Artist Bio

Jordan Coons is a ceramic artist and arts educator based in Syracuse, NY, whose work bridges craft and fine art through functional and sculptural forms. Her practice explores themes of human nature, resilience, strength, fragility, and care through intricate surfaces and layered forms. Drawing from traditional ceramic techniques and contemporary approaches to carving and texture, her work uses ornament and visual metaphor to create objects that invite reflection and connection.

Jordan earned a B.S. in Art Education from Buffalo State College and an M.A. in Art Education from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Alongside her studio practice, she is passionate about empowering students to discover their own creative voices. Her work has been recognized through awards and regional exhibitions and reflects an ongoing interest in the ways everyday objects can carry meaning, memory, and emotional resonance.

Artist Statement

My work explores the body as a vessel, using ornate carved surfaces and layered forms as metaphors for the ways we present ourselves to the world. Decorative exteriors mirror the adornment of our own bodies, while openings and negative space reveal inner forms, reflecting the complexity beneath surface appearances and our desire to truly see and understand one another.

Through functional ceramics I examine the relationship between exterior and interior, beauty and utility, strength and fragility. I embrace imperfections as opportunities to challenge ideals of perfection and production, allowing cracks, irregularities, and traces of process to become part of each piece’s story. My work speaks to vulnerability, resilience, and the shared humanity that exists beneath our surfaces, inviting viewers to approach themselves and others with greater care, compassion, and curiosity.