The Clay Studio : Shop

Growing up attending a southern catholic church, I spent many Sundays sitting in the cross-section of a modern grey stone cathedral, surrounded by stone-faced, stoic people, but drawn to the three stained-glass windows bursting with color telling stories. These early intluences have led me to create scenes where my gratitude comes to life in vibrant color, whether that's the emotional scraps of myself that teach me patience, or the friends that crowd my bedside when doubt creeps in. I am compelled by the tensions in combining ceramic and fiber. To me, clay seems limitless and to some extent uncontrollable, in contrast with the planned and comforting familiarity of fabrics and quilts. Each of these materials shares fascinating similarities in malleability, memory, and tactile sensations that challenge me to embody emotion in a way that feels most authentic. Each clay or quilted character requires patience and care to be sculpted or sewn, but also a loving hand as their surfaces are carefully finished. At first glance, these surfaces vibrate with shine and color, but when you take a moment to sit with them, complex patterns of chaos, acceptance, and growth are revealed I render these figurative illustrations in clay in a simplified and animated style that sidesteps the realities of the human body. My aim in this stylized approach is to focus on the connection that can be found in our shared experiences, rather than the often uncomfortable visual differences that divide us. With scale, I hope to challenge how someone might approach these people, shifting between scenes that are displayed as reenactments of memories that hang on a wall and life-size figures that confront us in this moment. Life is full of the unexpected, and for someone who finds comfort in patterns, this can evoke a range of emotions. The uncertainty of "what if?" can lead to both a heart overflowing with excitement or a body frozen in fear, but I wrestle with the anxious, angry, and paralyzing thoughts that keep me from being the kindest version of myself. I often see them as psychological scraps to be thrown away. However, I have found family in the friends who sought to understand each piece of my memory, life lessons, and moods in full color. I believe a golden thread ties us to these people we are meant to meet in life. They are the ones who break down our walls of stubborn pride disguised as strength to mend our soft interiors. By telling these clay and quilted tales, I hope to honestly piece together why I experience feelings the way I do, to find authentic connection with the people around me, and give thanks for their grace along the way.

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Jenny tu

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Jenny tu

Did you Know?

Can We Help?

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