Details

My Ceramics

In the studio I like to do	Handbuilding, Throwing on the Wheel, Sculpting, Slip casting, Everything to do with Ceramics
Pottery Wheel	Brent C
Clay body	Stoneware, Porcelain
Clay Brand	Standard 365, 213, 112. Laguna Bmix
Kiln Type	Electric Kiln
Kiln Atmosphere	Reduction Atmosphere
Temperature	018, 04, 6
Glaze	I make all of my glazes, experimenting with raw materials to achieve soft, matte surfaces that invite touch. I often layer underglazes beneath translucent tones, incorporating oxides and stains to create watercolor-like effects where color pools, diffuses, and softly transitions across the form.
You can buy my work from	My work is available both online and through local venues that support handmade ceramics https://www.instagram.com/mia_kunyo/

About Me

Introduction	Hi, I’m Mia Kunyo, a ceramic artist from northern Indiana, where I work in a small woodland studio at home. I create handbuilt and wheel-thrown ceramics, using matte glazes and layered underglazes to achieve watercolor-like surfaces. I’m fascinated by surface texture, glaze chemistry, and the creative possibilities that come from experimentation, imperfection, and the passage of time.
What I Love about Ceramics	What I love about ceramics is how clay comes alive under your hands — soft, pliable, and full of surprises. I’m drawn to the textures, the layering of glazes, and the subtle shifts of color that emerge through experimentation and play. Each piece reflects process and imperfection, holding traces of memory and the quiet beauty that unfolds as it transforms in the kiln. Clay lets me explore, discover, and celebrate those little moments of wonder that make working with it endlessly rewarding — much like life itself.
How I started with ceramics	I come from a family of artists — literally everyone (laughs) — so it wasn’t exactly a choice! I dabbled in costume and fashion design, puppet making, papier-mâché monsters, photography, painting, and textile jewelry… until I stumbled into a ceramics class and was completely hooked. From that moment on, I was sold on mud for life — that was 15 years ago. I chose a path that allows me to fully immerse myself in the process, experimentation, and quiet exploration that ceramics offers. My work today reflects this journey: a balance of play and focus, imperfection and discovery, with surfaces and glazes that evoke memory, texture, and a sense of calm.
What inspires me	I’m inspired by the quiet moments of everyday life, the textures and colors that linger in memory, and the beauty found in imperfection and change. Nature, memory, and the tactile world of clay fuel my curiosity, guiding the surfaces, glazes, and forms I create. Above all, I’m inspired by the process itself — the playful, meditative, and ever-surprising dialogue between material and maker.
What I'm working on at the moment	I’m currently working on spice shakers and tea-and-cookie plates, exploring the idea of creating a set — pieces that feel personal and special, meant to be carried through time. I love the intimacy of objects designed for daily rituals, where each piece holds both function and memory, connecting the maker, the user, and the moments they share.
My Artist Statement	I view my work as a library of the human experience — objects that transform like stories, layer upon layer. A crusty, beautiful layering that can never truly decay, much like clay itself: once it’s fired, it’s forever. What we don’t leave behind physically, we pass along in the nontransferable — our experience. Pulled from the rubble and repurposed like an old soul in a 4×4-inch time machine: a cup, a memory, a tiny vision of what was. My inspiration and motivation are rooted in beautiful decay — historical fragments burnished into new forms, rescued from the scraps to shine again and again. Each piece tells a story of a life fully lived, a story that’s still unfolding. Through surface, glaze, and form, I explore imperfection, texture, and memory, inviting the viewer to touch, reflect, and connect with the quiet poetry held within clay.