Christine Goh Artist Statement I am a ceramic artist creating sculptures with a focus on craft and materiality, exploring the inherent duality at the intersection of the built environment and the natural world.An intrinsic vitality emerges at the intersection of our structured surroundings and the untamed rhythm of nature, colliding and coalescing in a balance of tension and harmony. I am deeply drawn to the tactile resonance of weathered materials, time worn surfaces, they convey a soulful connection to place.
My work is inspired by radical architectural design that radiates material and structural integrity and responds to site context, culture, landscape and climate. I am influenced by ceramic artists who challenge the boundaries of clay, deriving their aesthetics through disciplined investigation of material, structure and surface.
Born in Singapore, I was raised amidst Singapore's rapid urban expansion, immersed in its inherent multiculturalism that constantly evolved around me. Singapore is a melting pot of languages, crafts and cuisines. Heritage and modernity are woven into layered and complex narratives. My work thrives in the curiosity and fusion of cross-cultural influences to create hybrid material narrative.
I view craft as the physical manifestation of culture—a tangible convergence of vernacular materials, communal needs, and skills. Craft is a visual language rooted in its origins, preserving techniques and narratives across generations, while remaining highly adaptable to technical and cross-cultural influences over time.
I seek a synthesis of minimalist restraint and lush abundance in my work, leveraging the rhythmic tension between symmetry and asymmetry to create visual harmony.
Clay is my primary medium of infinite adaptability, chosen for its sensory malleability and its capacity for transformation. I approach clay as an active collaborator, pushing its structural boundaries through experimental materiality.By integrating grog, cellulose fiber, and oxides into clay, I build compositions that are further transformed by the volatility of the kiln—where firing temperatures, reactive glazes and the atmospheric addition of soda ash converge. The resulting forms exist at the intersection of duality: a balance of rigorous control and the wonder of surprise. Artist Process I work across wheel-thrown, altered, and hand-built processes, incorporating various additions—including grog, cellulose fiber, and oxides—into stoneware and porcelain. Through mono-printing, mark-making, intricate carving, and expressive brushwork, I build layered surfaces using slips, stains, oxides, and glazes. Every piece is created with close attention to material nuance, process, and detail. My work is fired in both electric (oxidation) and gas (soda and reduction) kilns, ranging from mid-range cone 6 (2232°F) to high-fire cone 10 (2381°F). Selected works featuring gold luster overglaze undergo an additional firing at cone 018 (1283°F) to achieve their final finish.
Artist Bio Born in Singapore and based in Bethesda, Maryland, Christine holds degrees in Fine Arts and Architecture from the National University of Singapore, as well as a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Artisanry from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Her engagement with traditional pottery and modern ceramics began while working as an architect in Tokyo, and she created her first pinched pot in a small Bangkok studio 16 years ago. Currently, she is an instructor at Glen Echo Pottery and serves as the Gallery Director for the Glen Echo Pottery Gallery. Christine is also a member of the Washington Ceramic Guild and Scope Gallery at the Torpedo Factory Art Center.
Awards
2025 First Place in Ceramics Award 35th Creative Crafts Council Biennial Exhibition Thank you distinguished panel of jurors: Michael Janis, Co-Director of the Washington Glass School & Studio, blends his architectural expertise with a disciplined approach to glass art, managing site-specific and public art commissions since 2005. Robert Devers is an artist with a multi-faceted practice that includes ceramics, sculpture, painting, and photography. He is currently the Coordinator for the Center for Craft Studies at VisArts in Rockville, MD. Mary Higgins is an independent curator and consults with working artists on the development of their marketing and digital media presence through her consultancy, Distinct Studios.
2022 Ceramics Award Visual Arts Center of Richmond 58th Annual Craft + Design Show Thank you distinguished panel of jurors: Alexis Assam (VMFA’s Regenia A. Perry Assistant Curator of Global Contemporary Art), Dr Carmenita Higginbotham (Dean of the VCU School of Fine Arts) and Dr Karen Sherry (VMHC’s Museum Collections Curator).
2023 Washington Ceramic Guild Excellence in Ceramic Award 34th Creative Crafts Council Biennial Exhibition Thank you distinguished panel of jurors: Jaimianne Jacobin (Executive Director of the James Renwick Alliance for Craft, Executive Officer for the Creative Crafts Council, Executive Director of the Shenandoah Arts Council, and owner of The Gray Gallery) Lynda Smith-Bugge (Wood artist, Project Coordinator at the Zenith Community Arts Foundation) April Wood (Metalsmith, sculptor, and jeweler. Co-founder of the community arts education space the Baltimore Jewelry Center)
