Artist in Residence Rachel Akin

Our Clay Artist-in-Residence, Rachel Akin will be with us at Craft Alliance for a whole year!
Rachel received her BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1999 and MFA from Ohio University in 2006. Recently, she was a resident artist at Red Star Studios Ceramic Center in Kansas City where she was also a gallery assistant.

How many years have you been a ceramic artist?
I have been working in clay for 16 years. I am drawn to the seductive qualities of the smooth, creamy texture of the clay. I create soft, curvaceous forms on the potter’s wheel or by hand. The silhouettes of these forms are accentuated through surface decoration and soothing colored glazes.

Describe the work you are making or hope to make during your time at Craft Alliance:
During my residency, I hope to continue working on my functional porcelain vessels. I see this as a opportunity to fine tune my work as well as having the time to develop new forms that I haven't attempted before.

What inspires your work?
My work is inspired from a variety of sources. I enjoy investigating historical ceramics, especially Chinese Sung dynasty vessels. I am also drawn to Venetian and Depression glass forms and surfaces. Fashion and the female form also inspire me. My work has a distinct feminine silhouette and I embellish my forms with beads of porcelain and ruffled edges to emulate a strand of pearls or decorative fabric.

Be sure to stop by our Grand Center location and check out the Artist-in-Residence studios!