Work samples

  • Something's Not Right
    Something's Not Right

    2021, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, electric-firing, (6, 8, 10 inches)

  • Hiding
    Hiding

    2022, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, gas-firing, (22, 14, 16 inches)

  • Revealing
    Revealing

    2022, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, gas-firing, (28, 16, 15 inches)

  • Rising
    Rising

    2022, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, gas-firing, (32, 14, 14 inches)

About Vanna

Vanna Ramirez is a Baltimore-based artist with a passion for clay, exploring the boundaries of both sculptural and functional ceramics. Her work challenges the possibilities of her materials, combining technical expertise with creative experimentation. Vanna holds a BS in Studio Art from Skidmore College and has furthered her education through the Special Student Program at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, workshops at Penland and Haystack, and… more

Somewhere Between Chaos and Silence

"Somewhere Between Chaos and Silence" is a collection of figural sculptures that merges stoneware, porcelain, and light in unconventional ways. Stoic figures, shrouded in painful and malignant overgrowths, embody diverse conditions of adversity. Their textured surfaces reveal a paradox of skin—as both a shield and a record of suffering—while masks and gestures of concealment speak to the human desire to hide pain.

The interplay of light brings their struggles into focus, symbolically illuminating their plights while evoking tranquility and hope. Yet, this captivating glow obscures deeper truths, blinding viewers to the unsettling reality of these forms. This collection explores the contradictory and fleeting nature of human experiences, poised between concealment and revelation, order and chaos, pain and beauty, despair and resilience.

  • Somewhere Between Chaos and Silence
    Somewhere Between Chaos and Silence

    Somewhere Between Chaos and Silence, (Solo Exhibition installation view), (8 x 12 feet), Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD, 2022

  • Rising
    Rising

    Rising, 2022, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, gas-firing, (32, 14, 14 inches)

  • Rising
    Rising

    Rising, 2022, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, gas-firing, (32, 14, 14 inches)

  • Rising
    Rising

    Rising, 2022, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, gas-firing, (32, 14, 14 inches)

  • Revealing
    Revealing

    Revealing, 2022, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, gas-firing, (28, 16, 15 inches)

  • Revealing
    Revealing

    Revealing, 2022, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, gas-firing, (28, 16, 15 inches)

  • Hiding
    Hiding

    Hiding, 2022, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, gas-firing, (22, 14, 16 inches)

  • Something's Not Right
    Something's Not Right

    Something's Not Right, 2021, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, electric-firing, (6, 8, 10 inches)

  • Something's Not Right
    Something's Not Right

    Something's Not Right, 2021, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, electric-firing, (6, 8, 10 inches)

  • Something's Not Right
    Something's Not Right

    Something's Not Right, 2021, stoneware and porcelain, internal LED components, electric-firing, (6, 8, 10 inches)

Quiet and Quieter

In this new exploration, I extend the themes of 'Somewhere Between Chaos and Silence' into a realm focused on contemplation and introspection. The new works continue to incorporate the same blend of porcelain, stoneware, and light, but diverge from figural representation, embracing abstraction and organic forms. These pieces expand on the tension between growth and stillness, where the softness of porcelain contrasts with the ruggedness of stoneware, and light once again becomes a transformative agent, shifting perception. They invite a quiet dialogue of balance, presence, and fragility. Through this exploration, I reflect on the subtle, sometimes invisible moments found in the quiet spaces between noise and silence, chaos and order.

  • Nidus
    Nidus

    2023, 10 x 8 x 12.5 inches, stoneware, porcelain and internal LED component, electric-fired, cone 7

    Available for Purchase
  • Nidus
    Nidus

    2023, 10 x 8 x 12.5 inches, stoneware, porcelain and internal LED component, electric-fired, cone 7

    Available for Purchase
  • Nidus
    Nidus

    2023, 10 x 8 x 12.5 inches, stoneware, porcelain and internal LED component, electric-fired, cone 7

    Available for Purchase
  • Symbiosis
    Symbiosis

    2023, 9 x 5 x 7 inches, stoneware, porcelain and internal LED component, electric-fired, cone 7

    Available for Purchase
  • Symbiosis
    Symbiosis

    2023, 9 x 5 x 7 inches, stoneware, porcelain and internal LED component, electric-fired, cone 7

    Available for Purchase
  • Symbiosis
    Symbiosis

    2023, 9 x 5 x 7 inches, stoneware, porcelain and internal LED component, electric-fired, cone 7

    Available for Purchase

Whilst We Whistle in the Dark

'Whilst We Whistle in the Dark' is a series of spirited whistles that celebrate life’s small, wondrous moments—the little delights and surprises that often go unnoticed yet bring positive energy to our everyday lives. Inspired by the rich tradition of Pre-Columbian whistles from the Americas, this exploration of form bridges ancient artistry and storytelling with a contemporary appreciation for life’s subtle details. Each piece playfully encourages us to rediscover curiosity and joy, even in the face of uncertainty and adversity.

 

  • Tell Me Everything
    Tell Me Everything

    2025, 3 x 2.5 x 2 inches, earthenware, electric-fired, cone 02

     

    A whistle cup that wheedles out your deepest confessions.

    Available for Purchase
  • Tell Me Everything
    Tell Me Everything

    2025, 3 x 2.5 x 2 inches, earthenware, electric-fired, cone 02

     

    A whistle cup that wheedles out your deepest confessions.

    Available for Purchase
  • I Yam What I Yam and a Yam is All That I Yam
    I Yam What I Yam and a Yam is All That I Yam

    2025, 2.25 x 1 x 1.5 inches, earthenware, electric-fired, cone 02

     

    A yam whistle to summon all true yams.

    Available for Purchase