🎧 2023 Emerging Artist: Sara Morales-Morgan, Baltimore, Maryland Ceramics Monthly

Appears in the May 2023 issue of Ceramics Monthly.

Ceramics Monthly: How do you come up with the forms and surfaces that are prevalent in your work?

Sara Morales-Morgan: I use clay as a canvas for my illustrations, and my forms are often dictated by the imagery I want to paint. I explore my notions about identity, femininity, mental health, and life to discuss what are ultimately universal experiences. I’ve always loved iconography in art, so I use a personal vocabulary of imagery to symbolize different things, often emotions. For example, moths are anxiety, lights are clarity, pill bottles refer to the realities of living with illness, and flowers are life—beautiful and fleeting. The symbolism is often personal for me, but viewers don’t need that background to enjoy my work. I like providing narrative imagery that’s open to interpretation, but can also just be enjoyed at face value—for its beauty, or how it makes you feel.

CM: What strategies have you developed to handle challenges you face, including setbacks in the studio or difficulties along the path to becoming an artist?

SMM: I try to practice acceptance. I used to be hard on myself if I wasn’t meeting my own (often unrealistic) expectations. For a number of years, my self-worth was tied to my studio practice, and it fueled my depression. With help, I’ve untangled that mess. I’ve learned to see my studio as a resource instead of a trigger for stress. Life happens and can interrupt my ability to be in my studio. I also have a chronic illness that takes daily management, so self-care must be a priority for me. I’m teaching myself to go with the flow and to make my work when I can. I take advantage of the times when I am able to make—and I enjoy it. I also make work that brings me joy and comfort, or helps me process other emotions, and that motivates me to keep making.

Learn more at www.saraemor.com.