Joey Serim

I began taking clay workshops with professional potters about 30 years ago and these have opened my mind to the limitless variety of throwing and handbuilding techniques, firing methods and surface treatments that clay offers.

The challenge has been to define my own style, and allow my creative voice to speak consistently through the clay, while incorporating what I have learned. It’s a balancing act between my love of variety and diversity and the value of producing a body of work that is uniquely “me.”

The forms and glazes that speak best for me have been influenced by the colors and shapes of the high desert and mountains of New Mexico, my roots on the East Coast, and my love of Asian art.  Sometimes I desire the jewel-like brightness and transparency of shiny glazes – other times, I reach for silky smooth satin glazes that invite touch.

Wheel throwing is a form of meditation for me, a centering of myself as well as the clay, and an opening of the intuitive and spontaneous part of my nature.  Handbuilding calls for greater planning and mechanical precision, which is also an important part of the balance.

I aim to make bowls, cups, plates, teapots, pitchers, flower vessels that will lift the users’ spirits when seeing them, touching them, using them in their everyday lives.  I would like my work to bring more pleasure to our daily routines and encourage us to be more mindful and present in those moments.