Laura Williams
(they/she) is a UK born, US based ceramic artist whose practice explores material, narrative, color and play. Laura studied ceramics at the University of Wisconsin - Madison and has worked as a ceramics educator for the last decade. They’ve led and assisted at several art centers including; Lillstreet Art Center, Adamah Art Studios, Shake Rag Center for the Arts, Made Chicago, The Digs Chicago, Watershed Ceramics Center, Haystack Center for Craft, and Highland Studio and Gallery. Laura co-founded the Chicago Ceramics Crawl, a ceramics tour showcasing Chicago’s clay community.
“I enjoy playing in my studio. I use techniques of pinching, wheel throwing, and slab building to form wares which are then decorated using slip, terra sig, slip, glaze, underglaze and or the underglaze pencil. When working in clay I aim to create bright and playful wares that are a conversation between the clay, color, and form. I’m interested in the way clay records our every choice; throw lines, finger prints, brush strokes, even sometimes our moods. I’m interested in the way colours and patterns play upon different clay bodies and aim to create a dynamic and playful surface that compliments the personality of the clay on which it’s painted. My patterns represent personhood. Each persons’ divinity, heart, kiss, windows, footsteps. In addition to exploring the ways in which colours and people complement and relate to each other.
As an educator I aim to create a fun and relaxing environment to experiment and explore. We make together, complete exercises, demonstrate building techniques and discuss the science behind our material. I tell those who take my classes that the lessons of our classroom echo the lessons of personhood. Process over product. The grace with which we are able to make and learn from our mistakes. Focusing on what we can control. Understanding what went wrong and revising. Realigning after we are knocked off center. Patience. Practice. The majority of my career has been spent in community art centers, this has taught me a great deal about living in a community. Mixing with different personalities, becoming friends with people who operate differently from me. Allowing people to show up as they are, celebrating differences, handling conflict in a healthy and productive way. I, like clay, am continuously revising, reforming and recycling as an educator and maker.
It’s inspiring, the way people’s personalities are exhibited in their clay work. In an increasingly machine driven society, handmade items are human. We as makers are not competing with mass production. Instead we are offering a system outside of mass produced objects. When we purchase or create a handmade item we are investing in our neighbor’s time. At a time when wealth inequality is at an all time high, purchasing of handmade items enriches the artist and keeps commerce and power within our community. While our making of handmade items enriches the homes and lives of our neighbors. It’s a worthwhile cycle to support. Making by hand helps break the endless cycle of consumption and offers an alternative path to slower and more intentional living.