Figure It Out with Kensuke Yamada

Event Description

In this week-long ceramics workshop, participants will create a figurative work or /and mystic creature sculpture using coil and slab handbuilding techniques. Inspired by mythology, folklore, and imagination, participants will design and build hollow forms, add expressive features, and explore surface textures and decoration. The class emphasizes both technical skills and creative storytelling, guiding each participant to craft a unique, symbolic creature.

Kensuke Yamada draws on his Japanese heritage to explore identity, folklore, and the emotions found in moments in everyday life. He has participated in numerous artist residencies and visiting artist programs, including The Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana, and The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, and it is included in various museum and institutional collections. He is currently an assistant professor at California State University, Chico CA.