Mya Cluff Studio

Stacks and pillars

First-Year W.I.P. Critique Show.

A cross section of what I’ve been up to in this first year of my MFA.

I offered this preamble prior to the critique:
“This year has been a process of deconstructing in my practice. Returning to academia has positioned me in a place to re-examine my work, explore the possibilities of other media, and redefine exactly what it is I’m doing in ceramics, materially. So, being true to the name
of ‘Work In Progress’ Critique, I am presenting ceramic material investigations, in-progress sculptures, as well as sketches & drawings previewing some of the visual and thematic ideas I have percolating.

Thanks to funding through the Student Opportunity Grant from the CAA Grants Committee, I just completed a multi-week online workshop hosted by renowned ceramic sculptor Cristina Córdova on surfaces for
ceramic sculpture. I have begun implementing techniques I learned through that instruction to combat long-standings issues I’ve had with surface treatments. The beginnings of these tests are represented specifically in the test figures along the shelf, which you are invited to pick up and handle. Thank you in advance for your feedback.”

(Thank you to for photos! 📸)

Studio progress from a few days ago

Wonderful night at the seeing friends, and supporting the arts! Thank you for the inclusion in such a great event, and thank you to the patrons who bid on “Heavy”, I’m so pleased it’s heading off to a great new home!

From the spring first year grads show, “Initiate”

Finally got the cart 👀

Since I’m starting in a couple weeks I should finally share… I’m going to Grad School!!

I’ll be at Montana State University in Bozeman (), and am in the process of moving into my new studio digs! Wish me luck on this big personal and professional shift, my anxiety is ✨through the roof✨but I’m so excited to see what this brings out of my practice.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me getting here, it has been a team effort!

I’m thrilled to finally share that I received the second place purchase prize from the for my work in the “19 under 39” exhibition!

The art across the board in this show is so stellar and I’m so honored to be exhibiting with such talented peers. Thank you so much to everyone at the MMAC for creating and cultivating such a beautiful space and fostering a show that bolsters early career artists. It’s surreal that I now have work in a permanent collection of a museum!

And - you can hear it mentioned in the video - I knew the other prize winners were also women artists which was special in itself, but I found out tonight we are all also mothers! A sweet treat indeed - I wish we had thought to get a picture all together!

The exhibition runs all the way till September so there’s lots of time to catch it if you find yourself in Missoula. 💛

What a Night! The first time my work has been included in a live auction, and I couldn’t have dreamed it would have gone any better! I’m so grateful for having been included in such an astounding line up of artists, and such a great venue as the - and what a fun party to boot.

I was fully steeled for my work not to sell (the hardened experience of someone who makes large sculptures which can be hard to find the right collector for) but was astounded and so pleased talking to patrons who were so excited or moved by the work, and then to see that interest in action through all the bidders (including absentee participants) involved in the sale! Also so grateful to have met the winning collector, thank you for introducing yourself!

And of course thank you for the forever support of who I got to bring along as my date, friends like , , , (one of my exhibition neighbors!) and other wonderful artists I was able to meet or connect with more, and , and lastly and of course - for being a truly fabulous director and lovely hostess!

Continually counting my blessing for such a wonderful career and community ✨

I’m so pleased to share that “The Myth of Complete Balance” is currently in view at the as part of their 57th Annual Art Auction, and will be included in the live auction and gala on March 8th! (Wish me luck - it’s my first time having work in a live auction and would be lying if I said I wasn’t a wee bit nervous!)

As a concurrent event, I will also be in Billings this Thursday (2/27) to give an artist talk at the museum. If you’re in the area, I’d love to see you there ✨