Winner of Juror’s Choice

Julia Feld

BIOGRAPHY

Julia Feld is a ceramic studio artist based in York, SC. She is a hand-builder and a painter. In her work she explores psychological and emotional issues of personal nature. She developed a highly personal style that incorporates narrative painting and ceramic sculpture in one work of art. She received her BFA in Spatial Arts from San Jose State University, California and MFA in Visual Arts - Ceramic Sculpture from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio.

For the past ten years she has been an active member of the ceramic community. She is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics (ICA), Switzerland; the International Ceramic Artists Association (ICAA), China; and an exhibiting member of the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California (ACGA).

Her work has been shown all over the US and internationally (Italy, France, China, Romania, Hungary, Latvia, Turkey, Serbia) at different galleries and museums. She has received numerous prizes and awards, the most recent are: 2019 Bronze Medal – First Teapot Competition, China; 2018 Grand Prize - Texas International Teapot Tournament, Houston; 2017 Honorable Mention - 3rd Cluj Ceramic Biennale, Romania. Her work was published in 500 Ceramic Sculptures, 500 Teapots, and 500 Raku Lark Books publications.

She has been teaching wheel-throwing, hand-building and surface decoration classes at numerous community colleges and art centers for more than ten years.

ARTIST STATEMENT

All my work is an attempt to deal with psychological issues and explore emotions and feelings in depth. Last year was exceptionally challenging for all of us, since it brought many unexpected, unforeseen impediments. Fear of an uncertain future; inability to see and hug loved ones; and the suffocating experience of “sheltering in place” have left their marks on people’s minds and hearts. This body of work is a direct response to the situation. The sculptures are very simple, they reflect on the form of a house that kids usually draw – a simple box with a pointy roof. The house is a universal symbol of comfort, a shelter and a place of safety. During the pandemic for some it became a self-appointed prison, a confined space without escape. Even if you are a lucky one with a loving family, you still got to the point when the inability to interact with people outside of your household became unbearable. People became aware of what is really important in life and how to make every day count.

Website: www.juliafeld.com
Instagram : @juliafeldceramics