Photo by Samantha Murasko
BIO
Emma Kaye (b:1992 New York, NY) is Ceramic Artist and Educator. She holds a BFA in Art History from Pratt Institute and an MFA in Ceramic Art at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Emma has completed Post Baccalaureate studies in Ceramics at Syracuse University and has been a sponsored participant at at Penland and Arrowmont Schools of Craft. In 2019, Emma was the recipient of Ceramic Monthly's Emerging Artist Award. Emma has taught and ran ceramics classes and workshops for adults and children through non-profits, public schools, and community spaces. Currently, she holds the position of Visiting Assistant Professor and Technician at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She exhibits her work nationally and is currently represented by the Plinth Gallery in Denver, Colorado.
Emma Kaye (b:1992 New York, NY) is Ceramic Artist and Educator. She holds a BFA in Art History from Pratt Institute and an MFA in Ceramic Art at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Emma has completed Post Baccalaureate studies in Ceramics at Syracuse University and has been a sponsored participant at at Penland and Arrowmont Schools of Craft. In 2019, Emma was the recipient of Ceramic Monthly's Emerging Artist Award. Emma has taught and ran ceramics classes and workshops for adults and children through non-profits, public schools, and community spaces. Currently, she holds the position of Visiting Assistant Professor and Technician at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She exhibits her work nationally and is currently represented by the Plinth Gallery in Denver, Colorado.
STATEMENT
The vessel form, both diverse and abstract in its meaning, serves as an intermediary object between humans and our surroundings. They are integral to our relationship with the landscape, ourselves and other living creatures. They reflect the ideologies and beliefs of their maker through their material presence and intended use.
The vessel form, both diverse and abstract in its meaning, serves as an intermediary object between humans and our surroundings. They are integral to our relationship with the landscape, ourselves and other living creatures. They reflect the ideologies and beliefs of their maker through their material presence and intended use.
My incentive to work with clay is rooted in a feeling connection to the material, whose sovereignty and character intend to honor. Each stage of its transformation offers a new opportunity for physical expression. When the clay is moist and workable, I inflate the form, capturing its soft and yielding nature. As it dries and stiffens, the planes and edges are crisped and leveled. While forms speak to function, they claim an excessively voluminous and sculptural presence. The method of hollow construction affords this visual illusion of an impossibly thick ceramic object.
Wood firing serves as a tool for mark-making, enhancing my surfaces in a quiet yet dynamic way. . While the materials are set in motion by my intention, the results are a record of an event that honors their elemental behavior.
Within this cycle of forming and firing, there is space to be continually introspective about my process, materials, and environment. I assess the quality of my results through the balance and subtlety of an array visual contradictions related to the piece's material and conceptual nature. If I am successful, the object will morph beyond my expectations and foster a dialogue through its display and use.
Within this cycle of forming and firing, there is space to be continually introspective about my process, materials, and environment. I assess the quality of my results through the balance and subtlety of an array visual contradictions related to the piece's material and conceptual nature. If I am successful, the object will morph beyond my expectations and foster a dialogue through its display and use.
Photo by Alex Ball