Clay Art Center Shop Featured Artists for Asian American Pacific Islander Month 2025
May 1st – 31st, 2025
Clay Art Center Shop presents two special collections of ceramic wall sculptures and handmade pottery by artists Hatsumi Suyama and Nikki Lau, available throughout the month of May.
Born and raised in Japan, Hatsumi Suyama’s cultural background is deeply rooted in Japanese tradition. A Westchester Resident for several decades, she states, “Even though I came to the United States when I was in my early 20’s and graduated from a university in this country, my interests have always been directed toward traditional Japanese design.”
She goes on to say “As a potter, I first started to learn western style pottery. However, I shifted my design theme gradually to create dishes inspired by Japanese design, using traditional techniques such as Sometsuke (blue underglaze on white porcelain), Haritsuke (coil attaching), Mishima (stamp inlay), and Nezumishino (shino glaze over iron slip). Currently, my main interest is to create tableware, which makes food more alluring and pleasing to the eye. Porcelain is the material I mainly use with the Sometsuke technique.”
Nikki Lau, a San Francisco native and past resident artist at Clay Art Center, creates food-inspired pottery, sculpture and ceramic home décor incorporating unique facial expressions. The resulting hybrids are foods with “big and small emotions”, often referencing her upbringing, favorite foods, or foods she explores on her travels.
Nikki states, “I have what you would call resting happy face… So I make faces with a range of emotions.” An MFA graduate of Penn State, Nikki currently splits her time between California and Pennsylvania living her snowbird life as she works on her pottery and home décor business.
The collection will be available both at Clay Art Center and online from May 1st to 31st. You can visit the Clay Art Center Shop at 40 Beech St., Port Chester, NY, during the following hours: Mondays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Alternatively, you can shop the collection online anytime at: www.clayartcenter.org
Nikki Lau is also a guest juror for Clay Art Center’s National Call For Entry 2025 “Shake It Up”. Learn more about guidelines and submission.
Clay Art Center is dedicated to education, creativity, and community engagement in a diverse and inclusive space for ceramic studio practice, exhibitions, personal growth, and professional development. It is located in the heart of Port Chester at 40 Beech Street, Port Chester, NY 10573. Connect with Clay Art Center for classes, workshops, studio tours, gallery events, shopping, and more! Learn more, shop online, and register for classes at www.clayartcenter.org.