Vicky Youngman

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

As a ceramic artist, art therapist, wife and mother of two, my life is rich and full. Exploring the media of visual arts and expressing myself through them has always added depth and meaning to my life. I particularly enjoy creating with clay, its earthiness and malleability, and its potential to be usable art. It brings me satisfaction to know that people use my creations in their daily lives and appreciate my artistic efforts. Whether a mug inspires laughter with morning coffee or a vase is used for a special occasion, I feel a connection to that person that in a subtle way takes on a life of its own.

I have a Master of Professional Studies in Creative Arts Therapy from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts and Psychology, Mount Vernon Nazarene College, Mt. Vernon, Ohio and non-degree continuing education in ceramics from The Art School at Old Church, Demarest, NJ, Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY, Hot Mud Studio, Dobbs Ferry, NY and Super Mud Pottery, New York, NY.

For 23 years I worked in health care settings as an art therapist, administrator and educator. For seven of those years I taught art therapy at the graduate, undergraduate and continuing education levels at School of Visual Arts in Manhattan and for a short time at College of New Rochelle and Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. It was a very rewarding experience to participate in the process of art making and self discovery of the many individuals I worked with, taught and supervised.

In 1992 my fascination with making 'usable art' from clay began when I took a community pottery class. What started as an exploration of another art medium has evolved into a second career. In 2008 I became a professional teaching artist through ArtsWestchester and conduct ceramic art residencies in public schools and community settings where I work with children, adults and seniors. I also teach children in pre-schools, after school programs, Saturday classes, summer camps and private elementary schools.

I am on the faculty at Pace University in Pleasantville, NY. where I teach college students sculpture techniques using a variety of materials including clay. I have also had the pleasure of facilitating workshops at the Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY, the Hammond Museum in North Salem, NY and ArtsWestchester in White Plains, NY.

My pottery and ceramic art has been included in many group exhibitions in New York and Ohio. I exhibit and sell my work through The Blue Door Gallery, ArtsWestchester, Pace University at Pleasantville and other local galleries, stores and arts festivals. In June 2007 I received First Place in Pottery at the 45th Annual White Plains Outdoor Arts Festival, my work has been published in Clay Times (2008) and my evolution in clay was described in The Scarsdale Inquirer and The Rivertowns Enterprise in 2007. More recently ArtsWestchester produced an instructional You Tube video of me, called “Vase Making with Vicky”, intended for families to use at home with their children.

Two comments from art fair attendees that stand out in my mind are that my ceramics are "happy pieces" and have a "healing" quality to them. I hope this is so to the extent that any material object can evoke pleasant feelings and associations. I am discovering that the ultimate art for me, however, is how I live my life, think, respond to my feelings and impulses and relate to others. I hope that this gradual awakening of my spiritual consciousness permeates everything in my life and can sometimes be recognized in my clay creations.