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Naomi Peterson Channels a Sweet Tooth and Sense of Togetherness in Her Vibrant ‘Cup-Cakes’
by Aurelia Butler 4 February 2025, 10:00
“Mud Pies.” All images courtesy of Naomi Peterson, shared with permission
Naomi Peterson Channels a Sweet Tooth and Sense of Togetherness in Her Vibrant ‘Cup-Cakes’
February 4, 2025
ArtCraftFood
Kate Mothes
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Frosted sponge and overstuffed pies are just a few of the sweet treats Naomi Peterson crafts from clay. Her playful “cup-cakes” take confectionery as a starting point, adding layers reminiscent of fondant, ice cream scoops, berries, and sprinkles.
Many of Peterson’s pieces are functional, incorporating lids or handles to be used as vessels or coffee mugs. “I’m drawn to visual sweetness, imagining the potential enjoyment of confectioneries rather than physically consuming them,” she tells Colossal. “I actually prefer savory and salty foods to sweet ones!”
“Topiary Jar 2”
Flowers complement playful lattice patterns in vibrant hues, sometimes leaning into a garden theme with topiary forms. Peterson relies on an intuitive approach that combines wheel-thrown techniques with hand-building methods like coils, slabs, and pinching. “I construct different forms and plan surfaces later,” she says. “I find if I pre-plan the surface and shape from the beginning, the process becomes too controlled, limiting spontaneity.”
Once the basic form is complete, Peterson adds or removes elements through darting—cutting wedge-shaped pieces from a cylinder of clay—and embellishing with sprig or press molds. “My surfaces require many applications and separate firings to achieve vibrant, layered effects,” she says. “Before ceramics, I spent many years painting mainly with oils, influencing much of my surface decisions.”
We often think of confectionery as a token of joy, celebration, and togetherness. Every cake and bon bon reflects Peterson’s interest in relationships and the way our actions and emotions entwine us with others and our communities. The spaces in between the dot patterns are essential, “not to keep each element distant but to connect them,” she says. “Although not physically connected, each of us is important as part of a whole.”
Peterson’s work will be part of Dirt Folk: Planted, a pop-up exhibition running concurrently with the 2025 National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference in March in Salt Lake City. If you’re on the East Coast, you’ll be able to see her work in Lines and Patterns from March 22 to May 24 at Baltimore Clayworks. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.
Assorted “Cakes”
“Flower Pot”
Assorted “Bon Bons”
“Bloom Cake 2”
Assorted “Bon Bons”
“Pluff Jar”
Confectionery-inspired mugs
“Harmonia”
Assorted “Cakes”
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Deniz Kurdak Crafts Fragility and Resilience in Embroidered Depictions of Porcelain
by Aurelia Butler 27 January 2025, 16:30
“Pieces on Green,” 25 x 35 centimeters. All images courtesy of Deniz Kurdak, shared with permission
Deniz Kurdak Crafts Fragility and Resilience in Embroidered Depictions of Porcelain
January 27, 2025
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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“What draws me to the motif of ceramics is the deep sense of belonging they evoke in me,” says Deniz Kurdak. The London-based artist is fascinated by blue-and-white porcelain—a style that originated in China as early as the 7th century and was broadly imitated and collected around the globe—and the way certain pieces inspire familiarity. She adds, “They have even found their way into my grandmother’s home.”
Themes of identity, belonging, and memory play central roles in Kurdak’s work, as she draws on personal histories and bases her compositions on real objects that remind her of pieces her grandmother owned.
“Fragments,” 30 x 40 centimeters
“Growing up with an abusive father, I found sanctuary in my grandparents’ home—a safe, predictable, and nurturing space where I felt accepted,” the artist tells Colossal. “Along with my admiration for blue-and-white porcelain, my passion for textiles and embroidery was passed down to me by my grandmother.”
Bringing conceptual elements to needlework, a craft traditionally dismissed in art circles as “women’s work,” she emphasizes expression and narrative. “I like to reimagine the acts of cutting, stitching, and embroidering as forms of emotional repair,” she says, “allowing me to reconstruct and navigate the complexities of my personal history.”
Long associated with its calming and meditative nature, “embroidery has become both a medium and a means of reflection in my artistic process,” Kurdak says. Seemingly at odds with making intimate and methodical stitches, her images suggest the violence of breakage, suddenness, and the relationship between ornament and utility.
Kurdak is intrigued by dualities—fragility and resilience, belonging and displacement—which mirror the tensions and contradictions of the human condition. Contrasting brittle yet durable porcelain with pliable yet resistant fabric and thread, she highlights polarities in the act of merging the ideas together.
“Not Even Close,” 48 x 48 centimeters
Blue-and-white porcelain predominantly inspires Kurdak’s compositions, but she also renders red, green, or multi-colored pieces in textiles, too. She uses a wide range of needlework and fabric techniques, including appliqué, lacework, and embroidery. Vases appear to melt into streams, lacy decorations hover above the surface, and motifs rearrange into puzzle-like grids or dynamic swirls.
If you’re in London, “Willow” is currently on view at the Young Masters Art Prize Finalists Exhibition through April 8. Kurdak’s work will be included in Collect Art Fair opening in late February at Somerset House, followed by Affordable Art Fair in March in New York. Learn more on her website, and followed updates on Instagram.
“Willow,” 60 x 60 centimeters
“Jar Descending,” 120 x 90 centimeters
“Anguish in Blue,” 27 x 47 centimeters
Detail “Anguish in Blue”
“Disjointed,” 49 x 49 centimeters
“Dissolving Willow,” 55 x 55 centimeters
“Mother Jar,” 80 x 80 centimeters
Detail of “Pieces on Green”
“This Beyond,” 49 x 49 centimeters
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At Ceramic Brussels, an Eclectic Array of Works Offers a State of the Medium
by Aurelia Butler 16 January 2025, 17:23
Eirik Falckner, Kiosken. All images courtesy of Ceramic Brussels, shared with permission
At Ceramic Brussels, an Eclectic Array of Works Offers a State of the Medium
January 16, 2025
ArtCraft
Grace Ebert
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From Nobuhito Nishigawara’s gilded drips to Andrés Anza’s spiny forms that could seemingly scuttle away at any moment, an eclectic array of works go on view this month for Ceramic Brussels.
In its second year, the annual gathering is the only international art fair devoted entirely to the medium. The 2025 edition will feature works by more than 200 artists around the globe, with a particular focus on contemporary Norwegian makers.
Andres Anza, Galleria Anna Marra
Spanning myriad aesthetics and processes, the fair presents a wide variety of approaches to and a sort of state of the medium. Some artists, like Eirik Falckner, push the boundaries of ceramic art even further by collaborating with bees to layer thick chunks of honeycomb atop a raw armature.
Find some works slated to be exhibited at the fair, which runs from January 23 to 26, below.
Nobuhito Nishigawara, Almine Rech
Marianne Huotari, Holster Burrows
Daphne de Gheldere, Spax Projects
Andres Anza, Galleria Anna Marra
Nellie Jonsson, QB Gallery
Nellie Jonsson, QB Gallery
Samuel Yal, Galerie Ariane C-Y
Laszlo Borsody, ACB Gallery
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Paper or Porcelain? Saori Matsushita Folds Delicate Ceramic into Playful Objects
by Aurelia Butler 14 January 2025, 19:03
All images courtesy of Saori Matsushita, shared with permission
Paper or Porcelain? Saori Matsushita Folds Delicate Ceramic into Playful Objects
January 14, 2025
ArtCraft
Grace Ebert
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It might be tempting to throw one of Saori Matsushita’s paper airplanes across the room, but we promise you the landing would be less than graceful.
From her Seattle studio, Matsushita transforms delicate sheets of porcelain into vases, mugs, and sculptures that appear as if they were folded from paper. Punctured with binder holes and the fringed edge of a torn-out sheet, the functional objects bear the iconic blue lines of a school notebook. Other works are similarly deceptive, like the cloth sack or collared-shirt vessels that capture the folds, bends, and bulges of fabric in ceramic.
To create these pieces, Matsushita utilizes nerikomi, a Japanese pottery technique that involves layering colored bodies of clay together and then cutting them to reveal a patterned section. Stripes of blue and pink appear through stacking slabs rather than the glazing process, and the artist builds most works by hand (head to her YouTube to see more).
When Matsushita began incorporating this labor-intensive method into her practice in 2023, it helped develop what’s now become her signature style. She shares:
Previously, I focused on Neriage, a technique where colored clays are combined and wheel-thrown. However, I transitioned to Nerikomi and began treating porcelain sheets like origami or leather to create more unique, personal expressions of my vision. I feel this shift has allowed me to establish a style that truly reflects my individuality as an artist.
One of Matsushita’s pieces will be featured in Saltstone Ceramics’ annual Mug Madness tournament this March. Follow the latest in her practice, along with announcements about new works available in her shop, on Instagram.
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Nosheen Iqbal Translates Pakistani Craft Traditions into Vivid Sculptural Embroideries
by Aurelia Butler 13 January 2025, 20:30
All images courtesy of Nosheen Iqbal, shared with permission
Nosheen Iqbal Translates Pakistani Craft Traditions into Vivid Sculptural Embroideries
January 13, 2025
ArtCraft
Grace Ebert
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Equipped with vibrant cotton thread and wooden panels, Nosheen Iqbal stitches sculptural embroideries that draw on her Pakistani and Islamic heritage. Architectural arabesques and Punjabi craft traditions influence her mixed-media motifs, including phulkari, or floral folk embroideries, and woodblock printed reliefs known as bagh.
Iqbal utilizes half-circles and semi-precious beads to add depth and visual intrigue to the works. Creating shadows and catching the light, these meticulously planned details allow a shift in perspective depending on the viewer’s position. The sweeping lines of color create “saturated pathways that reveal their intensity and depth,” she adds, “allowing my work to offer a shifting experience of light, color, and connection.”
By emphasizing dimension and the interactions between materials, Iqbal hopes to push the medium in new directions while honoring broader making traditions. She says:
Craftsmanship holds a profound significance in Pakistani culture, where artistry is revered as a lifelong discipline that shapes identity and community. This respect for meticulous craftsmanship is integral to my own practice. By selecting thoughtful materials—wood, semi-precious beads, and thread—I aim to honor this tradition. Each piece is a reflection of this cultural value, merging refined textures with precision to invite a tactile, immersive experience for the viewer.
Born in London, Iqbal lives and works in Dallas and recently left a long career in design and art direction to become an artist full-time. You can find available pieces on her website and follow her work on Instagram.
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Lifelike Canines Lounge in Emily O’Leary Uncanny Hooked Rugs
by Aurelia Butler 13 January 2025, 17:00
“Fluffy-Tailed Ticked Dog” (2022), hand-hooked mostly-wool yarn on linen. All images courtesy of Emily O’Leary, shared with permission
Lifelike Canines Lounge in Emily O’Leary Uncanny Hooked Rugs
January 13, 2025
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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Most dogs spend at least half of their day asleep—some getting z’s for upwards of 18 hours. Whether curled up on the floor or enjoying a long-legged stretch, the subjects of Emily O’Leary’s rugs evoke our beloved pets.
Based on photographs of actual dogs, she focuses mostly on animals the artist doesn’t know. “I like to hook dogs that are pretty ‘mutty’ looking, that don’t look like yard-bound Golden Retrievers or Doodles,” she tells Colossal. “I’m attracted to the shared history of humans and dogs—how the bulk of their domestication may have happened somewhat inadvertently.”
“Injured Elbow Dog” (2020), hand-hooked wool yarn on linen
Employing a carpet-making technique called rug hooking, the earliest form of which can be traced to Northern England in the early 19th century, O’Leary spends several months on a single piece. Compared to tufting, “It’s a slower, more traditional process,” she says, but the process allows each individual loop to be applied at a different height, giving her the ability to create three-dimensional reliefs.
O’Leary learned to make rugs after predominantly focusing on embroidery. When some friends organized an exhibition themed around dogs, she had the idea to make a work in the shape of a life-size canine. “I’m lucky that the rugs sort of do inspire tender feelings in the people who see them, but that they’re also a bit uncanny,” she says.
The pieces’ weight and realistic details engender an intimate connection as they come to life, so to speak. “I really feel like I’ve built a relationship with the object,” she says, adding: “Sometimes the dogs I hook have wounds or scars. The dog rug I’m working on right now is missing a little chunk of her ear. I want to depict them as they are, not stuffed animal versions.”
Find more on O’Leary’s website and Instagram.
“Brown and Black Dog” (2021), hand-hooked wool yarn on linen
Detail of “Mottled-leg Dog” (2024), hand-hooked wool yarn on linen
“Sandy Reddish Dog” (2023), hand-hooked mostly-wool yarn on linen
Photo by Bucky Miller
Photo by Bucky Miller
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Nicole McLaughlin’s Mixed-Media Sculptures Celebrate Craft, Heritage, and New Life
by Aurelia Butler 8 January 2025, 15:45
“Fuentes de Vida; Gemela” (2023)
Nicole McLaughlin’s Mixed-Media Sculptures Celebrate Craft, Heritage, and New Life
January 8, 2025
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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From ceramics and wool fiber, Nicole McLaughlin (previously) summons striking connections between materials, heritage, and personal experiences. She draws upon the rich traditions of historically domestic crafts to reconsider their roles today, merging ceramics and textiles into elegant, cascading wall sculptures.
Drawing on artisanal trades like pottery and weaving, McLaughlin deconstructs preconceptions about form and function, emphasizing mediums, techniques, and themes through the unexpected pairing of stoneware and fiber. Her works encourage us to think critically about relationships between tenderness and strength or past and present.
“Cordón de Vida” (2024), ceramic, tencel, indigo, wool, and cochineal, 27 x 60 x 4 inches. Courtesy of Anderson Yezerski Gallery
Many of the pieces shown here are from McLaughlin’s ongoing Indigo Series, which explores the history of the Mayan pigment and its taps into the continuity of life cycles, history, and culture. Streams of wool fiber flow from central openings in glazed ceramic spheres, referencing the life-giving flow of water as a parallel to fertility and maternal care.
McLaughlin gave birth to a daughter in early 2024, which dramatically shifted how she viewed her studio practice. The work in her most recent exhibition, String of Life at Anderson Yezerski Gallery, merges personal experiences and her Mexican cultural heritage, delving into themes of life and the transformative journey of motherhood.
“The transformation of organic material echoes the transformative nature of motherhood,” McLaughlin said in a statement for the show. “The range of colors captures an intense emotional spectrum—from the vitality of birth to the softer, more intimate moments.”
For McLaughlin, cochineal carries an equivalent significance. The brilliant magenta hue emerges from carmine dye, also known as cochineal, which comes from crushing an insect of the same name. The color plays a vital role in Indigenous material culture and heritage of the Americas.
Detail of “Cordón de Vida”
For the Aztecs and Mayans, red was symbolic of the gods, the sun, and blood, and the dye was traded throughout Central and South America for use in rituals, producing pigments for manuscripts and murals, and for dyeing cloth and feathers.
“During the Mayan empire, indigo was combined with clay and incense to create a pigment known as Maya blue,” she says. “The pigment was said to hold the healing power of water in the agricultural community.”
McLaughlin’s work is in the group exhibition OBJECTS: USA 2024 at R & Company in New York, which continues through tomorrow. The artist is currently taking a short break from the studio in anticipation of working toward a solo exhibition at Adamah Ceramics in Columbus, Ohio, which will open this fall. See more on her website, and follow updates on Instagram.
“Agua; Sangre de Vida.” Photo by Logan Jackson, courtesy of R & Company
“La Pequeña” (2024), ceramic, wool, and cochineal, 10.5 x 21 x 1.5 inches. Courtesy of Anderson Yezerski Gallery
“La Marea que me Envuelve II” (2023). All images courtesy of Nicole McLaughlin, shared with permission
Detail of “Fuentes de Vida; Gemela”
Detail of “De Mi Vientre” (2024), ceramic, tencel, wool, and cochineal, 17.5 x 73 x 5.5 inches. Courtesy of Anderson Yezerski Gallery
Untitled (2024), 10 x 10 feet
Detail of “La Pequeña”
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Embroidered Ceramic Vessels by Caroline Harrius Merge Disparate Crafts
by Aurelia Butler 7 January 2025, 10:00
All images courtesy of Caroline Harrius, shared with permission
Embroidered Ceramic Vessels by Caroline Harrius Merge Disparate Crafts
January 7, 2025
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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Through tiny holes puncturing hand-shaped vessels, Stockholm-based artist Caroline Harrius (previously) embroiders delicate designs. She merges two distinct crafts—ceramics and fiber art—that don’t typically share much in common, exploring relationships between form and function, decoration and utility, and historically gendered artisanal practices.
Harrius opens a solo show this month titled Blue Memories at Kaolin in Stockholm, the culmination of a three-month residency she undertook in Porsgrunn, Norway, after being awarded the municipality’s porcelain grant. The program comprises a collaborative effort between the local porcelain factory and Kunsthall Grenland to support contemporary artistry in the material.
“The meeting between textile and ceramics is irrational and full of resistance,” Harrius says in a statement for the exhibition. She spent time at the Porsgruns Porcelain Factory with free reign to expand on existing ideas and apply new inspiration.
“Next to the workshop was an antique dealer with rows of boxes marked ’10 SEK for everything!,’ filled with objects,” she says. From these trinkets, which the dealer had deemed practically worthless, Harrius imagined new floral designs.
“I embroider in porcelain with cotton thread in an attempt to recontextualize the crafts,” she says. “I want to make an attempt to highlight all the precious and impressive craft objects that are often left behind within the walls of the home, continue to challenge hierarchies in the field, and make visible traditional female craftsmanship.”
Blue Memories runs from January 11 to 26. See more on the artist’s website and Instagram.
Photo by Alexander Beveridge
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Craft

More stories

Naomi Peterson Channels a Sweet Tooth and Sense of Togetherness in Her Vibrant ‘Cup-Cakes’

Deniz Kurdak Crafts Fragility and Resilience in Embroidered Depictions of Porcelain

At Ceramic Brussels, an Eclectic Array of Works Offers a State of the Medium

Paper or Porcelain? Saori Matsushita Folds Delicate Ceramic into Playful Objects

Nosheen Iqbal Translates Pakistani Craft Traditions into Vivid Sculptural Embroideries

Lifelike Canines Lounge in Emily O’Leary Uncanny Hooked Rugs

Nicole McLaughlin’s Mixed-Media Sculptures Celebrate Craft, Heritage, and New Life

Embroidered Ceramic Vessels by Caroline Harrius Merge Disparate Crafts

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