Artist Statement
This body of work explores the dynamic relationship between form, texture, and glaze through the use of crystalline glazes. Each piece is either handbuilt or slip cast, and many include carved lines or leaf impressions that create visual interest and guide the flow of the glaze.
Crystalline glazing is a process that blends precision with unpredictability. The crystals form during a carefully controlled firing cycle, where the kiln is held at specific temperatures to encourage crystal growth. The result is always unique—no two pieces can ever be exactly replicated. I am drawn to this balance between control and spontaneity.
The surface textures serve as both structure and invitation, allowing the glaze to settle and pool in unexpected ways. Crystals bloom across the form, often highlighting the smallest marks and impressions left in the clay.
Each piece is a collaboration between material and process, revealing the quiet beauty of transformation. My aim is to create one-of-a-kind works that feel alive with movement, inviting viewers to pause, look closer, and discover the natural patterns emerging from the firing.
Biography
Yvonne Swee is a ceramic artist based in New Westminster, British Columbia. Working primarily with stoneware and porcelain, she creates handbuilt and slip cast pieces decorated with underglaze painting inspired by West Coast flora and fauna. Her ceramic journey began in high school and was reignited through community classes in Richmond. In 2025, she completed a residency at Kouraku Kiln in Arita, Japan, where she studied traditional Arita-yaki techniques and Gosu blue underglaze painting. She now combines these influences in her studio practice, creating functional and decorative works.
Website: youtube.com/yvonneceramics
Facebook: facebook.com/yvonneceramics
Instagram: @yvonneceramics