We recently connected with Yen Yu Lien and have shared our conversation below.
Yen Yu, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
**Visceral & Vibrant | A Summer Thesis Show at Austin Community College**
I began my ceramics journey during the early days of the pandemic with a simple goal – to create a teapot set! Chinese tea culture has been a part of my life since childhood, and teapots are my parents’ favorite treasure during their travels. Crafting a teapot set became my goal as a gift for my parents when the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hit the world. The challenges of achieving this little goal were harder than I thought, but my curiosity kept me motivated. My inner voice consistently motivated me to create a “GOOD” teapot like Papa’s. Three years later, with hundreds of practice times, I proudly present a set I love, especially made for him.
Upon achieving what I thought was my goal, Professor Matthew Isaacson redirected my path, encouraging me to continue my ceramics career. This decision led me to resign from my beloved job at Studio Dzo, allowing me to commit 100% of my energy to building a professional portfolio. The culmination of this effort is the upcoming group thesis show scheduled for July 2023—a milestone I never anticipated when I set out to create a teapot set.
The significance of this thesis show extends beyond portfolio-building; it’s about creating a connection to ‘HOME’! The new stitch-themed series of ceramics, titled ‘The Happiness Where It Starts – Families,’ embodies intergenerational love and connection. Each piece is carefully crafted to represent a different family member, with parents and grandparents embodying the roles of large-scaled vessels, pitchers, and teapots, while the children are portrayed through motifs and rattles. Influenced by Impressionism and Expressionism, my practice incorporates geometric shapes and a complementary or split-complementary color scheme. Round forms symbolize unity, hugs, empathy, and diversity, while stitches embody the connection of hearts and a stroll through childhood memories. This artistic approach mirrors the relationship of complementary colors, symbolizing the unification of two significant homes for migrants, shaping a new human connection. Vivid colors radiate positive energy and joy, while the soft rattle sound from porcelain creates a gentle meditation experience for audiences.
After being a parent, I realized that long before children learn to speak, our elders shower them with love and joy through various forms of artistic expression. Drawing, music, and storytelling are just a few examples of how cultural heritage and traditions are passed down from generation to generation. These mediums play a crucial role in shaping children’s identities and instilling a deep sense of pride in their family and community.
I believe that early exposure to creativity and storytelling is essential for a child’s growth and development. It helps foster a lifelong love of the arts and encourages them to explore their creativity. Through this family of ceramics, my goal is to capture the importance of familial love and the power of art in shaping our lives. Across forms, colors, and sounds, I aim to share positive energy and move to audiences create their stories.
I recall my parents always saying, “No matter where you go, no matter what challenges you will face, don’t forget your home. Your pier (home) is always here for you to dock and restore before the next station!” This thesis show is an honor and a special thanks to my husband, my family, professors, and friends, for supporting me in achieving my dream!
Yen Yu, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My full first name is Yen-Yu, and friends here call me Yen. I was born and grew up in Taiwan and later moved to Topeka, Kansas, for intensive English courses. Then, I settled in the United States and built my own family in Austin, Texas. Holding an Associate Degree in Graphic Design from Austin Community College (ACC), I combines my international trade business background with an artistic heritage. My leadership skills were honed through the roles in student organizations in Taiwan and ACC, including the Student Affairs Center, Art Club, and Ceramic Clay Club.
Despite being an oldest sibling in my generation, where family pride and needs are always a top priority and influences my decision-making, it didn’t deter me from pursuing my dream of attending art school and becoming a professional artist; it just got postponed!
As a parent, I pushed myself to learn and understand Western culture, seeking a balance between Eastern and Western influences while raising my children with an open and diverse perspective. Before fully committing to my goal as an artist, I utilized my drawing and painting skills to create Chinese learning books for my sons. I also delved into baking and cake decorating to teach my son modeling and coloring. Later on, I pursued a graphic design degree, not only for personal growth but also to impart presentation skills to my sons. Additionally, I volunteered at an elementary school, where I could assist bilingual students. Art and crafts have remained constant in my life throughout different periods.
My artistic roots trace back to my family with watercolor painting, stone carving sculpture, and Chinese tea culture. I integrate these influences into my ceramic practices. I believe that clay has a unique personality. I perceive clay as possessing an invisible soul in its soft texture and an outer body once fired, symbolizing a journey of transformation. Moreover, curiosity is the essence of my soul, playing a significant role in my life. It motivates me to continuously learn new things and acquire knowledge. I never feel that I’ve learned enough because, for me, the learning process is a more important experience than the results. In response to the previous question, I returned to Austin Community College to learn ceramics during the pandemic when the world was in lockdown.
The idea came! I wanted to bring a teapot set as a meaningful gift for my parents when the world returns to normal. This simple thought led me to the field of ceramics. As I delved into the process, I realized how complicated the process can be for making a ceramic object. Drawing from my family culture, I always embrace optimism in facing challenges and analyzing solutions. To foster a positive and growth-oriented mindset, I avoid using the term “failure” for myself or my child, opting instead for “Not There Yet” as a way of encouraging ourselves. This mindset reflects a commitment to continuous improvement and resilience.
This is why I consistently embrace “Not There Yet” as it provides valuable opportunities for learning and asking questions. At ACC, all professors and instructors are well acquainted with Yen, playfully labeling me as “a troublemaker” due to my insatiable curiosity and unlimited questions! For instance, why can’t the wheel speed match my hand speed? Why can’t underglazes be mixed like watercolor paints? Why does each piece need to go through several firings? Why does the kiln have different atmospheres? What are raw materials? Why don’t my glaze recipes work as test tiles? So many questions keep arising, fueling my constant curiosity and inspiring me to go deeper into exploration.
Moreover, “smiles and interactions” from families, friends, and audiences serve as motivation and fuel, propelling me to grow. The support from my family becomes my biggest drive to move forward to the next step – getting professional knowledge and becoming a professional artist while creating my art!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Through my art, I aspire to bring positive energy and joy to my audience and those around me. My goal is not only to express my creativity but also to inspire others. To me, Ceramic Art possesses a magical ability to evoke emotions, convey messages, and create meaningful connections.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I didn’t initially intend to use social media to promote my ceramic career. As a designer, I maintained an active Instagram account primarily to learn more about social media marketing. Over time, I transformed it into a blog and sharing platform, documenting my ceramic learning process and experiences. With the onset of the pandemic, social media became a high-demand space for connecting, learning, and sharing.
Managing social media is a full-time job in itself. While I’m still pursuing my ceramic career, handling all the tasks on Instagram can be challenging. To streamline this, I utilize Facebook Business Suite to manage my posts and keep my account active. My post plans typically focus on my practices and gallery information. For instance, I set a regular post for Fridays or Saturdays while occasionally sharing my stories. This approach allows me to plan efficiently and allocate more time to creating my work.
For the selling part, I normally sell my works throughout ACC student art sale events. Sometimes, I will get private messages about interest in my work for purchasing. Being an ACC Clay Club president, I also like to continue to foster creativity and engagement within the ACC community to promote school programs and club members. In 2024, I will work with the ACC Clay Club and ACC Elgin at the Farm Stand market on Wednesday afternoons to help with fundraising. The aim is to invite more local artists and ceramic professors to visit ACC Ceramics and share their knowledge. Thank you to everyone who has been supporting me in my learning career.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.yenyulien.com
- Instagram: @craftlajoie
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yen-yu-lien-45409316b/
Image Credits
All the photos are taken by myself. The one with myself was taken by my ceramics friends, Maia Reeves and Sam MacQueen.