Artist Biography

Michaela Knutson is a ceramic artist based out of North Dakota and is currently studying ceramics at Minnesota State University Moorhead. She has a fascination for everything that many consider creepy or crawly. She creates both functional and sculptural ceramic works, often tying in her love of reptiles, amphibians, insects, and other invertebrates.

Artist Statement

I make both sculptural and functional ceramic work, often involving invertebrate motifs. I enjoy the physicality of working with clay, the three-dimensionality of the media, and the presence of the finished product that begs the viewer to interact with it. Much of my art is functional and can have a purpose outside of being strictly decorative. While I am inspired by nature as a whole, I find that I gravitate back toward creating art inspired specifically by invertebrates. There is something about these creatures that evokes my curiosity and fascination. While they are commonly considered creepy or ugly, I find that these small aspects of nature have a beauty to them that I highlight in my art. I often play with the scale of my subjects which highlights their features and gives the viewer the experience of seeing them in a way that they are often not seen.