10 Inspiring Ceramic Artists to Share With Your Students (2024)

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Amber Kane | October 19, 2018

When students hear the words, “clay,” or, “ceramics,” they often think of pinch pots, mugs, and bowls. While all of these items are examples of ceramics pieces, there is so much more for students to learn and explore.

Here are 10 ceramics artists who are using clay in new and interesting ways. Your students are going to love them.

1. Noriko Kuresumi

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Kuresumi works in porcelain, and her work is almost all white. Drawing inspiration from the sea, she creates what appear to be thin clay layers that cast playful shadows, creating miniature worlds.Her artist statement is only a few lines in length and reads, “The sea is the origin of life. All lives are connected and have been supporting each other. I create my work by imagining the source of harmony and balance of the ocean.”

Explore her work by having students try to create fluid folds in clay by making and draping thin slabs. You can also have them take inspiration from her poetic statement to write their own.

Website:http://www.norikokuresumi.com/

2. Eliane Monnin

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Eliane Monnin is a French artist. Her work is filled with texture and patternand has a strong connection to nature.

Take advantage of her website and videos being in French to collaborate with your school’s French teacher and explore her work and process.

Also be sure sure to check her out on Instagram.

Website: http://elianemonnin.ultra-book.com/

If you’re looking to help your students create wonderful ceramics pieces in your classroom, be sure to check out these amazing resources from AOE!

  • Hand-Built Ceramics PRO Learning Pack
  • Building a Ceramics Program PRO Learning Pack
  • Critical Kiln Safety PRO Learning Pack

3. Linda Lopez

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Linda Lopez creates organic objects and forms from clay. Her objects are often created by layering a repeated shape or form over and over again. They’re playful yet serious. Her Instagram account has some in-progress photos that help to show the process as well as the scale of her work.

Have your students create a collaborative piece. Students can determine what shape or form they wish to create, then work together to connect them, making a new whole.

Website: http://www.lindalopez.net/

4. Lorien Stern

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Lorien Stern creates playful, colorful ceramics sculptures. She works on taking things she considers scary or sad and transformsthem with color and patternuntil they become things ofjoy and happiness. Be sure to check out the “About” section on her website for a great video that shares her process and studio space.

Use her work as a prompt for your students. Have students think about things they find scary or intimidating andsee if they can transform themthrough the use of color and pattern.

Be sure to also find her on Instagram.

Website: http://www.lorienstern.com/

5. Ikuko Iwamoto

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Ikuko Iwamoto creates work that is mainly white, with pops of gold. She plays with ceramics in several ways. Some of her pieces are 3-D and enclosed in frames making them look like relief sculptures. Others are free-standing, and finally, some are functional. Her work comes to life through form and surface texture.

Have students learn about drawing with slip and explore how texture can transform their work.

Website: https://www.ikuko.space

6. ReChang Tsang

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ReChang Tsang creates pieces through the repetition of a single shape. The way the shapes are organized and painted impacts the story and feeling behind the work. Make sure to spend time exploring her Instagram, as you’ll be able to see more of her process.

Tsang’s work would be great to use as a jumping off point for a class or school-wide collaborative piece.

Website: http://www.rechengtsang.com/

7. Martha Rieger

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Martha Rieger creates extremely large forms through a variety of methods. Some are wheel-thrown, while others are madewith slip molds and casts. She glazes her piecesusing a variety of techniques. Some are stamped with a sponge, and others are created by masking off sections. Be sure to go to the “About” section on her website and explore the videos.

Rieger has a team helping her to create the pieces. Discuss with students who should receive credit and take ownership for the work when a team createsan artist’s vision.

Website: http://www.martharieger.com/

8. Honor Freeman

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Honor Freeman is an Australian artist inspired by ordinary objects. She works to mimic everyday objects and recreate them in porcelain. Much of her work is created through slip casting. This video shows some of her processes and allows students to hear her talk about her work and inspiration.

Freeman’swork is all about recording everyday objects and capturing the stories they hold. Have students bring in an everyday object and write a story about it. Students could also explore dipping everyday objects into air dry slip, observing how it changes the piece.

Website:https://www.honorfreeman.com/

9. Rachel Boxnboim

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Boxnboim’s fascinating process begins with textiles. She first creates a fabric form, then fills it with slip. As the slip dries around the edges, she pulls out the extra from the center leaving a hollow form. Once the slip is totally dry, she fires the pieces in the kiln.The fabric burns away, leaving behind a clay replica of the fabric piece. The clay retains the folds and texture of the fabric.

Connect with your family and consumer science teacher to have students sew objects. Next, follow Boxnboim’s process to fill the objects with slip, and then fire them.

Learn More: https://www.dezeen.com/2011/07/21/alice-by-rachel-boxnboim/

10. Emre Can

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Emre Can combines the technology of 3-D printing and the craft of ceramics. The 3-D printeruses a material that has the same qualities as clay and prints pieces that look and feel like ceramics. The pieces are then fired and glazed just like regular ceramics.

This video does a great job of explaining the process.

Have your students brainstorm how they might use other tools and technology to inspire ceramics pieces.

Website: https://www.emrecanceramic.com/

Clay can be messy and a bit of a challenge when it comes to managing things like drying time and firing. However, it’s also a magical material students love and often allows students to find success. Use these artists to inspire thestudents in your classroom!

Who is your favorite ceramic artists?

What is one new idea you have after exploring the work of the above artists?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

10 Inspiring Ceramic Artists to Share With Your Students (11)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amber Kane

Amber Kane is AOEU’s Director of K–12 Curriculum and a former AOEU Writer and high school art educator. She believes questioning and a focus on the creative thought process helps students uncover their personal voice and impact others.

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FAQs

10 Inspiring Ceramic Artists to Share With Your Students? ›

Notable Nature-Inspired Ceramic Artists

Artists like Hitomi Hosono, with her intricate botanical sculptures, and Magdalene Odundo, known for her human-form inspired pieces that echo shapes found in nature, have garnered international acclaim.

What famous ceramic artist was inspired by nature? ›

Notable Nature-Inspired Ceramic Artists

Artists like Hitomi Hosono, with her intricate botanical sculptures, and Magdalene Odundo, known for her human-form inspired pieces that echo shapes found in nature, have garnered international acclaim.

What famous ceramic artist was inspired by the sea? ›

Naama is a ceramic artist who is inspired by nature. She grew up in Israel, surrounded by the beautiful Sea. This has had a big influence on her work, which is often inspired by the Red Sea and its creatures. Naama's work is both beautiful and functional, and she has won prizes and awards for her designs.

What is an example of artist statement in ceramics? ›

Through my work, I hope to inspire others to connect with their environment and find beauty in the imperfections of life. In conclusion, my passion for pottery is rooted in my connection to the natural environment I grew up in, and my artistic vision is to create pieces that reflect what that connection means to me.

Who is the world leader in ceramics? ›

Asia: the world leader of ceramics

In addition to being the world's leading manufacturer of ceramic tiles, China was also the leading ceramic tile exporter in 2022.

Who is the father of ceramic? ›

William David Kingery; Considered the Father of Modern Ceramics.

Did Picasso paint ceramics? ›

Over the course of his career, Picasso explored a number of different ceramic techniques — experimenting with paint, playing with form, or engraving the clay's surface.

Who started ceramic art? ›

The earliest pottery vessels date from East Asia, with discoveries in China and Japan, which were still linked by a land bridge at the time, as well as some in what is now the Russian Far East, providing many between 20,000–10,000 BCE despite the vessels being simple utilitarian tools.

Who was the famous artist who was inspired by nature? ›

Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)

Other works inspired by nature include “Wheatfield Under Clouded Sky” and “Daubigny's Garden,” both of which he painted in the last weeks of his life.

Who were the 2 main artists that inspired Pollock? ›

From his years with Benton through 1938, Pollock's work was strongly influenced by the compositional methods and regionalist subject matter of his teacher and by the poetically expressionist vision of the American painter Albert Pinkham Ryder.

What inspired Maria Martinez to make pottery? ›

Revitalizing Pueblo pottery traditions, Martinez's creative process and artistic development was directly influenced by the shapes, patterns, and colors found in historic pottery of the San Ildelfonso Pueblo established c. 1300 in the region north of modern day Santa Fe.

What is the oldest ceramic art in the world? ›

The oldest known ceramic artifact is dated as early as 28,000 BCE (BCE = Before Common Era), during the late Paleolithic period. It is a statuette of a woman, named the Venus of Dolní Věstonice, from a small prehistoric settlement near Brno, in the Czech Republic.

What is an artist statement for students? ›

An artist statement is piece of writing by you that helps the audience access or understand your artistic work. It is written in the first person, while artist bios are written in the third person. Both represent you as an artist, even while you are not there.

What are three examples of ceramics you see in everyday life? ›

Ceramics are more than pottery and dishes: clay, bricks, tiles, glass, and cement are probably the best-known examples. Ceramic materials are used in electronics because, depending on their composition, they may be semiconducting, superconducting, ferroelectric, or an insulator.

What is the example of ceramic arts? ›

It may take varied forms, including artistic pottery, including tableware, tiles, figurines and other sculpture. As one of the plastic arts, ceramic art is a visual art. While some ceramics are considered fine art, such as pottery or sculpture, most are considered to be decorative, industrial or applied art objects.

Who is the father of American ceramics? ›

Charles Fergus Binns can be considered the father of American art and studio pottery, and one of the most influential educators in the field of ceramics in the United States.

Who is the best pottery maker? ›

Renowned Ceramic Artists and Their Contributions
  • Bernard Leach. Often considered “the Father of British studio pottery,” Bernard Leach lived from 1887 to 1979 and was both a studio potter and art teacher. ...
  • Lucie Rie. ...
  • Peter Voulkos. ...
  • Beatrice Wood. ...
  • Shoji Hamada. ...
  • Magdalene Odundo. ...
  • Ken Price. ...
  • Grayson Perry.
Apr 11, 2024

What is a ceramic artist called? ›

Studio potters can be referred to as ceramic artists, ceramists, ceramicists or as an artist who uses clay as a medium. Much studio pottery is tableware or cookware but an increasing number of studio potters produce non-functional or sculptural items.

References

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