Josefina Isaza LSDC

Ceramics

About Josefina
Josefina is a ceramic artist whose work consists of both the functional and sculptural. She combines hand building and thrown porcelain and is passionate about surface.
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Biography Back to top

Josefina Isaza is a Colombian-born ceramic artist based in London. She gained her BFA in Crafts from the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, where she continued for a year as an artist-in-residence.

During this time, she worked on completing a large-scale commission for a permanent installation that made its way home to her native country, Colombia. This was also part of a solo exhibition, Horizon. She then travelled to Tokoname, Japan for a further residency at Kyouei-Gamma!, where she had the good fortune to be taught by many ceramic masters, allowing her to embody the freedom, and spontaneity she observed in their practice.

Josefina became a selected member of the Craft Potters Association in 2021 and was chosen to be a part of the new members exhibition held in 2022 where she showed six of her sculptures. Over the years, she has developed her own style, largely influenced by Japanese contemporary aesthetics, concepts of imperfect beauty, and close observation of nature.

Josefina’s inspiration comes from nature, surface texture and minute details of her surroundings. She carefully examines the structural composition of plants, seedpods, geological landscapes and mineral formations to feed her creativity.

Resumé Back to top

Education

  • 2018 Japanese ceramics workshop with Shozo Michikawa, West Dean College, UK
  • 2017 Understanding Glazes, Ceramics Material Workshop
  • 2016 Porcelain Masterclass with Carina Ciscato, Moreley College, UK
  • 2016 Masterclass with Aikiko Hirai, Maze Hill Pottery, UK
  • 2014 Teabowl Masterclass with Lisa Hammond, Maze Hill Pottery, UK
  • 2011 BFA Crafts/Ceramics, University Of the Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
  • 2006 AMI Montessori Diploma Casa Dei Bambini From Ages 3-6, Montessori Institute, London, UK

Awards & Scholarships

  • 2011 University Of The Arts, Crafts/Ceramics Faculty Award
  • 2010 Virginia G. and Harvey Kimmel Scholarship in Crafts
  • 2008-2011 University Of The Arts, Student Artist Grant

Select Exhibitions

  • 2024 Little Picture Show, Highgate Contemporary Art, UK
  • 2024 Secret Ceramics, Single stem vases an event for Fired Up 4, SoShiro Gallery, London, UK
  • 2024 Debut :: Inaugural Opening, &Gallery, Edinburgh, UK
  • 2024 Small Favors, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, USA
  • 2024 The Fungi Room, Unit 3, London, UK
  • 2023 Winter Show, Thrown Contemporary, UK
  • 2021 Small favors, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, USA
  • 2020 Winter show, Thrown Contemporary, London, UK
  • 2015 Anglian Potters, Summer selling exhibition, Emmanuel College, Cambridge, UK
  • 2015 Anglian Potters, Christmas Selling Exhibition, All Saints Church, Cambridge, UK
  • 2015 Innovations In Ceramic Art, Guildhall, Cambridge, UK
  • 2015 Anglian Potters, Summer selling exhibition, Emmanuel College, Cambridge, UK
  • 2015 Out of hand, Society For Contemporary Crafts, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
  • 2015 Crafted, Society For Contemporary Crafts, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
  • 2015 Anglian Potters Summer Selling Exhibition, Emmanuel College, Cambridge, UK
  • 2013 Mug Shots Juried Cup Show, Juror: Eddie Dominguez, Lux Center For The Arts, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
  • 2012 Horizon, Solo Exhibition, Grupoprebel, Medellin, Colombia
  • 2012 Sea/Sky Ceramics, Gallery Kyouei Gamma!, Tokoname, Japan
  • 2011 Philadelphia Museum Of Art Craft Show, Philadelphia, PA, USA
  • 2011 Art Unleashed, University Of The Arts, Philadelphia, PA, USA
  • 2011 Materia Graduation Crafts Show, University Of The Arts, Philadelphia, PA, USA
  • 2010 Hope For Hope, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA, USA
  • 2010 NCECA Food For Thought, University Of The Arts, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Residencies

  • 2012 – 2013 University Of The Arts Ceramics Artist In Residence, University Of The Arts, Philadelphia, PA, USA
  • 2012 Kyouei Gamma! Ceramic Arts School, Tokoname, Japan

Publications

  • 2020 Asthetica art prize Anthology : Future Now
  • 2020 Bloomfield, L. (2020). New Ceramics: Special Effect Glazes. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Teaching Experience

  • 2023 Community bowl making workshops for Harringey Feast in collaboration with Collective exchange
  • 2017 Surface decoration workshop for the collective exchange, Bruce Castle Museum, London
  • 2009-10 Throwing assistant tutor, University Of The Arts, Philadelphia
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