The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
Ceramics Monthly: What inspires your work in clay?
Shannon owo Webb: For me, working in clay is about shaping a narrative that reflects my identity as someone who is half Korean and half white. Growing up, I never felt like I could truly be either, so I embraced the in-between realm and
gave it form. My work is deeply influenced by my multicultural upbringing in Hawai‘i, with a focus on Korean folktales, mythology, and the cultural practices that accompany them. However, replicating these traditions would feel hollow, as my
connection to Korean culture is estranged. Instead, I recontextualize these elements to fit my own experiences and needs.
An example is my interpretation of dokkaebi, the mischievous and shape-shifting creatures of Korean folklore. The lore surrounding dokkaebi doesn’t fit into a Western context, so I blend my current environment—living in Montana—to
adapt it. Reshaping these stories to align with my time and place creates a dialog between my heritage and my lived experience. This interplay between art and life is essential to my practice; each piece is a reflection of both where I come from and
where I am now.
1 Shannon owo Webb's Aggro Dokkaebi, 12¾ in. (30.4 cm) in height, porcelain, underglaze, fired in oxidation to cone 6, 2025.
CM: What techniques do you use to make your work and why?
SoW: I’m more of a sculptor, and I primarily use handbuilding techniques to construct my pieces. My go-to method is a variation of coil-building where I flatten short coils, fold them lengthwise over the wall, then pinch them to
achieve the desired thickness and shape. This technique creates strong, well-attached walls that break up the horizontal lines that may show from stacking coils.
Ultimately, my priority is seeing my vision to completion, so I adapt my methods as needed. I might build solid and then hollow, incorporate thrown components from the wheel, or even integrate non-ceramic materials. Flexibility in technique allows me
to bring my ideas to life in the most sensible way possible.
2 Shannon owo Webb's Magpie’s Treasure, 10½ in. (26.7 cm) in width, porcelain, underglaze, glaze, fired in oxidation to cone 6, 2025.
CM: What is the most challenging aspect of working in clay (either technically or in terms of building a career)?
SoW: Clay is an inherently challenging medium, and that’s part of what drew me to it in the first place. I took a ceramics class in university as a filler elective. Despite majoring in drawing and painting, I was always in the ceramics
studio, and eventually switched majors. It wasn’t easy, but I enjoyed learning about this expansive new world.
My favorite part of the process is the planning stage where I sketch and problem solve. In this phase, I feel the most creative freedom to experiment with new and unconventional ideas. However, no matter how well I plan, working with clay always presents
unexpected challenges. Construction issues arise, underglazes bubble, cracks form—something inevitably goes wrong.
Over time, I’ve learned that adaptability and problem solving are just as crucial as technical skills in ceramics.
At its core, my work in clay is a way of processing and expressing my identity. Through reinterpreting folklore and experimenting with form, I navigate the space between cultures, between tradition and reinvention. Clay, with all its challenges and unpredictability,
mirrors this journey—it demands adaptability, patience, and a willingness to embrace the unexpected. And in that space, where past and present and heritage and experience intersect, my art finds its voice.
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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 inspires your work in clay?
Shannon owo Webb: For me, working in clay is about shaping a narrative that reflects my identity as someone who is half Korean and half white. Growing up, I never felt like I could truly be either, so I embraced the in-between realm and gave it form. My work is deeply influenced by my multicultural upbringing in Hawai‘i, with a focus on Korean folktales, mythology, and the cultural practices that accompany them. However, replicating these traditions would feel hollow, as my connection to Korean culture is estranged. Instead, I recontextualize these elements to fit my own experiences and needs.
An example is my interpretation of dokkaebi, the mischievous and shape-shifting creatures of Korean folklore. The lore surrounding dokkaebi doesn’t fit into a Western context, so I blend my current environment—living in Montana—to adapt it. Reshaping these stories to align with my time and place creates a dialog between my heritage and my lived experience. This interplay between art and life is essential to my practice; each piece is a reflection of both where I come from and where I am now.
CM: What techniques do you use to make your work and why?
SoW: I’m more of a sculptor, and I primarily use handbuilding techniques to construct my pieces. My go-to method is a variation of coil-building where I flatten short coils, fold them lengthwise over the wall, then pinch them to achieve the desired thickness and shape. This technique creates strong, well-attached walls that break up the horizontal lines that may show from stacking coils.
Ultimately, my priority is seeing my vision to completion, so I adapt my methods as needed. I might build solid and then hollow, incorporate thrown components from the wheel, or even integrate non-ceramic materials. Flexibility in technique allows me to bring my ideas to life in the most sensible way possible.
CM: What is the most challenging aspect of working in clay (either technically or in terms of building a career)?
SoW: Clay is an inherently challenging medium, and that’s part of what drew me to it in the first place. I took a ceramics class in university as a filler elective. Despite majoring in drawing and painting, I was always in the ceramics studio, and eventually switched majors. It wasn’t easy, but I enjoyed learning about this expansive new world.
My favorite part of the process is the planning stage where I sketch and problem solve. In this phase, I feel the most creative freedom to experiment with new and unconventional ideas. However, no matter how well I plan, working with clay always presents unexpected challenges. Construction issues arise, underglazes bubble, cracks form—something inevitably goes wrong.
Over time, I’ve learned that adaptability and problem solving are just as crucial as technical skills in ceramics.
At its core, my work in clay is a way of processing and expressing my identity. Through reinterpreting folklore and experimenting with form, I navigate the space between cultures, between tradition and reinvention. Clay, with all its challenges and unpredictability, mirrors this journey—it demands adaptability, patience, and a willingness to embrace the unexpected. And in that space, where past and present and heritage and experience intersect, my art finds its voice.
Learn more at shannonowo.com.
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