Patti Warashina

Patti Warashina

Patti Warashina is a renowned American ceramic artist known for her imaginative, surreal, and often humorous figurative sculptures. Born in 1940 in Spokane, Washington, Warashina's Japanese-American heritage and her experiences growing up in the post-World War II era have significantly influenced her artistic vision. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington in 1962 and her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington in 1964. Throughout her career, spanning over five decades, Warashina has developed a distinctive style that combines elements of pop art, surrealism, and funk art, often addressing social and political issues with wit and satire. Her works frequently feature distorted human figures, animals, and everyday objects in unexpected and thought-provoking compositions, challenging viewers to confront societal norms and personal biases. Warashina's mastery of ceramic techniques, including hand-building, wheel-throwing, and glazing, has allowed her to create intricate and expressive pieces that have earned her numerous awards and accolades, such as the prestigious United States Artists Hoi Fellowship in 2020. Her works have been exhibited in major museums and galleries worldwide, including the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., and the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto, Japan, cementing her status as one of the most influential ceramic artists of her generation.

ceramic artist, figurative sculpture, surrealism, funk art, Japanese-American, social commentary, glazing

— Helen James