Today, I am going to speak with you about Studio Joo and it’s creator, Elaine Tian. In 2014, Elaine won the Madeline Sadin Award for ceramics which was presented by the Greenwich House Pottery in New York City. “What I do now is the opposite of my former life as a graphic designer, where mistakes aren’t accepted,” says Tian, who moved to New York City in 2001 after completing her BFA in Australia. Studio Joo is where form and function meet. I was first drawn to her work because it closely resembles my aesthetic ideals and how I envision my work. These being the wabi-sabi tradition and a close fascination with porcelain. Elaine cites the Japanese aesthetic philosophy of wabi-sabi (an appreciation for things that are naturally imperfect or incomplete) as the guiding principle behind her unique collection of lighting and ceramic vessels. Elaine’s ability to sustain herself through creating and selling her own work proves to be a source of inspiration for me. The dual maker-designer role that Elaine exemplifies resonates with how I would like to operate as an ceramicist. Her ceramics combine her dual backgrounds in sculpture (form/materials) and design (function) and are inspired by the beauty of simplicity and the wabi-sabi aesthetic. …show more content…
Right after acquiring her BFA in Sculpture, she studied her Masters in Design Studies. Her path to graphic design began with an interest in typography and print. Elaine doesn't consider what she does as sculpture, but more functional design. She decided rather than sitting in front of a computer, to go back to creating things with her hands. Comprised primarily of porcelain vessels and light fixtures, Elaines work combines both sculpture (form/materials) and design (function)