Gen Z is witnessing a surge in hobbyists. Interest in activities that provide escape from a turbulent social and political landscape is becoming crucial in assisting Gen Z’s already fragile mental health crisis. One of the emerging niches is wheel-thrown and hand built ceramics. The University of Miami’s ceramic community uses sculpting not only as an art form, but as a vehicle for self-realization and self-expression. 

In the critical stages of the development of an artistic piece, the ceramics department at the University of Miami embodies devotion. The shaping and engraving of organic material demonstrates a tangible experience of diligence. The exuberance of the students and professors is felt in their silent dedication in the studio, spending hours cradling their wheels with their hands coated in slip while molding the earthy substance. 

In this cradling and constructing is the sincere effort toward authenticity though the sculpture making process. The clay becomes a form of communication from the artist to the audience. Through the artists’ intent concentration on working with the material, learning is a byproduct wherein they gain greater perspective on themselves or life overall. 

MFA ceramics student’s Phillip Tetteh Djorsu work focuses on “iconographic symbolism”. 

“When you see my work, you can resonate with my upbringing, where I came from. I try to bring my culture into it,” Djorsu says.

Djorsu’s concern with iconic representation imbues the spirit of Africa through motifs that allow his audience to understand his specific background. Originally from Ghana, Djorsu received his B.A in Industrial Art, however his interest in clay began during his childhood. 

“I started using clay at a young age. In Ghana, on the ground there is clay…So when it rains, you can slip and then fall. We picked up clay, and then made it into a bowl. I started working with clay like this because you could make different forms, different shapes and casts.” 

Working with clay was commonplace for Djorsu because it is an abundant natural resource in his town in Ghana. Djorsu expresses how the ceramics process translates into an introspective journey.

”If you ever work with clay, you understand you need to understand the material that you are working with. It teaches you a lot about life, like patience, how to move, you need to take your time. Because you can’t rush the material. If you rush it, you can fail. It’s a principle that comes through for me. ” 

Djorsu acknowledges how the medium is a vehicle for self-realization, and allows it to work through him as he simultaneously captures the essences of his culture that he values. 

Another MFA ceramics student, Lucas Varnem’s, style is grounded in realism.

 “I am a sculptor. Ceramics is my medium for my sculpture, but I am also in love with the pottery traditional side. I love wheel throwing, the glaze, the chemistry side of that all, of the endless possibilities that you can test. It is always a fun surprise,” Varnem says.

Varnem’s playful orientation towards his work is shown in his pieces. Some of Varnem’s work imitates and inverts the appearance of real life objects. His passion for ceramics originated from his youth as well. 

He says, “I grew up taking a wheel throwing class and that is where I found the functional side of clay, being something you can use. From there I learned it is so moldable, you can build off or take away.” 

Varenm’s distinct creations often provoke various reactions among a diverse range of onlookers.

 “The biggest thing I’ve learned is the different interpretations everyone has on my work, and how you have to constantly be thinking about taking yourself out of your work.” 

Varnem reflects on a popular phenomena that occurs within an artist whenever they choose to share their work with new audiences. As he works, he considers the interpretations of larger audiences and he accepts and welcomes the possibility of unique interactions with his pieces. Varnem also teaches introductory courses in UM’s ceramics department.

Professor Carlos Prado’s office brims with numerous pottery and ceramic pieces. 

“I consider myself a sculptor. I developed a passion for 3D art at a very early stage. I started my professional training at the National Academy of Fine Art in Cuba,” Prado says.

Prado’s fascination with clay and 3D art is apparent through the multitudes of projects he invests his energy in, including his students’ work and his projects.

 “It is fascinating how, besides the ability to build something three-dimensionally, you have this other part of ceramics that is surface treatments with glazes, oxides.”  

In Prado’s case, he thoroughly enjoys the process of the chemical reactions that happen in the kiln. Prado’s use of diverse ranges of colors in his work demonstrates his intrigue with the surface reactions. 

Prado says, “It feels that you are aligned with the universe when the kiln delivers the work that you were expecting.” 

Prado’s attention-to-detail creates a sanctity with the material. His careful approach to design involves anatomical elements. He has a deep reverence for the human body and history, a theme which emerges in his pieces.

 “It is about using the iconic representation of the human figure. I make combinations, I assemble them in so many ways, that they become not a single figure, rather than reusing the iconic representation as an object, in piles.” 

His piece entitled “Void”, compiles multiple reproductions of torsos, inspired by the Greek sculpture, Discobolus. Professor Prado’s creative methodology is inventive, and produces commentary and intrigue. Prado has a wide-scoped devotion to sculpture, and the ethics involved in the messages his pieces send. 

As a Cuban-artist, he has a special interest in preserving “the plurality that is necessary to understand life. I try to do that in my class as a professor, not only in my art.” 

As a student of Prado myself, I can say that as both a professor and an artist Prado is a consciously involved creator. Prado displays his commitment to exploration and experimentation in sculpture, while affording his students the same opportunity to engage with their own personal aesthetics. 

The process poses difficulty in every level. Junior Meghan Fowler took beginner ceramics this semester and says, “the steps of ceramics were so foreign, there’s a lot more to the process than you think. I have a way bigger appreciation for people that do this as a life skill, it’s humbling.” 

As Gen Z ventures into the realm of hobby-ism, as a move away from a hyper-technological world, they will find that the process of ceramics is far more rewarding than they conceived. Ceramics is not only a hobby, but as a medium to bolster introspection.

words&photo_nia doyley.

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