Meet Nikki Lewis | Ceramicist and Professor

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

Hi Nikki, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I believe being an artist wasn’t really a choice for me, when you are truly and deeply an artist, there is no other option. You are an artist 24/7, constantly looking, seeing, and interpreting the world around you. From an early age I recognized the value in skill and making. Fortunately my pursuit of higher making was supported by my family, who were creatives as well. Pursing a career in the arts is full of challenges. You must be self-driven, collaborative, and able to multi-task. But the rewards are immeasurable when you have an excellent final product that people respond to, that gives them joy. There’s something extremely seductive about clay, the material is pliable and transformative. When I touched it for the first time, it was like coming home and I didn’t look back. Ceramics is process-driven, which has great appeal to me. Like many artists, I play the long game when creating work, from the inception of an idea to the final firing, never entirely knowing how the final product will turn out.
Also, pursuing an artistic career puts you in proximity with other creative people. Outside of working in my studio, I curate one to two exhibitions a year with my curatorial partner, Katie Queen. Curating is another creative outlet that allows me to orchestrate exhibitions based on themes I find compelling, like how color theory, feminist ceramics, and politics intersect with craft.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
One of the biggest challenges artists face is creating a cohesive narrative around your work. It is easy to get sidelined with multiple ideas for projects which don’t necessarily mesh as a whole. When you are an emerging artist I firmly believe you should try everything, become well-versed in all methods of making. Early on I learned how to weld, sculpt, paint, draw, print, and work in clay. As I matured artistically I had to streamline my creativity and knowledge into a focused ideas that I translate into clay. I draw on my other skills as needed to achieve the works I envision. Learning the skills to be a professional artist takes dedication and time, which is not easy and there are no shortcuts. Through a life-long dedication to my craft and the support of amazing female makers who shared their skill and knowledge with me, I am able to build with only the limits of kiln size to hamper me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my favorite scenes in Los Angeles is the punk rock music scene! I would take my friend to the Echoplex or the Zebulon for a great ear-busting punk show. We would also take a drive up the coast to Ventura and eat fresh, raw oysters at The Jolly Oyster and then walk on the San Buenaventura State Beach and collect rocks. On a different day we would visit the Broad Museum to see the collection, which include some of my favorite Ellsworth Kelly paintings and then visit Grand Central Market to eat at Sticky Rice, which has incredible chicken curry. Lastly we would hike the El Prieto trail and Hahamonga Watershed, and then get a boozy lunch at the Raymond.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to shoutout to 2 women who have inspired me as an artist and educator, Katie Queen and Carol Sauvion. Professor Queen is my brilliant curatorial partner, artist and educator who I have collaborated artistically on many projects over the past 20 years. Carol Sauvion is the creator of the Peabody Award winning documentary series “Craft in America.” She has been my mentor and inspiration for many years, and has championed all my artistic endeavors.

Website: www.nikkilewisceramics.com

Instagram: @nikkilewisceramics

Youtube: Nikki Lewis Ceramics