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AI Ceramic Collaboration 2024 - 2025
About
In 2024 I put out a call for ceramic artists to participate in a collaborative project with myself and Midjourney AI. This project aims to explore the intersection of traditional ceramic artistry and cutting-edge artificial intelligence, fostering a creative dialogue between human creativity and machine intelligence. There is no question that we all have ethical concerns about AI, but we must also appreciate that our world is already intrinsically linked to working with AI, in ways we don’t even realize yet. Over the last few years I’ve been working with Midjourney as one tool out of many in a creative process and have found many ways in which it is enriching the ideas, aesthetics and art I produce. This project is intended as both a creative endeavor building critical dialogue, a community building initiative and a research project.
Project Overview
As the project initiator, I used imagery of my own physical artwork and/or descriptive prompts about my art practice as a starting point, uploading imagery into Midjourney AI; a powerful AI platform capable of generating stunning renders and images. I worked in collaboration with Midjourney to create AI ceramic works that are visually appealing, realistically rendered (ie: not so crazy that they couldn’t be made irl), conceptually and technically challenging, as well as rich in narrative. Participating artists then selected AI-generated images of ceramic pieces as inspiration to create real-world ceramic pieces. At this point participants only had access to the images provided, not the prompts or original works that were uploaded. Transparency of this data wasn't shared with participants until they had completed their piece in the studio, so as to not influence their creative investigations beyond the image given. It’s important to note that artists were encouraged to interpret and be inspired by the AI-generated imagery rather than creating direct replicas. The same image was chosen by numerous artists, leading to more layers of interesting discussions on originality in art.
Thanks to all the Participating Artists:
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Pamma FitzGerald Kristine Cravens Sheena McNiff-Wolfe Connie Pike Marla Benton Kimba Frances Kerner Jean Paull Ciara Linteau Jennifer Mecca Terri DelSignore Jeanette Zeis Amelia Butcher Christian Bailey Kirsty Kash Patricia Griffin Phil Haralam Kaitlyn Ertle Tony Young Anita Lawrence Elizabeth Ostendorp Meaghan Gates Eekta Trienekens Jessica Fong and Joel Blum Missy McCormick Renée Pasek Keiko Inouye Kerin Rose Tabata Bagatim Tim Kowalczyk
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L-R Original Vase by Carole Epp, Midjourney AI, Handmade vase by Kirsty Kash, Midjourney AI
Kirsty Kash / @kirstykash / kirstykashceramics.com
I browsed through the gallery of images dozens of times, considering which image(s) to choose. I thought about what stood out in each series and imagined how I would create something inspired by them. Ultimately, I chose Series One because it is very different from my own work in so many ways. I noticed that the forms were like nothing I would have created on my own. They appeared to be made with a dark stoneware and coated heavily with white slip, whereas I typically use porcelain. The feeling of the work in series one is very loose and organic while my work tends to be more precise. I also loved that the surface appeared to be matte as opposed to the glossy surfaces I usually gravitate toward. All of these things added up to me making a piece that is very unlike anything I have ever made before.
I think one of the most significant benefits of integrating AI into the creative process is the fact that AI is unencumbered by many of the limitations that I place upon myself. AI can quickly generate ideas without filtering them. The result could be some images that contain surprising ideas and inspiration! - Kirsty Kash
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Keiko Inouye / @keikopots / keikopots.com
I thought about a fractured, disrupted form. The form being a moon jar form and using marbled clay to contrast through color but also to emphasize the interrupted form. There is so much going on in these images, it was difficult to pick a focus or to try to interpret the entire image. I wasn't sure what to do with the all the bright colors. I also wasn't sure how closely it should mirror the images or if it could be loosely interpreted. - Keiko Inouye
Eekta Trienekens / @claykta / studioeekta.com
I used a more limited colour palette, chose shiny where I would have otherwise chosen a matte finish. But I did realize that I kind of work like AI already, taking ideas from everything around me and just inserting it to objects I work on wherever I find it works. I also on purpose made my 'vase' unfunctional and wanted it to appear different/strange at a closer/second look. - Eekta Trienekens
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Amelia Butcher / @amelia.butcher / ameliabutcher.ca
I became literally disillusioned the more I learned about AI. I went through the "AI vertigo" people talk about where I was very impressed by its capabilities and then after more learning and experiences my sense of wonder became hollowed out. AI began to feel like a homogenizing, flattening force. I had been planning to interpret the image through sculpture but then felt like applying the image as a 2D surface might reflect the flatness I was feeling, and on a voluminous form create a distortion I think is an innate and scary side to the technology. I chose a closed form with a hidden inner volume - a secret protected human self. I learned a term through my research - the Liar's Dividend. This refers to how bad actors benefit from a landscape in which misinformation proliferates. When we play fast and loose with the truth, as AI does, the liars stand to benefit. - Amelia Butcher
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Jean Paull / @jpaull_ceramics / jeanpaull.com
I wanted the main image to express wonderment at being in another world. Anyone who has snorkeled can identify with the sense of surprise and awe of being in a different and unfamiliar world. I also liked the idea of a fishbowl which added another layer to the idea of a vessel. Choosing wonderment as a theme captured my feelings of exploring the world of AI. It has an aspect of child-like enchantment and discovery and the choice of a child in a magical world followed from that. My work involves imagery and I wanted the picture aspect to be AI generated to double down on that aspect of the project. Technically the image creation process involved feeding a cut and pasted version of the 10b original image into Stable Diffusion and using one of its features to reverse engineer a starting prompt. I increasingly refined that until I was getting something in the vicinity of what I wanted. After generating dozens of images I shortlisted and began an iterative process of refinement in Photoshop and feeding back into Stable Diffusion image-to-image plus inpainting. - Jean Paull
Kaitlyn Ertle / @kaitrosestudio / kaitrosestudio.com
I have not worked with Ai in my art. Yes, this project provided a new perspective no longer based in fear as an artist. It brought my perspective back to reality. As any ceramic artist knows, there is a huge difference between envisioning a design and the material reality of it coming to fruition, or not. Ai did not flesh out my idea, it did not throw the clay on the wheel, sculpt the piece, tend to the slow drying process, carefully select and test glazes, or provide input/inspiration from my lived life experience. Ai simply provided a spark of inspiration. - Kaitlyn Ertle
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Elizabeth Ostendorp / @ellielouceramics
I have not worked with Ai in my art. Yes, this project provided a new perspective no longer based in fear as an artist. It brought my perspective back to reality. As any ceramic artist knows, there is a huge difference between envisioning a design and the material reality of it coming to fruition, or not. Ai did not flesh out my idea, it did not throw the clay on the wheel, sculpt the piece, tend to the slow drying process, carefully select and test glazes, or provide input/inspiration from my lived life experience. Ai simply provided a spark of inspiration. - Kaitlyn Ertle
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Christian Bailey / @christianbceramics / www.christianbaileyceramics.com
I put the constraint upon myself to work with the bottle form, a filigree or stained glass surfaced influenced surface and a concave black surface with sculpted figures. These were things that I pulled from the AI references. I took those influence and hit the sketchbook, quickly laying down ideas before settling one idea. While working on that piece began to see more ideas so a 2nd piece was started. The 2nd piece sparked information for me to apply to a third piece. - Christian Bailey
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Pamma FitzGerald / @pammafitzgerald /pammafitzgerald.wordpress.com
I have not worked with AI before. I now know what people felt like at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. - Pamma FitzGerald.
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Terri DelSignore / @artisticaos_studio /artisticaos.com
As an artist who typically draws inspiration from the natural world and the connections between humans and nature, I found it challenging to connect emotionally with the AI-generated images I chose. The female figures that grabbed my attention, had faces largely devoid of emotion, which made it difficult for me to feel the depth of connection I usually seek in my work. This lack of emotion was a significant and unexpected challenge for me. Ultimately, I focused on one particular female figure who displayed slightly more facial expression, allowing me to form an emotional connection, enough to be inspired to share my own perspective. - Terri DelSignore
Patricia Griffin/ @patriciagriffinceramics /patriciagriffinceramics.com
My usual approach is to use simple and straight-forward forms, focusing my attention on the surface design. However, in this case, I went with an undulating form with lots of curves. The sgraffito designs I made on the surface lead the eye around the curvy vessel, giving more information to the viewer. I'm already using this approach in my next collection. - Patricia Griffin
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Kerin Rose / @kerinrose / www.kerinrose.com
I work pretty intuitively and spontaneously when I create, even if its jewelry. So not a lot of sketching, just direct to clay. This piece is meant for the wall ( french cleat on back) and I love working in bas relief. First I thought a lot about the story...who is this woman and why a pet fish?....I started thinking about pet fish i had when I was a child, and how I always wanted kissing gouramis. They seemed so cool!...so I ended up down a rabbit hole of research into them, just following crumbs, and to my complete surprise and actual dismay, learned that they are NOT kissing each other, but have little hooks in their mouths and are fighting!...I began to float back to the fact that so much in life is not truly as it appears. The idea of the anthropomorphic human faced fish occurred to me as a metaphor for human behavior and the piece was born. I wanted to depict them in a numinous sort of heavenly environment to bring some positive energy...an aquatic and dreamlike yin-yang of sorts. - Kerin Rose
Missy McCormick / @m3mccormick / missymccormick.com /
I have been predominantly surfacing my work with black terra sig since 2016. That was in response to the shift in politics in the US but it quickly grew into a positive representation of the strength and reliability of women throughout history by pulling from references of cast iron cooking vessels and how women contribute in so many ways and often are the strength that allows things to function smoothly. The imagery I chose for inspiration all used color sparingly but very effectively. They had high contrasting black and white surfaces with pops of red and red/orange that was exciting and fitting for transitioning into my current surfacing choices. I responded to the structure found in both the form and surface of the work and a playfulness and confidence within a refined pallet. - Missy McCormick
Clay in general has helped me find my way in the creative world. I tended to stick with more functional pieces because that’s what sells and allows me to keep working. Last year at one point I started to play with more sculptural work and I loved it. This particular project really gave me an opportunity to go back to my sculptural roots and really manipulate the clay in ways I have avoided. Because of this experience, I will absolutely be doing more sculptural work. In fact, I already have and I’m loving the direction. - Renée Pasek
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Tabata Bagatim / @tabatabagatim
Before this project, I had experimented with a couple basic AI-generated images as a starting point for inspiration, much like sketching out ideas before beginning a piece. I see it as a similar process, except instead of drawing the initial sketches myself, the computer generates them based on my prompts, and I decide how much or how little to incorporate into my final work. So far, these AI-generated “sketches” have been helpful in jumpstarting my creative process, though my finished pieces often evolve far beyond the original image. I'm always pleasantly surprised by the transformations that take place along the way. When I first heard about this project, I was excited to see how other artists would interpret and respond to the same prompts. I’ve always been fascinated by how the human mind processes visual and emotional experiences; how a seemingly identical image can evoke such different responses and creations in different people. - Tabata Bagatim
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Ciara Linteau / @ciarajayne / ciarajayne.com
This design from series 6 was really interesting, as I was working my way through I couldn't believe I didn't blow through the vase when pushing in those large indents. And I found that the inside was just as incredible as the outside. My family enjoyed watching me make this piece as they've never seen me handle clay like this before and commented how different it is from my usual styles. I had thought of how I was going to make this piece a lot before I started, and the dotes started to show themselves in my usual wholesale functional work as I got a handle on how I could push and pull before I actually started moving this piece around. - Ciara Linteau
Eva Myers McKimm / @myers.mckimm.ceramics / myers-mckimm.com
Meaghan Gates / @meaghanmgates /www.meaghangates.com
After I chose my image, I began creating sketches of how I could use key components of the image that I found most compelling. I thought about the anatomy of the form that I could create, utilizing details that inspired me from the image. Then, I began to build components in clay that I would then assemble into a form that was authentically my own. I could see it being an issue to find a balance between using an images as inspiration versus trying to copy what you see. Especially if I incorporated AI into a class project. The issue of making sure that you stay true to your authentic voice while using this form of technology could potentially be a issue. - Meaghan Gates
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Tony Young / @riot_ceramics
I probably wasn't as in awe as some because I use Ai myself and was somewhat in the know of it beforehand.... Truly, I was excited. I love the idea of pulling from other imagery for my own inspiration & the idea of pulling inspiration from another artists dreams, thoughts, and words typed into Mid Journey. These Ai generated narratives are so fun to explore & make up your own assumptions at what things mean. Then the imagery is so high quality, yet futuristic feeling... it's the next wave.... and it's exciting. - Tony Young
Anita Lawrence/ @islandclayworks /islandclayworks.com
As long as artists create the actual piece with some form of medium than I think AI has a place in the art world. My concern would be that the AI generated piece would be the art in itself. It's not good enough to tell a computer what to make and that become your art. I still think an artist needs to take that image and create from it. - Anita Lawrence
Marla Benton / @marla.benton / marlabenton.com
I really liked the general sense of form. I wanted to create a vase where people would see that it was in my style, but also see that it was something new...unlike what I usually make. I chose a similar shape and colours, but incorporated an exterior marble run instead of flowers. - Marla Benton
A video to hear the Musical Vase
Kristine Cravens / @kriscravenspottery
The crow has always been a part of my art. I love the idea of exaggeration that the AI images gave me. Giving a character to the crow and making her come to life was exciting. Loved this project. I went on to make several more pieces using Antonneta Crow as my model. It was a very fun project and one that I learned a lot from. - Kris Cravens
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Jennifer Mecca / @jenmecca / jenmeccapottery.com
I was curious about just using AI with clay and using whatever I had learned to incorporate it into my student projects. I teach college kids and AI will soon be a requirement with our curriculum.I really worry that people will not use their own creative minds to come up with ideas. It will make them lazy in that regard but I am also a teacher so I think I am more worried about it effecting young minds and their creativity. - Jen Mecca
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Sheena Mcniff-Wolfe / @sheenamcniffwolfe
The image that dictated the form my piece would take is the image that included the house. I’ve had success with the house form in previous work and feel there is still room to develop this further and in new directions, using it as a vase provided reference to the AI images of vases provided, in the creation of a functional work. Next, the image of the girl holding the fish had me investigating fish native to my area of central Alberta and in this process, I discovered that goldfish are an invasive species in Sylvan Lake, just 20 minutes from me and where my parents live. As I was researching this and discovering what has been done (and continues) to stop the continued growth of this species in the lake and surrounding bodies of water, I came across an article sharing information on invasive plant species and how to limit and/or restrict their growth. I understand that these ox eye daisies are invasive but I enjoy seeing them arrive and growing in my garden! The image of the woman, looking to the right in the AI images provided, became me (also an invasive species as I am not indigenous and am, in fact, a first generation Canadian), my furry cat arm and cat sunglasses referencing both the cat images provided and a cat family (mother and kittens) who have taken to my deck over the summer; the kittens sometimes playing and wrestling in the middle of the night, the mother sometimes hoping for food, sometimes a little pushy and invasive of the space herself. Finally, the work is in clay (I’m wearing the apron I often wear while in the studio) and clay creation invades my thoughts, my sleep (waking up out of the blue with an idea, clay or firing concern), and sometimes creating an obsessive compulsion until the work is finally complete! - Sheena Mcniff-Wolfe
Kimba Frances Kerner / @kimbafranceskerner /kimbakerner.com
I just feel it is important to not extract oneself as a creator from things that are new. There is no necessity to demonize AI artwork, but it is true that it has its pitfalls. For example, even though creators of AI art advertise themselves as full “artists” it is important to recognize that they are in fact directors. They take tools that are available to them and create worlds that otherwise would not exist, and that they would not be able to create on their own. There is room for both kinds of creative processes, because I do not doubt that the imagination necessary for making intricate AI work needs to be one that is powerful. I have seen many incredible endeavors made with AI which I absolutely love, and that resonate with me on a very deep level. I don’t find it a negative part of that work that it was made with AI. Furthermore, the normal effort required to make normal art doesn’t always make great work either. There should be space for respectful exchanges and dialogue, and projects like this one are a great place to start. - Kimba Frances Kerner
Tim Kowalczyk / @timsceramics / tims-ceramics.myshopify.com
I am a fan of skull imagery. The AI prompt combined skulls with the elegance of flowers. This combination immediately invoked the ideas of Egyptian burials and the vessels that might exist with in their burial chambers. I always like to put my brutally Mid-West spin on the fragile elegance of vessels from the past. - Tim Kowalczyk
Jessica Fong and Joel Blum / @jessicafongstudio / @zygoteblum
I think the idea of influence was more interesting than trying to replicate. More often we find better solutions through the problem solving. We were not sure if there would be room for problem solving or experimentation when using Ai. We did have some rooms to explore.
Compared to our other work, We added some more realistic elements to the piece than we were comfortable doing. The Ai designs influenced some of those changes which now we know can translate in the surface design work we already do. Some of the realistic elements do carry with the surface designs. We may try that more often. - Jessica and Joel
Phil Haralam / @philharalam / philharalam.com
I was drawn to a grouping of images and starting by sketching these to deduce them into their basic forms. I used these images and sketches for as foundations of form and color for one vessel. I referenced the original AI images and my sketches as I was making decisions throughout the process. I intentionally deferred to the AI image when I was making these decisions especially when they contradicted my natural instincts. These include elements like the undulating lip, the vertical blue carved areas with an unglazed surface. I thought of this like a collaborative process with another artist. In this case, the artist was a computer. The AI-generated designs invited me to play. These images are so fanciful and different from the sort of things that I would usually integrate into my studio practice. I have several ideas that came from this process and I am sure more will grow as a consequence of this project. - Phil Haralam
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Connie Pike / @conniepike /pikestudio.com
I hope we can always tell the difference between a handmade piece and an ai piece. - Connie Pike
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