About

Vivian is a ceramic artist from Greenville, SC who is living and working in Philadelphia, PA. She received her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2019. Durning the pandemic, she started wood-firing and digging clay in Lancaster, PA which lead to later becoming a full time ceramic artist.  

Vivian now makes functional pottery in her studio in Brewery town, Philadelphia. She hand carves each piece and is researching local clay from the area to make her practice more sustainable and tied to the history of PA.

Artist Statement

My work calls attention to the importance of historical ornamentation as a way to bring about a sense of wonder to daily life. The historical brickwork of my neighborhood in Philadelphia contains an abundance of carved floral motifs. Old cellar doors in the sidewalk or eves above a hidden garden contain intricate patterns remnant of a time where beauty often went hand in hand with functionality. Society has largely shifted to aesthetics of minimalism and modernity, clashing with my love of these patterns and nature.

I carve the surfaces of my pots with historical patterns containing plants and flowers, creating a tactile surface that invites exploration through touch. The use of glazes serves as a way to unify the visual saturation of the carving beneath. The ways in which a pot is interacted with on a daily basis can change with attention to detail over time. My work is a reminder that a single object can inhabit or reframe ideas of home, comfort, and ritual.