About Me
Khanh Pham is an explorative individual with a wide range of interests who has dedicated her life to pursuing them. She discovered pottery about two years ago and sought a more in-depth, hands-on experience, leading her to The Clay Corner. Taking a significant risk, she moved across the country from Boston to Seattle to immerse herself in the world of clay. In addition to her passion for pottery, Khanh loves building community, climbing, and being outdoors, making Seattle the perfect place to keep her engaged and inspired.
Artist Statement
As an emerging ceramic artist, Khanh Pham finds joy in constantly learning and blending diverse techniques to create whimsical, emotionally resonant work. Originally from Vietnam, her background as an immigrant deeply informs her creative voice, especially her connection to themes of identity, family, and transformation. She draws particular inspiration from Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron, finding the character Warawara—a symbol of death portrayed in an innocent, endearing way—an entry point for exploring life’s more complex cycles with lightness and charm.
Pham incorporates these whimsical figures into her ceramics through hand-drawn inlay decoration and sculptural attachments on functional forms. Her work invites viewers into a magical, narrative world rooted in both personal history and imaginative reinterpretation.
Recently, her practice has expanded through classes with artists Hanako O’Leary and Jade Aldridge, where she has been exploring coil and slab handbuilding. These new approaches have opened fresh dimensions in her ceramics, allowing her to push the physical and conceptual boundaries of her work.
Glaze experimentation is another cornerstone of Pham’s artistic journey. As a technician at The Clay Corner, she has developed new shop glazes and continually tests layering techniques to achieve rich, complex surfaces. Even within the limitations of cone 6 firings, she challenges herself to mimic the depth and finish of cone 9–10 results. Whether glazing 200 bowls for The Empty Bowl project or perfecting a new formula, her love for glaze chemistry is evident in every piece.
Looking toward the future, Pham is diving into the world of digital fabrication. After collaborating with visiting artist Jeff Campana on a 3D-printed jellyfish light fixture, she became fascinated with combining clay and technology. This summer, she will attend a workshop with Josie Ngo at Anderson Ranch to learn how to design and 3D print a clay lamp base. Inspired by these experiences, she plans to build a clay 3D printer from custom-printed parts—an ambitious project that reflects her commitment to innovation and community-building. She envisions bringing this resource back to her studio to support visiting artists and foster collaborative exchange.
Khanh Pham’s ceramics are a celebration of curiosity, imagination, and the enduring magic of handmade art. Through constant experimentation and a drive to share resources, she continues to build a practice that is not only deeply personal but also expansive and inclusive.