JULIE YORK

Julie York's innovative practice pushes the limits of traditional ceramics, carving out new and exciting territory. Her practice explores the connections between forms, images, and our perception of them. York's exploration of craft-based materials employs both traditional and non-traditional approaches, extending the visual vocabulary of ceramics to reflect contemporary interests. Her work has earned her prestigious recognition, including the Pew Fellowship in the Arts, the Independence Foundation Fellowship, and multiple Creative Production Grants from the Canada Council for the Arts.

York's current practice draws inspiration from her deep interest in urban landscapes, using architectural space as a tool to explore perception. She merges the language of architecture with a keen understanding of how we interpret both two- and three-dimensional forms. This exploration encompasses her vessel forms, abstract tables, and ceramic drawings.

Within these forms, she delves into themes of utility, design, and the integration of contemporary technologies with the traditional medium of ceramics. York's vessels possess a duality, referencing traditional notions of function while acting as canvases. Their interplay of interior, exterior, and volume disrupts conventional relationships. Her process combines techniques like wheel-throwing, coil-building, and custom-designed tools. Abstract tables extend this exploration of art and design, inviting contemplation of the conceptual nature of art alongside objects' physical and interactive elements. York's ceramic drawings translate three-dimensional concepts onto flat surfaces, challenging perceptions of form. These drawings showcase her investigation of contemporary technologies, like waterjet machines, and their ability to expand the boundaries of traditional ceramic practices. Throughout her work, York intentionally creates "perceptual uncertainty" through a dynamic interplay of form, image, and material, prompting both mental and physical engagement from the viewer.