CERAMICIST. CREATIVE. MOTHER.
Pilar Swanson, most commonly referred to as ‘Swan’ by her students, spends most of her time teaching at Amity High School. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts from George Fox University, Pilar continued to reside at George Fox to obtain her Masters in Teaching. Despite having an art background throughout her life, she would comment that being able to teach is her art skill. She would continue to say that despite understanding the various art elements and principals of design, teaching is her true passion.
Pilar was first introduced to ceramics during her time at George Fox University. Due to her photographer background, the desire for simplicity and subtle texture are what drive her ceramic practice and her current body of work. Her functional ceramic pieces elevate function with subtle warmth and familiarity.
Her current body of work discusses the relationship between raw clay and familiar landscapes. Pilar’s work is greatly influenced by the backcountry of the Pacific Northwest.
“I want my work to show the beauty of the land I’m surrounded in and the raw nitty-gritty side of ceramics.” -Pilar Swanson
As an avid backpacker, her ceramic work currently display the iconic mountainous landscapes surrounding the Portland area like Mt. Hood, Mt. Saint Helens, and the like.
