Pursuits: The Light and Dark in Joey Chiarello’s Ceramic Sculptures
Do you take demons with your tea?
The ceramic creations that artist Joey Chiarello posts on his Instagram, @demonsinmytea, may look intimidating, but in a way, they’re only human. At age 5, Chiarello’s older sister told him he was adopted, and Chinese—both untrue, but he believed it for a year. Growing up in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, he was far removed from Eastern culture, but after stumbling on a Japanese woodblock print book at a local library, he felt an immediate connection. He delved deep into Japanese culture, Buddhism and Shintoism, even declaring himself Japanese.
Though he no longer identifies that way, his childhood explorations ignited a lifelong passion for Japanese folklore and its creatures that are now reflected in his ceramic creations. “This one is based on my brother; he’s not with us anymore,” he says of the tiger featured above. Much of his art depicts an acceptance of struggle and gratitude for life. “We all have our humanness, and yes, we are emotion factories. But we’re all OK, that’s just the way it is.”
SEE ALSO: Home of the Tigers: McKinley High School’s Artist Legacy
