Zia Hassan, Creative Wanderingz

Zia Hassan is a multi-disciplinary artist working in illustration, pottery, digital and more. All styles of work are encompassed under her brand, Creative Wanderingz, which is now housed at The Monarch in Studio #26. Zia’s work is available for sale online and in her studio, where she engages the community with workshops and classes. This month she will host a Handmade Pottery Maker Series, where students will explore the three hand-building techniques used across the world: Pinch, Coil, and Slab. Watch the video and read our Q&A with Zia below to learn more about the artist and her creative practice in her own words.

I started my journey into clay last year, and now feel fortunate to have a space at The Monarch to experiment, create, and connect. Thanks, Kenn, for this amazing spotlight video 🙂 Life has a funny way of changing course in a moment for me and this new chapter definitely has me excited to explore more of not only what is out there, but also what I am capable of.

Posted by Zia Hassan on Saturday, February 8, 2020

Q&A: Zia Hassan

Describe your creative practice. What are the different mediums you work in?

Creative Wanderingz was born out of the need to visually express my emotions. Starting in 2016 with hand-drawn and painted illustrations, the practice has evolved into more of a design lab. My creative practice is based on the belief that art is the result of mastering your craft. The more you explore and practice the process of creating, art will organically emerge. As my practice has grown, so has the curiosity to explore various art mediums and forms available. I work in several different mediums: watercolor, ink, digital software, camera and clay. The forms of art that I explore using these mediums include painting, illustration, calligraphy, ceramics and photography.

What are some of the inspirations for your work?

My main inspirations are cultural heritages and the natural world. My formal academic training includes anthropology and archeology, so I have always been fascinated with both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. As a designer, I have always looked at them for inspiration. That is why I really like to research and explore the traditional techniques, the evolution of material cultures and influences on the arts. I am also captivated by the natural world. The textures, patterns, colors, and the beautiful combinations of imperfections that make up our earth. Given these interests, I attempt to merge the two in my work, especially through ceramics.

What would we find you working on if we walked into your studio right now?

Currently, my focus is on ceramics, more specifically the hand-building techniques. I am usually in my studio pinching pots or coil building a vessel.

Tell us about the upcoming events and workshops you have planned in your studio.

To get more people informed and interested in hand-built ceramics, I am offering a series of four workshops called “Handmade Pottery Maker Series.” Each two part workshop will explore different hand-building techniques. The first of the series is focused on pinch pots. Pinching technique is the perfect introduction to the beautiful vast world of clay and is recommended for all levels of skills. For more information on the workshops, you can visit: https://creativewanderingz.com/workshops or email me at creativewanderingz@gmail.com. And if you would like to register, please fill out the form at https://creativewanderingz.com/workshop-registration

Click the links below to learn more about each session and sign up!