Check Out Nadia Khan’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nadia Khan

Hi Nadia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My love for clay and ceramic sculpture began haphazardly at the age of 14 in high school. My art teacher encouraged me to enter several competitions, and I found myself placing in art shows, earning scholarships, college grants, and was chosen as a “Young Arts” recipient in 1995, which at the time was the highest honor for a high school student.

This opportunity led to a summer scholarship to the Art Institute in Laguna Beach as well as a scholarship to the UCLA Arts program, graduating in 1998 with a bachelor of arts in art.

Working with icons in the UCLA faculty under ceramic sculptor, Adrian Saxe, and John Baldassari’s leadership, I was awarded a summer residency in Socrates Sculpture Park, New York, the summer of 99.

I started experimenting with sculptural ceramics and organic forms, inspired by nature and human forms. I am obsessed with texture and glaze and the contrast of materials, inviting the viewer to feel and touch each object up close.
The infinite use of clay has led me to design functional and utilitarian objects in my day-to-day activities. Ranging from decorative and functional dinnerware, serving bowls, sculptural lamps, clover stools, and planters, (aka cacti vessels), my goal is to bridge the gap between form and function, influenced by organic shapes with earthy textures and glazes

The closed and open forms above invite the viewer to evaluate form or function. Each organic sculpture is meant to be touched and caressed, looked into, embracing the process and imperfections of the clay. So much is out of my control when the kiln is loaded in the final firing, and the glaze marks contrasted with the forms is my perfect balance.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Actually, I took a 20 year hiatus raising three children and did not touch clay in that period! For me, it was all or nothing, and I literally would dream about ceramic objects protruding from the ground. I knew I would pick up where I left off when the time was right. And that’s exactly what I did;)

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a ceramic artist and specialize in closed and open forms. Many of my sculptural works are unintentionally inspired by human forms, which is A newfound theme in my sculptures in the past year. This has taken me by surprise as well, So I am rolling with it;)

I am the most proud of a furniture line I started during the pandemic, that came from an epiphany while visiting the Lumberyard. I saw a grouping of reclaimed wood planks that had been underwater for 30 years, and I knew exactly the kind of console tables, benches and coffee tables they would become! After receiving rejections from my friend to build these products, I finally bought a miter saw and had faith in myself and started doing the work on my own. I employed my 16 year old son at the time as my assistant and it was a two-man show from then on.

I took a chance and bought 90% of the inventory and 4 years later, I am still creating these custom reclaimed furniture pieces for high end designers and shipping them all over the country;)

How do you think about happiness?
My love for plants, combined with my stoneware sculptures and reclaimed wood furniture are the perfect trifecta that I come home to every day. That is my happiest place!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Nadiahomedesign_