Ivy Mattson’s ceramic work grows from a love of stories and the fleeting moments that shape memory. Through clay, she explores facets of feminine experience, where softness becomes both adornment and armor. Her wheel-thrown and altered forms feature draped surfaces, flowing Art Nouveau lines, and carved “windows” that reveal structure, light, and the body. Motifs drawn from plants, animals, and nostalgia echo themes of childhood wonder, love, loss, and everyday magic. Jewel-toned and microcrystalline glazes deepen this emotional landscape, creating vessels where tenderness and strength coexist.
Mattson’s practice is rooted in the desire to hold onto moments of connection and wonder, even as memories shift or fade. Her work is guided by the same curiosity and drive for growth that she encourages in her students; as a visual art teacher, she continues to learn through residencies, workshops, and daily studio exploration. Inviting touch and reflection, her functional pieces offer space to pause, remember, and find meaning in the present.