does not disappoint with her latest exhibition at <a href="https://charliecummingsgallery.com/represented-artists-o-r/brenda-quinn.html">Charlie Cummings Gallery</a>. Symmetry and a beautiful selective colour palette make this new series of cups,bowls,plates and vases a perfect addition to your spring table setting. Her work is so highly sought after that I'm not convinced there will even be any pieces left unsold by the time this blog post is up! 



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Brenda's artist statement via <a href="https://artaxis.org/artist/brenda-quinn/">Artaxis</a>: "My work is inspired by and is a nod to the broad history of decorative arts. Developing forms that have a utilitarian function and a dynamic design is like trying to solve an evolving equation with an elusive answer. For me,this equation becomes more complicated with the addition of an ever-expanding range of functions,techniques,and glazes to my working vocabulary. The chase for a solution is engaging; so much so that I’m often interjecting more variables into my process in order to keep the chase going."



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"Charlie Cummings Gallery features contemporary functional and sculptural ceramic work by emerging and nationally-recognized artists. Since 2001,Charlie Cummings Gallery has premiered more than 100 exhibits and represents ceramic artists in this online exhibition and sales venue and in the physical gallery space." (- via their <a href="https://charliecummingsgallery.com">website</a>) Keep this gallery in mind when you're looking to add to your ceramics collection or if you're an artist looking for new venues to exhibit. They showcase all styles of ceramic art and are one of the premier galleries in the United States focusing solely on the ceramic arts. Artists can submit via the <a href="https://charliecummingsgallery.com/gallery-submissions">Gallery's website</a> for a number of group exhibitions throughout the year.



Make sure to check out Brenda's new pieces online at <a href="https://charliecummingsgallery.com/represented-artists-o-r/brenda-quinn.html">Charlie Cummings Gallery</a>,and if by chance they are all sold out by the time you read this then worry not as she has a fall exhibition scheduled with <a href="https://www.intandemgallery.com/">In Tandem Gallery</a> which opens on September 1st,2022. And make sure to keep up with all of Brenda's clay adventures on her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bquinnpottery/">Instagram</a>.



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Want to make sure you don't miss out on the next Ceramics Congress? We've got another incredible line up of 40+ international talents streaming live into your home this May 26-30th! Grab your ticket today!!! Right <a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/the-ceramics-congress/">HERE</a>! Seriously,what are you waiting for???



: )

New works by Past Congress Presenter Brenda Quinn

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Mixed media artist <a href="http://jihamoon.com">Jiha Moon</a> has had a busy 2022 so far; with exhibitions at the <a href="http://www.derekeller.com">Derek Eller Gallery</a> in New York,<a href="https://fabricworkshopandmuseum.org/exhibition/workshop-as/">The Fabric Workshop and Museum</a>, Philadelphia,PA,<a href="https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/this-present-moment?utm_source=si.edu&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=exhibitions">Renwick Gallery</a>,Smithsonian,Washington DC,and <a href="https://unitlondon.com/whats-on/103-group-exhibition-in-the-round/">Unit London</a> in the UK. She's garnering a bunch of attention with her work,in particular her ceramics which play out like beautiful yet distorted mash ups of old and new,familiar and magical. 



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<h2>Ceramic Cartographer</h2>



"Jiha Moon is from DaeGu,Korea,and lives and works in Atlanta,GA. She received her MFA from the University of Iowa,Iowa City. Moon’s gestural paintings,mixed media,ceramic sculpture,and installation explore fluid identities and the global movement of people and their cultures. She says,“I am a cartographer of cultures and an icon maker in my lucid worlds.” She is taking cues from wide ranges of history of Eastern and Western art,colors and designs from popular culture,Korean temple paintings and folk art,internet emoticons and icons,fruit stickers and labels of products from all over the place. She often teases and changes these lexicons so that they are hard to identify yet familiar." (via her <a href="http://jihamoon.com/pages/bio/">website</a>)



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<h2>An Evening with Jiha Moon</h2>



Make sure to check out the following film from their recent exhibition:



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<a href="https://vimeo.com/681062490" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">An Evening with Jiha Moon</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/mofafsu">Museum of Fine Arts</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.



You can follow Jiha on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/moonjiha/">instagram</a> to stay up to date on upcoming exhibitions. 











Discover thousands of other artists,exhibits,studios,and more in <a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/directory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our online ceramics directory</a>!

Introducing mixed media artist Jiha Moon

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_20200915_1838342-1-Audrone-Dackute-scaled.jpg"><img src="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_20200915_1838342-1-Audrone-Dackute-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-93316"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Up next up in our series of Meet the Maker posts is Lithuania artist,Audronė Dačkutė. She is the creator behind all the whimsical pottery you'll find at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/phOceramics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phOceramics</a> on Etsy,and recently had work in the Cat Exhibition that The Ceramic School hosted as part of this May's Ceramics Congress. If you missed it you can still <a href="https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/node/9933355">view the exhibition online</a>! "Most of my art works are inspired by nature with animals and humans that live in it. My aim is to spread the idea of decorative,cute and animated objects that bring more happiness to your daily life. Mostly I do functional art works and usually they become interior details,too."</figcaption></figure>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ceramics: The Creative Path</h2>



Ceramics wasn't Audronė's first choice when she entered art school as it wasn't the most popular option (what?! Crazy right?),but due to less competition for clay courses she ended up taking one and has been following that creative path ever since. Thank goodness creative folks are always up to pivot to new directions and mediums. Audronė doesn't tend to limit herself in the studio,instead utilizing a multitude of processes to sculpt her loveable functional creatures. 



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Audronė Dačkutė's Studio</h2>



Audronė works out of a small studio in Vilnius which is also a showroom you can visit to view and purchase works. You can stop by during work hours knowing that each time you come there will be new works out on the shelves or in process. Adapting such a small space to both production and presentation is no easy feat,but she's clever in her planning of movable furniture and lights. She currently fires her work in three different size kilns. "My biggest one is Kitten cb100 S,medium size kiln is brennofen budget 40 and smallest one (around 10 liters) is Snol,made by local company." When we asked what her dream kiln would be she stated; "Super large kiln that I could stand inside of it. Because I love sculpting and to create huge things." Can the world handle the cuteness overload if her pieces were even larger? We'd sure love to see it!



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Influences for Audronė's work include all sorts of animals and nature. In her work there is familiarity and humour. She also cites the work of Isreal's <a href="http://www.instagram.com/ronitbaranga/">Ronit Baranga</a>; and Ukrainian artist <a href="http://www.instagram.com/calacaceramicart/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nastia Calaca</a> as influencial artists she'd like to learn from and collect their work. Ronit Baranga is known for her sculptures that are both seductively alluring and alarmingly disturbing all in one gorgeous package; while Nastia Calaca's narrative character sculptures are lush with colour and whimsy.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fun Facts about Audronė Dačkutė</h2>



A few quick facts:&nbsp;



Her soundtrack in the studio: "I listen to local radio LRT Opus. They play really good music and have very interesting shows and podcasts."



If she wasn’t an artist she’d be: "Farmer or I'd have a dog shelter."



Ways to cure a creative block: “I just work. There are always many things to do at my studio. If I can't create today,I throw,take pictures of created works,communicating with customers do online shopping of ceramic or packing supplies,tidying up or keep bookkeeping and so on.”



Biggest achievement to date: "I am not sure about what achievements I should talk about. Sometimes I show my works at live exhibitions,from time to time journals and papers writes and articles about my works and once I was shown on the national TV - it was a really big achievement for me. However,I think that the biggest thing and my achievement,that helped me to be more noticeable,was the article on Bored Panda page - I feel very thankful to them till now."



Thanks so much Audronė Dačkutė for sharing with us! Please make sure you give her a follow on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/phoceramics/">Instagram</a>,connect with her on the Ceramic School site!



Leave us a comment below about what you love best about Audronė’s work!



Want to be one of our future featured makers??? Fill out <a href="https://projects.ceramic.school/p/form/xjbSiKe3o9GvMvefS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this form</a> and we’ll share your work with our international community!











Discover thousands of other artists,exhibits,studios,and more in <a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/directory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our online ceramics directory</a>!

Meet the Maker: Audronė Dačkutė

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-20-at-8.33.56-AM.png"><img src="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-20-at-8.33.56-AM-1024x970.png" alt="" class="wp-image-94352" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Last week the international ceramics community lost an absolutely inspiring,gifted and generous artist; Merran Esson. Based out of Australia,Merran's work is recognized the world over for it's luscious abstract representations of the natural world combined with the geometry and the sometimes organized chaos of the man made city. "Her artworks express the contrast between the extremes of country and city. Influences from her rural childhood combine with the urban confines of city life to produce large objects connecting in ways that explore mutual survival. Objects in outdoor spaces have for many years interested Esson,sitting as reminders of water tanks,silos and trees in the Australian rural landscape. Merran Esson investigates a range of cultural influences,reminding us of the influence of history and place." (<a href="http://www.merranesson.com/about">via www.merranesson.com/about</a>)</figcaption></figure>







<h2>Merran Esson: 40 years of art</h2>



Her career spanned over 40 years,including the production of stand alone sculptural works and site specific ceramic sculpture interventions in the landscape. Below are two images of works from the 1980's highlighting her dramatic and skilled approach to making. 



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Her recognizable style using bold lush colours garnered her recognition as a member of the International Academy of Ceramics,and in art collections internationally. Over her 20+ years of teaching she influenced and inspired countless other artists in our community. If you are one such artist,we'd love to hear from you in the comments about your stories and memories of Merran. 



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<h2>Ceramic Stories</h2>



In the last few years of her life she worked alongside her children to create a beautiful book: A Life of Collecting. "This is the stories behind the private collection of Merran Esson. Collected over her life and coumented by Merran's two children as she battles a brain tumour. Originally intended to simply document each piece with the collection it quickly became clear that for Merran collecting is as much,if not more,about community. This book documents a group of stories about Merran's personal connections to the global ceramics community and how the pieces ended up in her collection." (via www.merranesson.com/product-page/merran-esson-a-life-of-collecting)



You can purchase this <a href="https://www.merranesson.com/product-page/merran-esson-a-life-of-collecting" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">collection of stories and art online</a>. 



Find out more about Merran's art and life through her <a href="https://www.merranesson.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">website</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/merran_esson/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">instagram</a>. 







Discover thousands of other artists,exhibits,studios,and more in <a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/directory/">our online ceramics directory</a>!

Merran Esson - A Life in Clay

I have to to say I tend to approach the trend of "top ten list" articles with suspicion and annoyance at their limited views. I'm cynical of their criteria. Maybe it's because on any given day I can name a completely different top ten artists I think you should look at depending on the context in question,or even my mood that day. That said though,I do tend to learn about at least one new artist when I read them. This time it was German artist Beate Kuhn (1927 – 2015). The article I mention is Famous Ceramic Artists – Looking at the World’s Best Pottery Artists on <a href="https://artincontext.org/famous-ceramic-artists/?fbclid=IwAR0eNwxJ6nu3xRTjobSLKoAV0k4eqN8d_ffAESJeaYZOw3TmB4OXiLIzCYU">Artincontext.org</a>,which ironically shares the work predominantly of ceramic sculptors,not potters,despite its title,but that's beside the point. 







<h2>Abstract Art</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Screen-Shot-2022-07-24-at-11.51.33-AM.png"><img src="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Screen-Shot-2022-07-24-at-11.51.33-AM-1024x807.png" alt="" class="wp-image-98367" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Abstract stoneware sculptures by Beate tend to resemble bronze or painted metal more in their construction and surface then clay,making these works unique examples of modernist ceramics. </figcaption></figure>



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<h2>Beate Kuhn: Life and Times</h2>



Images and text below Via <a href="https://www.jasonjacques.com/historic/beate-kuhn?view=slider#2">Jason Jacques Gallery</a>: 



"By the early 1960s,Kuhn’s work underwent a seismic shift away from functional vessels and towards sculptural objects. However,the visual language of potting remained vital. She began to dissect wheel-thrown elements and reassemble them. A garden of attenuated tubes might be spliced onto the top of a sphere,or discs of varying diameters interleaved by the dozens within oblong shells. She bilaterally sliced cups,bowls,ovoids,and spheres and arrayed scores of nearly identical elements in organic compositions that conjured segmented crustaceans,corals,or plants. She tucked convex forms inside concavities to play with positive and negative space. The superlative Sensual Sculpture exemplifies her proclivity for anthropomorphism and especially fecund female forms. By the time Kuhn exhibited in the first London Group exhibition of 1968,she had solidly established her personal approach to clay sculpture. For the rest of her career,she followed a similar method,but continually expanded her rich,formal vocabulary."



So down the internet rabbit hole I went looking into the life and work of Beate Kuhn,and found far more then I was expecting. Her long and prolific career spans numerous reinventions,approaches to work and stylistic renderings that while still maintaining a lineage in the timeline of her work,also shows the diversity of tangents artists explore throughout decades of making. Take for example the animal depictions she created. 



 



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<h2>Beate Kuhn's Functional Ware</h2>



And there are numerous images of the unique functional works she made as well. Equally as refined and explored as her other tangents,this is a creative life that ebbed and flowed and meandered while constantly pulling at similar threads of ideas throughout the decades of her prolific career. 



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As I was going though Beate's work,I thought about a comment made by Michael Sherrill on a recent episode of <a href="https://www.talesofaredclayrambler.com/">Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast</a> which I was listening to in the studio the other day. In reference to how artists shift and explore new directions in our work,he talked about how we tend to move on when things are working well. It's the challenges we seek. I agree that it's the questions more then the answers that bring out our true creativity. It's also hard to move away from things that have been successful over time,our commitments to audience and galleries hold us back. Beate Kuhn seems to be a perfect example of an artist that re-charged her practice numerous times in her long career,each time putting forth brilliant and unique work. 



Want to read more about Beate's work? I suggest <a href="https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/ceramics-monthly/ceramics-monthly-article/Beate-Kuhn-So-Much-Energy-Packed-Into-Such-a-Small-Space#">Beate Kuhn: So Much Energy Packed Into Such a Small Space</a> by <a href="https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/detail/author/kay-whitney-332779">Kay Whitney</a> via Ceramics Monthly.



In your own career have you had those moments where you've shifted your work significantly? Share you experiences in the comments below,or get a discussion going in <a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/news-feed/">our community forums</a>. How did your audience adapt to the change? Were the galleries and shops that sold your work accepting of the pivot? We'd love to hear from you!

Beate Kuhn's Ever Changing Practice

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Screen-Shot-2022-07-19-at-3.13.42-PM.png"><img src="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Screen-Shot-2022-07-19-at-3.13.42-PM-1024x325.png" alt="" class="wp-image-98122" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">It's hard not to be completely captivated by the playful and complex pattern and colour that Italian ceramic artist Eloisa Gobbo uses in their work; which makes it no surprise that they recent took home a residency prize at <a href="https://www.museumanises.es/es/carrusel-page/xv-bienal-internacional-ceramica-manises" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The International Biennial of Contemporary Ceramics of Manises</a> in Valencia,Spain. Follow Eloisa on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eloisa.gobbo">instragram</a> if you want to stay in the loop about their new works created as part of the residency at <a href="https://centroceramicosperimentale.it" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centro Sperimentale Ceramico</a>.</figcaption></figure>



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<h2>Eloisa Gobbo: Artist's Summary</h2>



A bit more about Eloisa from their <a href="https://www.eloisagobbo.it">website</a>:



"Eloisa Gobbo is an Italian artist currently based in Padua,Italy. In recent years,she has expressed her creativity using different media such as painting,sculpture and digital graphic artworks. Her main interest is in decoration as a form of expression of personal and social content and repeated pattern,which make a colourful show in her paintings and carpets. Her work has been noted for its use of colour,the incorporation of motifs from both Eastern and Western decorative tradition and popular culture,and for its flat surfaces. Among the recurring motifs are flowers,abstract,geometric and organic ornaments,arabesques,popular logos,maps,characters and signs. The artists' inspirations are not always immediately apparent until examined closely. For instance some artworks tell a story without words or promote a personal point of view. Eloisa Gobbo has won some competitions to create public works of art,such as those for the Pile-dweller Museum (Museo palafitticolo di Fiavè) in Trento or for a Nursery School in Ravina,Trento. She has given several solo and group exhibitions in Italy and abroad,among the most important of these public shows were "Gravity and grace" Antico Oratorio della Passione,Sant’Ambrogio,Milan,Italy,(2021),"Pop Up Italian Show" Hubei Museum of Art,Cina (2014),"Italian Newbrow",Civic Museum of Palazzo Volpi,Como (2012),"Arte italiana 1968-2007 Pittura" Royal Palace Milan (2007),The "Prague 's Biennial 4",Karlin Hall,Praga (2009)."







Discover other artists from around the world by visiting <a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/directory/">our online directory</a>!

Introducing Artist Eloisa Gobbo

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It's a pleasure to introduce our next Meet the Maker artist Asma Waheed! A current Master's student,Asma has been working in clay since she took a local community studio class in 2012. As with so many of us,she was hooked and has been focused on ceramics ever since. 



Follow along with her adventures in clay on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/asmawaheedart/">@asmawaheedart </a>to learn more about the techniques behind her work; in particular,there are a number of archived video posts that include her beautiful labour-intensive geometric pattern drawing. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/3tile1-asma-waheed-scaled.jpg"><img src="https://staging.ceramic.school/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/3tile1-asma-waheed-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-84594"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> Living and working out of Ellicott City,Maryland,Asma has a particular interest in working with the local community. She states on her website; "During monthly sessions at local faith-based communities,she provides a safe space for women in the community to engage with art." From her <a href="https://asmawaheedart.com/pages/artist-bio-statement">artist statement</a>: "Inspiration for my work comes from my homeland with its rich history of beautiful architecture,textile,and pottery which is skinned with geometrical patterns,biomorphic designs,and calligraphy. I also enjoy and draw inspiration from the natural beauty around us.&nbsp; My work portrays a sense of balance and harmony,each piece makes the viewer's eyes travel from one line to another with a smooth transition leaving a sense of tranquillity.&nbsp; Surfaces on my utilitarian pots and tiles both serve as blank canvases on which I express ideas inspired by being an immigrant mother caught between two cultures."</figcaption></figure>



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Asma doesn't shy away from working in clay in a number of ways such as wheel throwing and hand-building. She says she likes to do a bit of everything. We love how the aesthetics of her work carries over from piece to piece. One of her favourite forms to make is a shallow bowl,and we can see why; having a larger surface area to decorate with her unique ways is so stunning on a larger open form. 



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"I keep exploring different mediums and different firing processes to explore form and surface. My work is constantly evolving resembling a dug out tile from Mohenjo Daro to something that belongs in a modern museum.&nbsp; No matter what clay is used or what firing process has been applied,sacred geometry,calligraphy and Mughal patterns have been at the heart of it all. Lines either create harmony or tension that reflect my day to day American life trying to embrace some of myself and escape some of myself from immigrant cultural expectations and baggage."



Asma is originally from Pakistan and now works out of her home studio so she can be more available for her four children. "I have a kiln,wheel,slab roller and a few tables/shelves to work. No running water which is fine at the moment. My school is an hour away so with kids' schedules and me being the sole caretaker of them it was necessary to have a home studio." Future goals for this talented artist after grad school include attending residencies such as those offered at Penland and The Archie Bray with the ultimate goal of using her unique skills to teach others as a faculty professor someday. Oh,we wish you all the best Asma! Can't wait to watch all your dreams come true!



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A few quick facts:&nbsp;



Her soundtrack in the studio: Podcasts such as: <a href="https://www.brickyardnetwork.org/forfluxsake">For Flux Sake</a>,<a href="https://www.talesofaredclayrambler.com/">Tales of a Red Clay Rambler</a>,<a href="https://www.islamicillumination.com/podcast">Art Illuminated</a>,and <a href="https://www.npr.org/podcasts/532788972/circle-round">Circle Round</a> ( to keep her kids busy with clay).



Piece of ceramic that she is currently trying to get her hands on: A <a href="https://www.instagram.com/naomikclement/">Naomi Clement</a> piece. 



If she wasn’t an artist she’d be: An Interior Designer.



Ways to cure a creative block: "I always restart with some familiar shapes to make on the wheel,making sketches helps. If it's a project and I am stuck,talking to a friend artist helps at times. Working something creative unrelated to clay helps as well."



Biggest achievement to date: "My kids (keeping them alive and raising them)/ taking a step forward and going back to school in 2019 for my masters in ceramics."



If you could take a workshop from any artist living or past who would it be and why? "<a href="https://www.instagram.com/albertobustos.ceramics/">Alberto Bustos</a>,his sculptures are so living,so much movement and fragility at the same time. I would love to learn how he achieves the colours and distressed surface."



Thanks so much Asma for sharing with us! Please make sure you give her a follow on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/asmawaheedart/">Instagram</a>,connect with her on the Ceramic School site!



Leave us a comment below about what you love best about Asma’s work!



Want to be one of our future featured makers??? Fill out <a href="https://projects.ceramic.school/p/form/xjbSiKe3o9GvMvefS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this form</a> and we’ll share your work with our international community!

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