Ceramics Faculty & Administrators within the Fine Arts 3D Department
Photo courtesy of Sam Kim
On Saturday, December 7, 2024, community members gathered to honor individuals fostering positive change at the second annual MassArt Common Good Awards.
In keeping with the tradition of honoring each recipient with a unique award, this year’s honorees recieved custom-made, inscribed ceramic pieces by Korean-American artist and designer Sam Kim, a 2018 graduate of MassArt’s Industrial Design and Ceramics program. Kim’s innovative approach to slipcasting transforms a process traditionally used for mass production into one that creates distinctive, one-of-a-kind pieces.
Kim discovered his passion for ceramics while studying Industrial Design at MassArt, where he was drawn to clay’s malleable and moldable nature. His work seamlessly blends the precision of industrial design with the expressive possibilities of clay, resulting in pieces that are both functional and visually dynamic.
Slipcasting, a process involving liquid clay poured into molds, serves as the foundation of Kim’s practice. He challenges its conventional use by carefully layering and stacking molds to ensure each piece is unique. His aesthetic is defined by what he terms “offsets”—intentional slants and geometric contours that combine curves with sharp cuts. These features add movement and tension to his work, transforming a traditionally uniform process into a method for creating truly personal and distinctive objects.
In addition to his artistic practice, Kim co-founded Slow Hands Studio in Lowell with his studio partner, Leena Cho. Together, they have built a creative space dedicated to producing thoughtfully designed ceramics and exploring new possibilities in the medium. Outside the studio, Kim draws inspiration from his everyday rituals, whether brewing the perfect cup of coffee, cycling through the city, exploring new technologies, or playing video games.
Kim’s work has been featured in exhibitions such as Lines of Korea, Cultural Context, and the State of Clay Biennial. His custom-designed pieces for the MassArt Common Good Awards reflect his dedication to craftsmanship and his vision for pushing the boundaries of ceramic design.
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MassArt has one of the premier ceramic kiln rooms in New England. The 3,000 square-foot kiln room, located in the Collins building, is fully ventilated for indoor firing and includes custom-made ventilation for each kiln, including raku and sawdust/smoke firing.
We offer spacious facilities, resources and equipment necessary for exploring a variety of contemporary and traditional ceramics techniques. All Ceramics majors students learn to fire both gas (bisque and high fire reduction) and electric kilns, and to mix their own clays and glazes.
MassArt’s Kiln Room is a 3,000 square-foot space in the Collins building.
The Glaze Room is adjacent to the 3,000 square foot Kiln Room in the Collins building.
A Wheelworking class in the Collins building.
Students enjoy free access to area museums, including MAAM, Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Institute of Contemporary Art.
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As a Ceramics student, you’re invited to participate in a range of events, both here on the MassArt campus and throughout Greater Boston. Grow your design knowledge and expand your network by attending talks, exhibitions, and career development opportunities alongside peers, faculty, and MassArt alumni.
CACP and Ceramics partner up each year to support the Haley House’s Souperbowl event.
Fine Arts 3D Exhibition in the DMC Atrium
Guest lecturer, Stephanie Cardon
Each year in February, MassArt collaborates with Haley House
on their Souper Bowl fundraiser. Pictured: MassArt’s CACP staff and Clay for Change. Photo: Amy Fink ’18 BFA Photograph
Haley House, in collaboration with MassArt’s Center for Art and Community Partnerships, Clay for Change, and the Ceramics program, holds a fundraiser each year in February called the Souper Bowl. This fundraiser benefits Haley House’s programs, which include a soup kitchen, housing, education and training, and social enterprise. Attendees select a handcrafted ceramic bowl made at MassArt and sample a variety of delicious soups produced with locally sourced ingredients.
Each semester, MassArt’s Fine Arts 2D/3D departments welcome a series of visiting artists and critics to campus. Fine Arts Lecture Series speakers present public lectures and conduct individual studio visits and critiques with graduate students. Lectures take place in person in the Design and Media Center Lecture Hall or the Tower Auditorium.
An exhibition of works created by students working in the Ceramics Department, including majors, minors, elective students, and first year students.
The 3D Minor allows for concentrations in Ceramics, Fibers, Glass, Jewelry & Metalsmithing, or Sculpture through the completion of 6 courses/18 credits.
For more details on specific minor concentration requirements, please contact the Fine Arts 3D Department.
Students who complete the 3D minor program are expected to be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes.
Learning outcomes for the 3D minor, under the scope of the FA3D department mission, are as follows:
A Wheelworking class in the Collins building.
