Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Irja Bodén. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Irja, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Growing up in Sweden north of the Arctic Circle, I was raised by skilled parents—my dad, a woodworker and hunter, and my mom, who loved baking, knitting and writing poetry. I learned the value of hands-on skills early on and, as a young woman, explored ceramics, sewing and embroidery.

My ceramic journey really began, though, when I moved to New York City, where I worked in a ceramic studio, took throwing classes and quickly progressed to become studio assistant -mixing glazes, and loading and firing kilns. New York boasted fantastic galleries of contemporary ceramics, and I frequented The Met. I spent all my free time in the studio eager to learn as much as possible, and the city offered countless opportunities. That eagerness led me to the Penland Craft School in North Carolina for a two-month ceramic workshop, where I learned different firing methods and worked full-time with ceramics, learning under Mary Barringer.

Upon returning to NYC, I established a ceramic studio with two clay friends, another significant learning opportunity to master new techniques and materials. We made all of our glazes and got a new electric kiln. With the knowledge gained, I set up my own studio to create functional ware, selling my works at local markets and wholesale venues.

After several years in that space, I felt ready for my next step, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Today, I live in the Hudson Valley, have my own ceramic studio, and focus on creating abstract ceramics. I wouldn’t change anything about my journey; everything came together beautifully as I learned my craft and continue to grow in it.

Irja, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My work salvages motifs from industry’s interface with the natural world, colliding the broken, cracked and imperfect parts with imprints of arctic natural elements, to reflect the damaged environment of the mining town where I grew up in northern Sweden. I throw familiar vessels that I cut and assemble into new shapes. In these sculptures, the thrown clay forms bottomless vessels, a sign of loss and grief, while organic growth emerges from within.

The interplay of shape, color, and texture reference the northern landscape along with other realms both physical and metaphysical – from subterranean depths to spiritual domains. The Arctic’s vanishing ice sheets, melting glaciers, and thawing permafrost particularly inform my work, translating environmental urgency to tactile form.
Each work blends place, memory, and loss, drawing from both personal narratives and universal experiences. Through my glazing techniques, which are both precise and improvised, I challenge expectations of perfection, the rigidity of traditional rules, and what has historically defined success in the craft.

Last year, I made a series titled “Hedgerow”, to explore the vines, often invasive, which, if not occasionally cut back, will grow to choke other vegetation and new growth. To me, these vines serve as a metaphor for the issue of the diminishment and throttling of women’s rights, a continuing struggle, with the blue interior without a bottom of each vessel expressing life and freedom.

I exhibit my work regularly in solo and group shows. At two separate group exhibits in 2024 I was awarded a sculpture award and a two-person exhibit for 2025. This year started off with exhibitions, and more are planned this summer and fall. Last year, my series “To Dress a Ptarmigan” was awarded a Puffin Foundation grant. This ongoing series embodies both personal and ecological mourning. Through form and surface, these pieces simultaneously acknowledge the environmental crisis and honor resilience – ceramic testimonies to landscapes and communities at their breaking point.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal is to make meaningful work with a story to tell, which drives me to spend time in the studio. My series, “To Dress A Ptarmigan,” embodies one story that fuels my creative journey. On the practical side, however, my recent building of larger works requires me to be stronger, and my yoga practice has made a huge difference in that regard.
Of course, I also aim to share my work more broadly, so I seek opportunities to exhibit my art and connect with people who appreciate it; to have studio visits and to visit the studios of others is important for connection. One of my goals is to get gallery representation to show my work on a regular basis.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I started using Instagram in 2016 for my first solo show in NYC, but I really began to concentrate on its potential in 2018. Since then I’ve connected with other artists and shared my work with curators and galleries. To build strong social-media networks is important as an artist, and posting once a week helps maintain a consistent presence without feeling overwhelmed. It allows for quality over quantity, giving you time to craft thoughtful captions and select the best images. And the regular schedule keeps your audience engaged and looking forward to your updates. And remember, being kind, supportive and friendly goes a long way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://irjaboden.com
• Instagram: @atelier.boden.i
• Other: @irjaboden.bsky.social

Image Credits

Photography:
by Adam Deen and by Guzman