Joe Lyons discovered his love for clay as a child. A memory he holds close is of his mother bringing him to their local community center in Seattle, Washington for a pottery class, where he made a lemon juicer on the wheel with the help of his instructor. He went home later that day with a package of clay and proceeded to make a dragon sculpture.
Today, Joe is a professional ceramic artist as well as a professional DJ and recording artist. His work is influenced by hip-hop culture. Timeless and celebrating diversity, Joseph looks to honour his influences in the pots he creates through painting. “Graffiti represents personal freedom, risk taking and creating artwork for love and fame, not for financial gain. I love painting the objects I make, sometimes using spray paint, stencils and pens, like I did as a teenager.” He enjoys every part of the creation process, a place he says he finds relaxation and healing is at the potter’s wheel.
Selling his work at local galleries and markets, Joseph continues to connect with people of all ages through clay. “Ceramics are an essential way I connect with people and form meaningful and productive relationships. I feel passionate about the collaborative spirit integral to the ceramic medium and specifically my practice.” A teacher at the Bowen Park Pottery Studio, Nanaimo Ceramic Arts and local schools, he encourages his students to see the reward in the process of creating works with clay.
Joe graduated in 2020 from the VIU Visual Arts Program. He and his fellow students had their exhibition online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pandemonium: The Unofficial Graduation Exhibition.
View the exhibition HERE
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The Arts Council of Ladysmith & District and the Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery is excited to announce that Joseph will be teaching online pottery workshops in the coming months. Registration and more information will be available soon. Please check back for further details on our website or social media.
Our interview with Vancouver Island Potter, Joe Lyons! Hear his story!