ARTIST STATEMENT
My hands are drawn to clay, thread, and fiber—materials that speak through texture and rhythm. In every clay piece, stitch, glaze, and knot, I search for connection, for meaning made tangible. Each art form is a quiet offering, a story shaped by intuition and care. My ceramic work is rooted in my early inspirations as a young girl. I use wheel-throwing, slab-building and sculpting techniques, painting each surface with underglazes, glazes, and freehand self taught drawings. My work is a reflection of my Mexican heritage—an homage to generations of craft, culture, and memory.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Jo Vucajnk’s love for clay began in the creek near her childhood home, where she discovered wild clay. She and her best friend would spend hours foraging the clay, and creating tiny pinch pots. These early explorations sparked a lifelong passion for working with her hands. Her journey with glazing began shortly after, during visits to a local ceramics shop she attended with her abuela-who also taught her the art of embroidery. This early blend of craft and tradition laid the foundation for Jo’s unique artistic voice.
Today, Jo is a mixed media artist combining embroidery, macramé, and clay-both hand-building and wheel-thrown-into deeply personal works that explore memory, lineage, and love. Her artistic journey has become one of self-discovery, rooted in family, culture, and tactile storytelling.
Jo studied at El Camino College and Harbor College in Los Angeles, focusing on ceramics, sculpture, and metalsmithing. Her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including Gasper Arts Center, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Toe Jam Backlot in Wynwood for Art Basel. Jo is a member of Ceramic League of Miami and Woman Made Gallery in Chicago. She also shares her passion as a pottery wheel instructor, nurturing the next generation of clay artists.
© Jo Sánchez García Vucajnk