Residency: Week 3

Highlights:
4 week Korean Moon Jar Workshop with Dave Kim (All ‘Bout Clay, Midtown, NY)
7 week Special Topic: Porcelain & Carving with Tiffany Saw (Slo Slo Studio, Chinatown, NY)
2 exciting collaborations with artists in the studio!
Re-Calculating/planning for my exhibition at the end of November
Considerations for glaze testers

Everyone’s journey is different, including life goals and how you get to where you’d like to be. It’s a privilege to embark on this adventure, chasing my dreams. Earlier this year, I decided to “retire” from my previous career path to focus on creating my art. I also decided to put my art work and possessions up on marketplace to attempt to raise funds for myself. All was an unknown, a leap of faith. I found an empty plastic take-out container, labelled it “Yumi’s Artist Residency Fund” with a sharpie, and wished myself the very best. I achieved my artist contribution amount the day before I was scheduled to leave. I really couldn’t do it without all the support I have been fortunate to have received leading up to departing Victoria, BC - and am fortunate for the continued support from loved ones throughout this residency so far. I am deeply grateful.

I received support to be able to sign up for special topic workshops, to further expand my knowledge and refine/fill knowledge gaps.

This week was the start of a 4 week Korean Moon Jar workshop with Dave Kim at his studio in Manhattan. As well as the start of a 7 week special topic workshop on Porcelain & Carving with Tiffany Saw at a studio in Chinatown. Both workshops kicked my ass on Day 1, and I have been practising what I’ve learned! I’m also continuing to practice techniques learned with Kseniya Polyakova.

My favourite part so far has been making meaningful connections with other artists, especially the connections made at Alterwork Studios where I’m an AIR. I will be collaborating with 2 different artists! More details to come as those unfold :)

Now that I’ve had some time to gather myself, establish a studio routine, and truly feel and understand how long it takes to complete one large composite carved vessel in real-time… I will be reducing the number of vessels I will be creating. It’s not a decision I wanted to face, but realistically it takes me 1 week to create 1 large relief carved composite vessel. Also factoring in the process of glaze testing. At least I will be creating smaller items such as tea cups, bowls, moon jars… to be used as glaze testers. I also can’t help but carve most of them too.

Rolling into Week 4, I’m excited to continue the workshops and am looking forward for my clay order to arrive! I plan to start vessel no. 2 this week.