567: Jillian Mae Seversky and Josh Goering
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In this episode of Tales of a Red Clay Rambler, host Carter interviews two emerging ceramic artists, Jillian Mae Seversky and Josh Goering, featured in the 16th Annual Workhouse Clay International Exhibition. Jillian, a hand-builder from Boone, North Carolina, shares her emotionally charged sculpture titled 'You Wait in the Emergency Room with Your Father on Hold with Insurance,' a chaotic, mixed-media piece reflecting her personal experience with the U.S. healthcare system after losing her insurance during her father’s health crisis. Her work blends found objects—Vans shoes, syringes, Pez candies, dollhouse furniture—with layered glazes and textured surfaces to evoke both emotional turmoil and moments of joy. Josh, a graduate student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, discusses his thesis work that bridges historical ceramic forms—like the Minoan jug—with abstract, tool-inspired sculptures, emphasizing the importance of material process, historical curiosity, and functional ambiguity. Both artists reflect on how mundane tools and everyday objects gain significance through attention, memory, and artistic transformation. The conversation explores themes of specificity, refinement, and the balance between narrative clarity and viewer interpretation, culminating in a rich dialogue about the emotional and conceptual depth of contemporary ceramic art. Key takeaways include: (1) Art can transform personal trauma into universal stories through symbolic, layered materials; (2) Limitations—physical, financial, or technical—can inspire creative innovation and deeper connection to material; (3) The act of paying attention to ordinary objects imbues them with meaning and artistic potential; (4) Historical references in ceramics should be acknowledged transparently to honor lineage while allowing new interpretations; (5) Refinement in art is not just about form, but about deepening the conceptual core through iteration; (6) Curiosity and ambiguity are essential tools for engaging viewers; (7) Social and political themes can be powerfully communicated through tactile, visual chaos; (8) The artist’s voice and personal narrative are vital, but so is leaving space for the viewer’s own story.
Art can transform personal trauma into universal stories through symbolic, layered materials.
Limitations—physical, financial, or technical—can inspire creative innovation and deeper connection to material.
The act of paying attention to ordinary objects imbues them with meaning and artistic potential.
Historical references in ceramics should be acknowledged transparently to honor lineage while allowing new interpretations.
Refinement in art is not just about form, but about deepening the conceptual core through iteration.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Sponsorship & Introduction to the Episode
The episode opens with sponsor messages from Monkey Stuff, Cornell Studio Supply, and the Rosenfield Collection, followed by Carter introducing the focus of the episode: two emerging artists featured in the 16th Annual Workhouse Clay International Exhibition—Jillian Mae Seversky and Josh Goering. Carter previews the discussion on their sculptural approaches, personal narratives, and the upcoming live event at the Workhouse Arts Center.
Jillian Mae Seversky: The Chaos of Healthcare and Personal Memory
“I don't think that like I necessarily knew what I was trying to say when I started the piece. Like it sort of started with this like feeling of unease and like not feeling safe. And so I think that as I started making it, a lot of that kind of revealed itself.”
Josh Goering: Historical Inspiration and Material Process
“I think that that guesstimation that we do is really fun and I think an important way for us to try to understand what came before.”
The Aesthetic of the Mundane: Transforming Tools into Art
“I carry around a lot of silly things. I have my grandfather's old cigar box that lives in my house. And I have these stupid... I have these bowls that are cabbage bowls. They're clear and they're cabbage bowls. And no one wanted them... But like no one wanted them through the years of like me taking them from my parents' house and bringing them to all these different like college houses. Like my attention has been on them.”
Specificity, Refinement, and Viewer Interpretation
The artists discuss the balance between specificity and openness in their work. Jillian emphasizes leaving room for viewer interpretation through vague titles and symbolic objects, while Josh stresses the importance of acknowledging historical references to guide viewers. Both reflect on how refinement applies not just to form, but to ideas—through iteration and deepening conceptual clarity.
“Refinement in art is not just about form, but about deepening the conceptual core through iteration.”
“The act of paying attention to ordinary objects imbues them with meaning and artistic potential.”
“I don't think that like I necessarily knew what I was trying to say when I started the piece. Like it sort of started with this like feeling of unease and like not feeling safe. And so I think that as I started making it, a lot of that kind of revealed itself.”
Host
Guests
Jillian Mae Seversky
person
Josh Goering
person
Carter
person
Workhouse Clay International
other
Minoan jug
other
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
organization
Shovel
product
Syringe
product
TV screen
other
Monkeystuff.com
brand
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