Kim Westad’s profile on Ceramics Now Magazine – View her works
“After graduating with a BFA from the University of Connecticut, I began a career in graphic design. After a few years of working in my field, I realized that my need to create could not be fulfilled by sitting in front of a computer. A friend suggested that I take a pottery class and after a little convincing, I agreed.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that working with clay was what had been missing from my creative life. I started having dreams about throwing and not long after beginning that class, I left the graphic design world and a steady paycheck behind in order to devote all of my time and attention to ceramics. Initially, that meant washing the studio floor at Creative Arts Workshop in exchange for extra studio time. The following year, I moved to Brooklyn where I worked for and alongside several well established potters and ceramic artists. In May 2004, I set up my own studio and began designing and producing a body of work.
In keeping with my love of throwing, all of my pieces still begin on the wheel. My formal art training, the human body, nature and modern industrial design and architecture all have an impact on my work. These influences have served as important references in my experimentation of the altering and reconstruction of traditional forms. Form is the most important aspect of my pieces which I augment by manipulating fluid lines and curves to enhance the beauty and function of each piece.” Kim Westad
Visit the artist’s website, her Etsy shop and her blog.
