Birth might be the most important, mysterious and sacred of life events. This studio session, led by Julia Schuster—an artist and recently trained doula (non-medical birth companion)—explores the parallels between making with clay and the intimate, hands-on care provided during the birthing process.

A doula’s role is to provide continuous support during pregnancy and the postpartum period, so as to empower the birthing person and actively reduce the risk of a traumatic birth experience. Much like clay, our bodies are simultaneously fragile and resilient, capable of change and endowed with memory. What can we as makers in tactile dialogue with clay learn from the path of the doula and the process of birth? How can we listen, feel, be gentle, and be radically committed?

Julia Schuster (*1989, Vienna, Austria) is a visual artist currently residing in the Gothenburg region, Sweden. Her artistic practice manifests as clay and ceramic installations that blend seamlessly with photography, sound, video performances, and written compositions, which take on the form of letters, poems, and artists' books. Her work explores the intricate connections between soil, the human body and emotional landscapes.

Schuster holds an MA in Ceramics from the Royal College of Art in London and a BA in Design from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy. She has undertaken residencies in Denmark, the United Kingdom, Nepal, and in South Korea. Selected exhibitions include New Vibe in Goheung, Goheung Buncheong Culture Museum, South Korea; Species, Soil and Successors, Oyoun, Berlin; (X)sites land art biennial, Sweden; dhak dhak ho-hum ah eekff iii ie, Röda Sten Konsthall, Gothenburg; Manifesto for Clay, Gothenburg International Biennial for Contemporary Art Extended Programme; British Ceramics Biennial, Stoke-on-Trent; Palinsesti, Italy, and Photo Kathmandu, Nepal. She is a recipient of 2023 Västsvenska Kulturfonden, 2022 The Swedish Arts Grants Committee one-year working grant, 2017/2018 Future Lights in Ceramics Award and 2015 Sir Eduardo Paolozzi Travel Grant. Schuster is represented in the collections of Goheung Buncheong Culture Museum, Hasselblad Foundation Library, Austrian Cultural Forum London Library, Marlborough College, amongst others. Since 2019 she is an elected member of the International Academy of Ceramics.

This session is scheduled for next year in 2025: Sundays, January 5, 12, 19, and 26 from 9-11am PST (that’s Los Angeles time).

Registration is $250 and includes all four sessions.

Participants gather via Zoom.