Emily Gleason
MFA ’25 Fine Arts 3D
I am fascinated by ceramic figurines. Humans have been making them for millennia, all around the world. Whether they were made to guard ancient graves, or grace royal tables, they offer an intimate view into the world of the maker.
Standing on the shoulders of this tradition, my sculpture installation Early Bloomer represents my attempt to make all my memories and dreams into clay figurines. It is a lifelong project and this work is informed by my experience growing up too fast in a family affected by mental illness, addiction, and a dash of Catholicism. Made out of Massachusetts terracotta, my clay figurines take over a kitchen table, where they create their own world. Two chairs invite you to take a seat and immerse yourself in the narrative — if you dare.
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Emily Grace Gleason (born 1988 in New Jersey, USA) is a ceramic sculpture artist known for her darkly humorous clay figurines. Her work has been exhibited in national juried exhibitions including the Hawaiʻi Craftsman, Mudflat Studios ‘Storytellers’, The State of Clay, and 12 / 12 at Established Gallery in Brooklyn. Passionate about the therapeutic power of clay, Gleason founded Clay for Recovery, an experimental ceramics workshop for communities affected by addiction, depression, and stress.
