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The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
Ceramics Monthly: What role does tactility play in your work?
Karyn Gabriel: I create with my hands, my favorite clay-shaping tool. Clay’s tactility drives my art making. It’s responsive, capturing my gestures and guiding an intuitive creative process. I dance, bouncing between hand and head, while the material shapes the form often to its whim. Working with clay carries a playful immediacy, where unexpected outcomes often spark new ideas. Clay brims with contradictions—fragile and fluid yet anchored in weighty permanence. This tension fuels my work as I challenge, embrace, and enjoy the ride.
CM: How do you stay engaged with the field of contemporary ceramics?
KG: Balancing a solitary home-studio practice with my need for connection, I prioritize building relationships and engaging with my local art community. Hosting artists and curators for studio visits, regularly attending gallery openings, and joining hundreds of clay lovers at NCECA conferences are all important aspects of my art practice.
Beyond my local connections, I enjoy a nationwide online artist community and participate in art critiques, professional support, and networking. Sharing my work through regional gallery exhibitions and artist conversations percolates new perspectives and, most importantly, deepens my sense of belonging within the community.
Recently, I spent five weeks as an artist-in-residence at Anderson Ranch Arts Center. The dedicated time for experimenting with new processes and exposure to diverse voices is critical to my evolving practice and connecting with other professional artists.
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?
KG: When things go awry in the studio, I step back and let the work rest before making the next move. Sometimes my impatience is my own worst enemy, so I give myself permission to pause, allowing space for a new perspective to emerge.
Hiking and biking through the hills of my neighborhood also soothes my rough edges. Problem-solving often comes more easily when my mind can wander and flow with my body. It’s amusing how often I forget this!
As a recovering perfectionist, I find it hard to relinquish control. But like a gardener, an artist plants ideas, cultivates the soil, and must embrace time as our friend, patiently watching which sprout takes hold. My art career is all about playing the long game and remembering that with persistence and a pinch of serendipity, opportunities grow and thrive.
Learn more at www.karyngabriel.com.
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