Kate Arford is a ceramic artist based in Tempe, Arizona, where she received her BFA from Arizona State University. Kate has worked in ceramics for 9 years and currently teaches ceramics at Pip Coffee & Clay and Edna Vihel Arts Center.
She has created site specific installations at locations like Consanti, Danelle Plaza, and shown in galleries such as, Walter Where? House, Gallery 100, and Harry Wood Gallery.
Her work focuses on kinetic objects, drawing inspiration from the playful nature of toys, and their commentary on escapism.
Artist Statement
Dreaming was a primary form of play for me as a child, an escape into a world where I could show up and engage without the burdens of anxiety. My dream world wasn’t one filled with fairies and dragons; instead, it was a space for freedom and possibilities. In my work, I create kinetic objects that are reminiscent of toys, embodying my journey of nostalgia, loss, and whimsical exploration. I primarily work in ceramics, often combining it with light and metal.
These pieces serve to invite a dialogue between fantasy and reality, to exist in the nuance. Through this commentary, I reflect on the complexity of my experiences growing up. My creative process empowers me to indulge in new realities, allowing my dreams to exist for tangible moments outside my mind. I invite you to step into this imaginative space, to reflect on your own experiences of growing up, and to embrace the fleeting nature of these moments.
Kate Arford
info@kate-arford.com
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EDUCATION
2025
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Ceramics), Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
Certificate of Entrepreneurship & Innovation in Design and the Arts
2021
Boulder Creek High School, Anthem, Arizona
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2025
Ceramics Teacher, Edna Vihel Arts Center, Tempe, Arizona, January-current
2024
Curatorial Assistant, Cece Cole Studios, Form Space Vision, Scottsdale, August-
current
Public Art Intern, Scottsdale Arts, Scottsdale, Arizona, May-August
2023
Wheel Throwing Teacher, Pip Coffee & Clay, Phoenix, May-Current
2022
Handbuilding Instructor, Kittles Fine Arts Supplies, Show Low, May-July
EXHIBITIONS
–GROUP
2025
Ephemeral: Where Memory Shifts, Gallery 100, Tempe, Az, April
Affirmations, Walter Where? House, Phoenix, Az, January-June
2024
Neon Baton, Neon Club, Private House, Paradise Valley, Az, December
Chamber Series, Neon Club, Ice House, Phoenix, Az, March
Clay Club, Display case, Art Building, Arizona State University, February
2023
Tree of Life, Cosanti, Paradise Valley, May-June
2022
Carne Diem, Gallery 100, Arizona State University, December
Objects en Feu, Danelle Plaza, Tempe AZ, December
Identities through Wood, Art Building, Arizona State University, May
AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS, RESIDENCIES
2024
President, Clay Club at ASU, Arizona State University
Making It as an Artist: Real-World Advice for College Students, Panel talk,
Tempe, Arizona, November
2023
Vice President, Clay Club at ASU, Arizona State University
Volunteer, Ceramics Research Center, Tempe, Arizona, June
2020
1st Place Wheel, Deer Valley Art Show
BIBLIOGRAPHY/PUBLICATIONS
2022
Nguyen, Madeline, The State Press Magazine, Passion Over Pay: challenging
the starving artist stereotype, Nov 7 2022