Sean Lutz (he/they) is an interdisciplinary artists and educator whose practice consists of ceramics, installation, video, and performance. He was born in southern Massachusetts and is now based in Medford. Since joining MCA in September 2019, he says, “I have had the incredible opportunity to work with both our young and adult artist community in both handbuilding and wheel throwing.”
What’s your earliest memory of the arts?
My earliest memory of art is the beautiful horses I’d beg my mom to draw. I had perceived her to be a master of such craft! I was very encouraged to be expressive through the arts in my childhood, and I was in many musical productions and created visual art projects.
Do you have a favorite memory or story about MCA?
My favorite memory of MCA has been working with my adult students last session—many beginners, with little to no experience behind the wheel, learning the tactile language of clay. It is incredible to witness someone understand what it means to feel centered with the clay on the wheel, something I am looking forward to experiencing in the future.
How have you stayed connected to the arts these past nine months?
With every tribulation in 2020, I have depended on art and process, and I have found it to be a very contemplative and constructive time in my making. I have spent time both in and out of the studio researching new methods of creating, which would facilitate my restricted abilities within the confined space of my bedroom….. felted laundry lint has been on my mind.
Who’s your favorite artist (of any form—visual arts, theater, music, dance)?
My favorite artist is Toshiko Takaezu. I love the mysticism of her ceramic vessels. Through her, I learned what it means to have a pot which is quiet and present, and what it means to allow the material to become an extension of yourself.
Do you have a favorite quote about the arts or one you’d like to share?
I have always looked to John Baldessari’s What Thinks Me, a manifesto which states, “I want to engage in the spiritualization of matter and the materialization of the spirit.”
The featured photo shows A Quiet Storm Shelf, displaying some of Sean’s ceramic work. To learn more about Sean, visit his website.
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