Lily Lund is a ceramicist from Minnesota, who makes slab built pottery out of her own black porcelain clay body. Using impasto mark making she uses slips, underglazes, and glazes to create her abstract paintings upon her surfaces. She refers to her work as “organized maximalist chaos” as she is always ingesting the world, the people and everything in between. Her heavily decorated surfaces are her way of communicating how she perceives everything she experiences. She recently has been gravitating to creating paintings that are combining illustrations, 3D mini sculptures and her impasto painting method. Lily graduated from the University of Wisconsin Stout as a Ceramics Studio Arts major, she was awarded residences in Syracuse New York, Red Lodge Montana, etc. Lily assisted Linda Christianson during her workshop at Adamah Clay in 2019. She recently was a presenter at Clay Con West 2025, and apart of the Austin Texas Art Crawl. Lily was named Ceramic Monthly’s 2020 Emerging Artist. She has shown her work throughout the USA, Australia, London and Germany. Working with gallery’s like Companion Gallery, Clay Akar, Northern Clay Center, Carbondale Clay Center etc.
Artist Statement
I have this unusual fascination when it comes to understanding the human mind, and overall how memories affect us. Have you ever paid any attention to when someone looks at an old photograph? Or when they put on an article of clothing or use an object that holds this memory attached to it? When using these objects that carry so much emotional energy, weight, baggage… it causes for us to leave this mundane world for a second. To be reminded of something that can bring us a fragment of happiness or joy, but even sadness or anger. Utilizing what I feel through synesthesia, I work with a large palette of color to create functional wares that focus on abstractions from my every day life. Creating these pieces with bold marks of color allows for my work to connect to everyone in my audience. Color affects the humans mind in ways that are unique, allowing for us to navigate our lives through moments of pleasure and remembrance. My goal with my surfaces is to create that feeling of letting your mind wander. This is found through touch, thought, and even at times smell when the form is activated. The function, in a way is not only very important but it is something that helps create this physical sensation allowing for user to find clarity and beauty without being distracted by everything spinning around them.