Daily Inspiration: Meet Micah Sweezie

Today we’d like to introduce you to Micah Sweezie

Hi Micah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am a sculptor and ceramic artist from Kalamazoo, Michigan. I earned my BFA from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 2022, it was during school where I honed my skillset in ceramics. Since graduating, I have exhibited in multiple solo and group exhibitions, attended various artist residencies, and executed an independent research trip abroad. My artistic practice is often influenced by my dichotomous upbringing – I grew up in both America and Vietnam. I frequently look towards my identity as a central motivation for my studio practice.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road for my career thus far has been fairly smooth. However, overall support has declined for most careers in the arts which makes self-advocacy difficult sometimes in this industry. My biggest struggle as an independent artist is maintaining a consistent income. This is unfortunately common for most artists I know of. Even if I am currently exhibiting and selling work, I must be mindful to reserve my earnings to sustain me during periods in which I am not exhibiting. This volatility is obviously not ideal but is the somber reality most artists experience at one point or another during their career.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Within my practice I obviously have an affinity towards ceramics and sculpture but I like to believe my skillset to be interdisciplinary. Within sculptural processes, I have extensive interest and experience utilizing moulds. I am fascinated by the appropriation of forms and textures through the use of moulds and like to compare my molded processes to industrial molded productions. A lot of my artwork can be recognized as mine through my extensive use of molded and cast forms, but additionally can be recognized through my reoccurring, visual vocabulary to articulate conceptual narratives. I have been making a lot of work inspired by rubber tire manufacturing and the dark history that has operated within the industry. As of late, some of my proudest works are a series of blue and white porcelain vases I crafted while studying abroad in Vietnam. This series of vases expands upon my tire related work but juxtaposes industrial forms with neo-traditional surfacing to compare manufacturing labor to Vietnamese craft labor.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I believe we are currently experiencing a trend and rise in popularity within ceramics and ceramic fine art. Over the last 20 years, ceramic art has exceedingly penetrated the hierarchy of fine arts as it has long been denoted as a “less-than” craft. Nowadays, ceramic art is more common among gallery and exhibition spaces but still has a long way to go. Within the public’s perception, clay has recently been trending and viral online through social media videos. This has concurrently sparked greater interests for people to enroll in ceramic courses or workshops or to simply buy more craft ceramic wares. I do think all of this new found popularity has been good for the industry, however I do believe the trend will subside in a few years.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://micahsweezie.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceramicnoodles/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ceramicnoodles