Artists in Residence & Fellow

Carley Holzem (she / her)
2025-2026 Artist-in-Residence
2024-2025 Rittenberg Artist-in-Residence

Carley grew up in a small rural town in central Wisconsin called Mosinee. In high school, she began to love all types of art and grew a passion for pottery. She then went on to get her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin Stout with a BFA in ceramics. After graduating she went to Minneapolis for the year-long Fogelberg residency at Northern Clay Center.

“The construction of my functional porcelain body of work is thrown and altered with various attachments. I dramatize spouts, handles, and feet to enhance the dynamics and gestures of each form. The complexity of nature and living organisms is what drives me to include contrasting sections and textures. I look at colors from poisonous animals and plants because they are deadly yet beautiful. I find that this dichotomy relates to the experience of standing out as a queer feminine person and having to protect oneself. My pottery is initially read as feminine but the faceted surface underneath the shiny glaze highlights the rough and sharp qualities of the natural material of clay. The objects I choose to make are simple within their function but command attention through their delicate yet awkward aesthetic. My work is meant to feel youthful and vibrant with a bit of fantasy.”

View Carley Holzem: The Sunroom, presented at Clay Art Center Gallery, June 25 - August 2, 2025

Alvaro Villa (he / him)
2025-2026 Rittenberg Artist-in-Residence

Alvaro is a first-generation Mexican-American from Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas. From a young age, he felt a profound connection to the Moon, a guiding force that shaped his spirituality and artistic journey. This connection was his first glimpse into the world of magic and ritual, personal spirituality, Mexican healing practices rooted in indigenous wisdom and mysticism, which continues to inspire his life and creative work. Alvaro grew up meeting healers, curanderos, brujos, and brujas within his community. These encounters enriched his understanding of spirituality and culture, further fueling his creative spirit. As an Aquarian, a middle child, and someone navigating dyslexia, Alvaro found solace and freedom in art.

Alvaro’s craft has become a spiritual temple, a space where he channels his identity, experiences, and imagination into vivid, transformative works. He earned a BFA in ceramics, sculpture, and painting from the University of North Texas and recently earned an MFA in ceramic art at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Alvaro lives with his magical companion, Lluna, a cat whose presence adds a touch of enchantment to his creative life.

Christine Raposas (she / her)
2025-2026 Artist-in-Residence
2024-2025 Artist-in-Residence

Christine grew up surrounded by many types of art, but developed a deep love for ceramics in college, where she graduated from Alfred University with a BFA. She also studied painting, drawing, and art history in study abroad programs in Paris and Florence. After graduating, Christine completed a Post Baccalaureate program at Kansas State University.

“My work attempts to tackle the impossible motion of flame, the fragile temperament of the ocean, and the all-consuming yet gentle touch of the wind. Clay, both flexible and forgiving, grants me the freedom to chase physical aspects of each element, or at least the shapes they take in my mind.

But more than that, my sculptures showcase a certain harmony between clay and glaze, because each sculpture ultimately becomes more than the sum of its parts. Clay is the sturdy foundation that all else depends upon, but glaze truly makes my work sing.

I try to capture the colors, textures, and motion of this life, so that, even through a motionless sculpture, I can bring viewers to a world they’ve never occupied.“

View Christine Raposas: Opposable Thumbs, presented at Clay Art Center Gallery, June 25 - August 2, 2025

Stephanie Perez (she / her)
2025-2026 Westchester Community Foundation Fellow
2024-2025 Westchester Community Foundation Fellow
2023-2024 Westchester Community Foundation Fellow

Stephanie Perez (Westchester Community Fellow) is an emerging ceramic artist and instructor with a BS in psychology and sociology from Fordham University. Drawing inspiration from her academic background, her artwork challenges established notions and invites contemplation about the interplay between familiarity and humanity.

While Stephanie's sculptures often portray exaggerated features and proportions, they never lose their profound humanistic essence. Through manipulation of facial expressions, sometimes even through the absence of a face, she evokes a wide range of emotions in her artwork. Stephanie's exploration extends to various glazing and finishing techniques, enabling her pieces to transcend boundaries, pushing the likeness to the human form. Stephanie strives to further push these boundaries of physical likeness, all while maintaining a strong sense of relatability to the human experience.

View Stephanie Perez: Remnants of Cognition, presented at Clay Art Center Gallery, June 25 - August 2, 2025

This fellowship was made possible by the Westchester Community Foundation, a division of The New York Community Trust. Westchester Community Foundation’s mission is to connect generous people to the causes they care about and invest in transformative ideas and organizations to improve lives and strengthen our community. WCF is a division of The New York Community Trust, one of the largest community foundations in the country, with assets of approximately $3 billion.