Julie Huang – Red Lodge Clay Center

Julie HuangSan Francisco, California


Red Lodge Clay Center – Short-Term Resident (ASPN) 2021

I was born and raised in Taiwan, ceramics and I would never have cross passed if it were not for my mother’s illness.  I started taking wheel throwing class at a community center to relieve the stress; the learning process was long and sometimes frustrating, but the challenge had its charm.  I had also attended different ceramic workshops in the past.  In 2018, I enrolled in the California College of the Arts, BFA program in Ceramics.  It has been an excellent opportunity to learn different techniques, to share and exchange other creative ideas with my peers and professors.

Constant practice and self-critic are part of my routine while working with clay.  I enjoy the process of making, problem-solving, and challenging myself with new ideas and methods.  Like many artists, I cannot detach myself from my work when I am in the zone.  In my leisure time, I like to read books by non-ceramic artists for ideas and recharge.  When I am stumbled with tangle thoughts, I will take my dog for a walk in the neighborhood for inspiration.

 

Artmaking has been essential to provide a passage for artists to voice their ideas and influence the public.  As a ceramic artist, I enjoy making both functional and narrative works.  I admire Lucie Rie and Harrison McIntosh’s simplicity, organic and geometric forms. Many of my functional wares are under the influence of the Mid-Century Modern style.

This series of works is an inspiration drawn from patterns and lines.  The experience of growing up in a strict family also influenced my creativity.  The lines reflect the stern discipline that I am accustomed to; a few drops of buttons add fun and resilience.  I hope my work can bring calm, comfort, and inner peace to the person who holds it.