Bio: Ceramic artist Lauren Skelly was born and raised in East Meadow, New York. Skelly earned her BFA from Adelphi University where she was the recipient of a Talent Award Scholarship. She was also the first to graduate with the Thomas McNaulty Award for Excellence in Sculpture at Adelphi University. Skelly participated in multiple exhibitions, including several student art leagues shows, juried shows and Creative Cups, a show benefitting breast cancer awareness.

Artist Statement:

My relationship with clay has become of constant discovery; in it there is a language that I feel drawn to, and I have a need to want to know more. Clay has been around longer than humans. By extension, ceramics gives me a connection to the past and inspires me to deeply contemplate the process; the need to be the one who makes the clay, pushes the clay into form and finishes the piece. Using older methods of firing, such as raku, anagama, wood firing, soda, and salt, helps to connect my art to ancient traditions. There are aspects of my work that rely on chance; in the clay body, glaze, the firing process, and a simple mistake can affect my work greatly.

Texture is a main character throughout all of my sculptures. I am drawn to balancing smooth and rough surfaces on my forms. I enjoy manipulating surfaces and being able to see it transform in a new direction.

“Descendants,” one of my projects is a series of forty-two hollow wheel-thrown small-scaled forms and together the pieces establish a cohesive group. Apart each form has it’s own unique surface. This project led into my most recent work that includes smooth, flowing, circular sculptures that are joined together. The current forms are larger, smoother, pea-shaped, and have a more delicate opening into the hollow form. My work is constantly evolving from the last piece.

Artist Highlights

• ArtWanted.com Gallery:    Fine Art