Meet Jordan Young | Ceramic Artist and Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jordan Young and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jordan, we’d love to hear more about your end-goal, professionally.
When I began creating art the goal was never to become a world famous artist but to use the medium as a channel to focus my creativity. While having work displayed and sold in galleries is beneficial financially and for exposure to the art world, the end goal is much different. Recently I’ve had the opportunity to teach in the field of ceramics and it has reignited my passion for the material. Sharing the skills and knowledge that I have received through education, study, and experiments is truly where my heart lies. The end goal would be to own a studio where I could create and teach ceramic art. Teaching and giving people the opportunity to use their imagination and to be creative is much more fulfilling than selling something that I have created.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The main focus of my current work is using colored clay and manipulating it in different ways to create certain effects, essentially drawing with the clay instead of using traditional paints or glazes. Studying historical and traditional techniques are important for inspiration, however breaking new ground is vital for moving forward in my field. After earning a BFA in Ceramics from Cal State Fullerton I launched my business and began selling my art professionally. I also began pursuing opportunities to have my work displayed in galleries throughout California. Becoming an independent artist has unique challenges, but through business acumen, determination, and passion for the material I have found fulfillment in my career path.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Some of the best local spots to relax and enjoy the sites include Laguna Beach, Long Beach, and Crystal Cove State Park. These areas are a great place to enjoy swimming, hiking, and great food. Both Laguna and Long Beach also have large and active art communities that often intermix with local businesses. For example, Viento y Agua coffee house in Long Beach is a great place to get a bite to eat and enjoy live music from local musicians. There is also work on display from local artists that are available for purchase to support the community.
Other attractions I would recommend visiting would be the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach where you can see contemporary local artists displaying their work.
Also, I suggest visiting LACMA and Getty museum in LA.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give a shoutout to my first ceramic teacher Kevin Myers of Orange Coast College. He always encouraged and educated his students how to problem solve any issues with art projects, his patience and creativity was always inspiring.

Also I would also like to thank Gina Myers and Muddy’s Studio in Santa Ana for giving me the opportunity to teach in the field of ceramics. Getting hands on teaching experience has been invaluable and pivotal to reaching the end goal of owning a studio myself.

Website: jordanyoungart.gallery

Instagram: jordanyoungart

Other: Etsy: etsy.com/shop/jordanyoungart