Artist: Nikki Lau
Nikki Lau, CALIFORNIA; PENNSYLVANIA
Artist Statement
I started Little Lau Shop to care for and love my inner child.
I have what you would call resting happy face, because of this I make creatures with different and unique facial expressions that have big and small emotions.
Through pottery, sculpture, and home décor, I create friends that help navigate the loneliness of the pandemic.
One of my heroes growing up and still feels important today is Mr. Rogers.
I make worlds where everything is a little bit kinder, gentler, more patient and empathic.
Bio
Nikki Lau was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. She was a 2010-2011 Alumni of AmeriCorps/Public Allies. She received her MFA with a concentration in ceramics at Pennsylvania State University in 2016. Penn State awarded her the Bunton Waller Assistantship. She received her BA in Interdisciplinary Visual Arts at the University of Washington Seattle in 2008. She was the resident artist at The Clay Art Center in New York in 2018-2019 and the 2019-2020 resident at Armory Art Center in Florida. She did short-term residencies at Pittsburgh Glass Center in 2021 and Vermont Studio Center in 2022. She teaches and has done numerous shows around the United States. She currently splits her time between California and Pennsylvania, living her snowbird life as she works on her pottery and home décor business Little Lau Shop.
Education:
2016 MFA, Ceramics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
2008 BA, Interdisciplinary Visual Arts, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Professional Experience:
2020-present, Small Batch Potter, Little Lau Shop, CA and PA
2022 and 2023, Instructor, Clay by The Bay, San Francisco, CA
2019-2020 Resident Artist and Instructor, The Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL
2018-2019 Resident Artist and Instructor, The Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY
Fall 2018 Adjunct Professor, Intro to Ceramics, Pace University, Pleasantville, NY
2018 Artist Assistant, Jennifer Wankoff, Philadelphia PA
Loading and unloading kilns, waxing pots, sanding, packing and shipping, production, and glazing.
2017, 2014, 2013 Summer Collaborator, Brightworks Tinkering School, San Francisco, CA
Taught K-5 youth how to use power tools and how to build something larger than themselves.
2016-2018 Teaching Assistant and Work Exchange, The Clay Mobile/Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
Supporting The Clay Studio shop and gallery with visitors and maintenance. Assisting Clay Mobile.
2017 Teaching Artist, Spiral Q, Philadelphia, PA
Worked with Public Schools in West Philly to create social justice work through giant parade art
2015, 2016 Instructor, Intro to Ceramics, The Pennsylvania State University, School of Visual Arts, University Park, PA
2015 Online Teaching Assistant, Intro to Drawing, The Pennsylvania State University, School of Visual Arts, University Park, PA
2015 Ceramic Lab Technician, Ceramics Department, The Pennsylvania State University, School of Visual Arts, University Park, PA
2014 Online Teaching Assistant, Intro to Drawing, The Pennsylvania State University, School of Visual Arts, University Park, PA
2013 Ceramic Lab Technician, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Created large batches of reclaimed clay, organized and cleaned ceramics studio, made glazes, inventoried materials, fired gas and electric kilns.
2012 Art Director, Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula, San Francisco, CA
K-12 art education through after school programming.
2012 Public Ally Apprentice, Public Allies Silicon Valley, San Francisco, an AmeriCorps Program: Non-profit placement and leadership development.
Selected Exhibitions:
2023 Lunar New Year Project, Baltimore Clay Works, Baltimore, MD
2022 The Cup Show, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA
2022 14TH Annual Simple Cup Show, KOBO Seattle, Seattle, WA
2022 Halloween Show, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL
2022 Cup: The Intimate Object XVIII, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL
2022 Featured Artist, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL
2022 Generous Helpings, Penn State Hub Robeson Gallery Exhibition Cases, State College, PA
2022 The Color Network, NCECA Expo, Sacramento, CA
2022 Above Board, NCECA, virtual show
2022 Full Spectrum, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA
2022 Plant Pots, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL
2022 Mug Madness, Saltstone Ceramics, Seattle, WA
2021 Clay Fest, Saratoga Clay Art Center, Schuylerville, NY
2021 Cup: The Intimate Object XVII, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL
2021 Shark Show, virtual show
2021 Invitational Cup Show, The Hudgens Center for Art and Learning, Duluth, GA
2021 Clay Art Center Sales and Exhibition, NCECA, virtual due to COVID-19
2021 Above Board, NCECA, virtual due to COVID-19
2020 Cups for Y’all, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX (virtual due to COVID-19)
2020 NCECA Annual Juried Exhibition, NCECA, Richmond, VA (Canceled due to COVID-19)
2020 Monumental, NCECA, Richmond, VA (Canceled due to COVID-19)
2020 Resident Artist Exhibition, The Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL
2019 New and Now, The Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL
2019 Resident Artist Show, The Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY
2019 Human Nature, NCECA, Minneapolis, MN
2019 Small Favors, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
2019 Beyond the Brickyard, Archie Bray, Helena, MT
2018 Plates, Platters and Nothing Else Matters, LBIF, Loveladies, NJ
2018 The Clay Studio National, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
2018 Time Capsule, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
2018 Penn State Alumni Show, NCECA, Pittsburg, PA
2018 Small Favors, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
2018 A Peek Behind the Curtain, Think Round Inc Fine Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2017 Please Adopt Me, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
2017 Small Favors, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
2016 A Peek Behind the Curtain, Zoller Gallery, University Park, PA
2016 Odd Couples, Zoller Gallery, University Park, PA
2016 Coded Language, Hub Gallery, University Park, PA
2015 What are you doing now?, Zoller Gallery, University Park, PA
2014 Why are you here?, Zoller Gallery, University Park, PA
2014 Clay: A Chancy Act of Prolonged Engagement, SMAart Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2014 Chinese Thanksgiving, Think Round Inc Fine Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2013 SF Chocolate Salon, San Francisco, CA
2013 Deep in the Shed / a Studio Sojourn SMAart Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2012 Winter Art Show, THE CCSF, Fort Mason Spring, San Francisco, CA
2010 The Meat Show, Medicine Agency Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2010 Spring Art Show, THE CCSF, Fort Mason Spring, San Francisco, CA
2009 Awesome Number One Big Fun Group Show, Medicine Agency Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2009 My 5th Birthday, Medicine Agency Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Virtual Talks and Panels:
2021 Clay Art Center: Panel Discussion: Empowerment through Art in the Face of AAPI Discrimination
2020 Clay Art Center: Navigating Arts Opportunities
Publications:
2022 Maake Magazine, Spotlight Artist: Nikki Lau, March 8, 2022
2021 Shoutout LA, Meet Nikki Lau-Potter/Maker, Nov 16, 2021
Short Term Residencies:
2022 Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT (funded)
2021 Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA (funded)
Awards/ Achievements:
2016 Matson Museum Ceramic Research Grant, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
2015 Haystack Summer Education Conference student fellowship, Deer Isle, ME
2014-2016 Bunton Waller Fellowship, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
2013 SF Chocolate Salon art competition with a 15 ft. sculpture of a birch tree made of chocolate, San Francisco, CA
2012 Lead artist of the mural project Cesar Chavez Service Day in partnership with Public Allies AmeriCorps and Washington Youth Center, San Jose, CA.
Workshops and Demos:
2023 Create Your Own Meal: Ceramic Foods! - A Sculptural Hand Building workshop, Brick and Mortar Studios, San Francisco, CA
2020 Big Coil large cloud forms demo, Ceramic League of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, FL