Stepanka Summer is a Czech-born, New York-based ceramic artist whose work explores the emotional and physical delicacy of porcelain. A self-taught maker, she moved to New York City in 1995, where she continues to develop her practice through handbuilt porcelain forms that range from functional to abstract. Her pieces often incorporate poetry, translucent surfaces, and the quiet shimmer of gold, inviting a sense of presence, intimacy, and reverence. Known for creating whisper-thin, light-filled porcelain forms, Stepanka’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. She approaches each piece as a quiet meditation—an offering of emotion made visible through form, texture, and light.
Porcelain speaks in a language I trust—pure, luminous, and alive with tension. It is both fragile and strong, soft and unyielding. I work slowly, building each form by hand, allowing texture, translucency, and often gold to emerge in conversation with the clay.
Gold, for me, is more than a material—it’s a metaphor for life. I’m always searching for the nugget of gold in every situation, even the difficult ones. In my work, gold becomes a quiet reminder of resilience, hope, and the hidden beauty that often lies just beneath the surface.
My pieces are intimate explorations of light, longing, and presence. I often emboss words or poetry into the porcelain, letting them appear gently when touched by light. These forms are not declarations, but invitations—to pause, to feel, to listen.
In my practice, I find beauty in stillness, in imperfection, and in the invisible threads that connect us all. Working with porcelain is how I stay close to truth—it allows me to express what cannot be said.