Bio
John Quick is a ceramic artist whose work bridges mold-making, casting, and hand-building, creating pieces that balance precision with expressive form. Originally from Northeast Florida, Quick relocated to Austin, Texas, inspired by the city’s creative energy and progressive spirit. Their practice reflects a dedication to craft, community, and the ongoing exchange of ideas within shared studio spaces.
Quick earned a BA in painting and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, in 2019. While their undergraduate studies focused on painting, drawing, and design, it was after graduation—through work with a local production ceramicist—that they discovered a lasting passion for clay. Their technical training has since been enriched by workshops and immersive study at nationally recognized craft institutions, including Penland School of Craft and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Notably, they served as a studio assistant for Matt Repsher’s six-week Penland concentration Finding Form and Surface (2022) and Brooks Oliver’s two-week intensive Playful Plaster Molds (2023).
Growing up in a conservative area of Florida, Quick developed an early interest in exploring themes of ‘otherness’ and their queer identity through their artwork which includes functional and sculptural ceramics, later expanding their skills through both academic and independent exploration. Quick describes their practice as an attempt to create pieces that foster a deeper engagement with the objects we inhabit and challenge their inherent value beyond mere functionality. They have been deeply influenced by time spent in community-centered craft schools, where collaboration, shared resources, and communal learning shaped their approach to making. Quick hopes this emphasis on connection continues to inform their work in Austin’s ceramics scene.
Quick currently works as an independent studio artist in Austin, producing both one-of-a-kind and small-batch ceramic works. They have also collaborated with production ceramicists, including long-term work with Lauren Ytterbom Ceramics (2017–2023), honing skills in efficient, high-quality production methods. Their professional experience includes teaching wheel-throwing at Flagler College, as well as contributing to studio processes at NPage Studios/Lostine—a lighting and design company in Philadelphia—over the past year
Quick’s work has been exhibited nationally, with recent and upcoming shows including Small Favors at The Clay Studio (Philadelphia, PA), The Cup, The Mug. at Main Street Arts (Clifton Springs, NY), multiple exhibitions with YOWIE (Philadelphia, PA), and a group show in the Fall of 2025 at Graver’s Lane Gallery (Chestnut Hill, PA). In 2025, they participated in the Pentaculum invitational residency at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Their ceramics have been featured in publications such as Vanity Fair, Dezeen, and the Penland Blog, and collected by makers and enthusiasts nationwide.