JAMES HOUGHTON
James Houghton is a sculpture major getting his BFA from Pacific Northwest College of The Arts in 2022 after transferring from Oregon College Of Arts And Craft after it closed in 2019. His work throughout college has maintained a strong connection to the world of ceramics and craft but most recently has shifted from functional work to a more sculptural approach to ceramics.
James’ most recent exploration of clay was for his Senior thesis which is a year-long project in which students are allowed to research and create a body of work. His work focuses on taking functional ceramics out of their intended use. He did this by creating sculptures that were inspired by functional forms like pitchers, vases, and jugs. Then used unconventional ways of working with clay and approaching vessels to create funny and whimsical sculpters that leave the viewer thinking more about these objects that may typically be dismissed in the world of contemporary art.