Vicky Youngman

I strive to create ceramic work that sings with delight because it is happy to be alive.  Anthropomorphism aside, I am please when people comment that I make ‘happy pieces’ that have a ‘healing’ quality to them. My artistic vision can best be described as artistic exploration.  It involves the pleasure of experimentation and play, the joy of discovery and learning, the thrill of mastery and beauty and the satisfaction of sharing through teaching, exhibiting and selling my work. Whether it is a mug, bowl, teapot or wall sculpture, I am energized by the process of creative pursuit, what will happen if?  This journey has no end in sight, no destination other than the next step.  I find it fascinating that prehistoric humans began this journey nearly 30,000 years ago and that this major technological breakthrough was invented for art rather than utility. I am awe-inspired when I view the work of ceramic artists from the historical past to the present and feel a deep connection with it.  My artistic utilitarian objects, and occasional sculptures, are complete when they reach beyond personal self-expression and make this connection with others in their daily rituals and lives. My pottery and ceramic art has been included in many group exhibitions in New York and Ohio.  I exhibit and sell my work through local galleries, stores and arts festivals.  In June 2007, I received First Place in Pottery at the 45th Annual White Plains Outdoor Arts Festival; my work has been published in Clay Times (2008) and my evolution in clay was described in The Scarsdale Inquirer and The Rivertowns Enterprise in 2007.  In 2012, ArtsWestchester produced an instructional YouTube video of me called “Vase Making with Vicky”, intended for families to use at home with their children.

I have a Master of Professional Studies in Creative Arts Therapy from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts and Psychology, Mount Vernon Nazarene College, Mt. Vernon, Ohio and completed non-degree continuing education courses in ceramics at The Art School at Old Church, Demarest, NJ, Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY, Hot Mud Studio, Dobbs Ferry, NY and Super Mud Pottery, New York, NY.

For 23 years, I worked in health care settings as an art therapist, administrator and educator.  For seven of those years, I taught art therapy at the graduate, undergraduate and continuing education levels at School of Visual Arts in Manhattan and for a short time at College of New Rochelle and Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY.  It was a very rewarding experience to participate in the process of art making and self discovery of the many individuals I worked with, taught and supervised.

In 2008, I became a professional teaching artist through ArtsWestchester and conduct ceramic art residencies in public schools and community settings where I work with children, adults and seniors in Yonkers, White Plains, New Rochelle and Mt. Vernon.

I also teach children in preschools, after school programs and summer camps (for Clay Art Center in Port Chester and RiverArts in Westchester).

I have been on the faculty at Pace University in Pleasantville, NY since 2011 where I taught college students sculpture and presently teach ceramics.  I have also had the pleasure of facilitating teacher training workshops through organizations such as WESTCOP, and leading workshops at The Hammond Museum, The Hudson River Museum, Blue Door Gallery and through ArtsWestchester’s Free Arts Days.