Life & Work with Jotham Hung

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jotham Hung.

Hi Jotham, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My experience with art began at an early age. My fondest memories of childhood was finger painting or playing with watercolor in Mrs. Arms’ kindergarten class.

I was the kid that was constantly doodling around the edges of the assignment sheet or on the whiteboard. My parents saw that I had a strong interest in drawing & painting, so they enrolled me in art classes outside of my public education.

I continued taking extracurricular art classes and thoroughly enjoyed taking it in school too (it was one of the few A’s I would get). When I entered high school, I took a break from art classes and focused on athletics. Despite not actively engaging in art, I never lost interest.

In my first year of university, I took a ceramics course that fulfilled my Humanities requirement. My first teachers were Keiko Fukazawa and Carlos Ramirez. They both had a tremendous influence on my career and still do to this day.

The first time I touched clay felt like a light bulb moment. I was immediately drawn to the material’s tactile and unique qualities. It felt like drawing in 3D with endless possibilities. I enjoyed all forms of building – but the pottery wheel is what really caught my attention.

Throughout university, I continued taking ceramics classes and utilizing the ceramics studio outside of my regular studies and working odd jobs. During this period, I converted my parents’ hoarded garage into a studio so I could keep up with my clay addiction outside of school.

Fast forward over a decade, ceramics has completely changed and consumed my life. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to have worked with college art departments, community art studios, and great people. In addition, I’ve taught at various institutions and developed my own studio art practice.

I give much of the credit to my family, colleagues, clients, mentors, students, and the community. I wouldn’t be where I am without everyone’s support.

My next life step involves pursuing a Master in Fine Arts degree at California State University, Los Angeles. The long-term goal is to continue expanding my art practice and eventually teach at the universities.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have been incredibly fortunate to have support from my family and friends from the beginning. Despite a strong network, I still experienced obstacles and challenges along the way.

I remember my first time attempting to sell my ceramic work in a public space. It was at a local flea market in 2012 and the response wasn’t great. I was selling pieces for $10 to $15 on a poorly organized display. I barely made any money for a full day’s work. Having woken up at 5am and then packed up at 5pm, it felt like an absolute waste of time and energy.

I started an online shop shortly after and didn’t sell anything for the first year or so. I had to work odd jobs to pay for college and to feed my ceramics addiction. There were many moments where I felt like this was an impossible dream and that I was in over my head. I worked in retail, restaurants, and coffee shops. With consistency, more opportunities came and this dream slowly became a reality. It wasn’t until 2018 that I could start calling ceramics my full-time occupation.

In 2019, I was presented with the opportunity to take on an Executive Director position for a well-known community ceramics studio – Xiem Clay Center, now known as Green & Bisque Clayhouse. It was an incredible learning experience and I worked with a great team. After three years in the administrative position – I made the difficult decision to resign to pursue teaching & making full-time. I highly recommend anyone who is interested in ceramics to check out Green & Bisque. They offer a wide variety of quality programs from kid’s classes to a 24 hr membership in a state-of-the-art facility.

Despite having felt discouraged at multiple points in my career, consistency and understanding the larger goal always pushed me forward. My love for the community, art, and education continues to inspire me on a daily basis.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The majority of my time is spent making utilitarian/non-utilitarian ceramics and teaching. My background in ceramics is studio pottery, which means the creation of small-batch functional ceramics that are typically one-of-a-kind. One could say this is the opposite of mass-produced or factory-made ceramics. I specialize in wheel-throwing and this is also the style I regularly teach in.

Lately, I’ve ventured into more sculptural work, leaning into the notions of materiality, texture, fragility, and impermanence. I enjoy relating the human condition to my artwork. I find that the complexity of life and art are closely related. We can also learn a lot about ourselves through artistic practices and I try to convey that in my teaching.

To quote my artist statement, my work is an ongoing exploration of ceramic objects as canvases that relate to the physical and non-physical world. Dynamic and rich surfaces that demonstrate the tension between color, form, shape, and texture. The display of discovery, human touch, and emotion are imperative.

Furthermore, I enjoy posing the question of what it means to make a mistake or what it means to fail. I seek to bridge the gap between beauty, perfection, and imperfection. I push materials to their limits to show their expressive qualities, occasionally showing what we perceive as failures can be translated into something beautiful.

My ceramic work typically lands in showrooms, designer spaces, galleries, public & private collections, and the everyday home. I enjoy collaboration and am usually juggling multiple projects at once.

I’m most proud of serving others through art, whether it be in a group class setting, doing private lessons in my home studio, or creating a ceramic installation with one of my clients.

In terms of what sets myself apart from others, I would say it is being the hybrid artist and teacher. There’s definitely a large number of us, but I think most people generally lean toward one or another. This may change and things fluctuate, but I can happily say that I am equally both at the moment.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
In terms of finding a mentor or finding a network that suits you, I would say first find out what ignites your soul. I think self-discovery is incredibly important when it comes to finding role models and creating a community that supports your mission.

Also, having patience throughout this process and understanding the value of failure is an important pieces.

In my experience, working artists & educators have had the biggest impact on my life. Who has had a lasting and positive impact on your life? It could be your parents, certain friends, colleagues, previous employers, or anyone that has crossed your path.

Once you’ve discovered those people, spend as much time with them and learn from them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or even look stupid.

As for networking, I’ve never approached it in the traditional sense. I prefer developing meaningful relationships and quality connections with peers and people I admire. I appreciate genuine interactions and work towards them both in life and in my career.

I’ve been lucky to have been in the right place at the right time throughout my career, but the first step is to bring yourself there. I’ve always enjoyed hearing peoples’ stories, in addition to having a lot of curiosity and always loved learning about anything that would spark my soul.

Lastly, I’ve found that stepping out of one’s comfort zone has brought the most opportunity in my life. Especially when it comes to finding mentors and developing meaningful connections.

Contact Info:

• Website: jothamhungceramics.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jothamhungstudio