About
Biography
As a ceramic and fiber artist, Nicole McLaughlin has been heavily influenced by her multicultural upbringing. As a daughter of an American father and Mexican mother—her identity has long been shaped by a collision of two cultures. Nicole earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Kansas City Art Institute. Her work has been exhibited nationally and is held in numerous private collections, as well as the permanent collections of the Fuller Craft Museum and the Fidelity Investments Art Collection. In 2024, she was named an Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly and was included in Objects: USA 2024, the American Design Triennial group exhibition presented by R & Company in New York City. The exhibition celebrated the groundbreaking work of some of today’s most innovative American artists and designers. Her studio practice engages in the preservation of craft traditions through intentional reinvention. Nicole draws inspiration from Mexican ceramics, textiles, and cultural tradition to explore the intersection of motherhood, femininity, and cultural inheritance. The reflection on her evolving identity after becoming a mother has brought with it, the greatest responsibility—to foster a connection that transcends time.
Nicole is currently working from her home studio in Yarmouth Port, MA and is represented by Anderson Yezerski Gallery in Boston, MA
Artist Statement
My studio practice is a ritualization that celebrates and questions my cultural inheritance as a woman, depicting the dichotomies of my heritage through the combination of ceramics and fiber. As the daughter of an American father and a Mexican mother, my identity has long been shaped by the collision of two cultures. Through the manipulation of traditional processes and materials associated with domesticity, I explore the profound intersections of femininity, motherhood, and identity through works featuring natural dyes: indigo and cochineal.
The vessel embodies both the symbolic and literal functions of womanhood. Fiber flows through the ceramic distorting its function while continuing to carry meaning. The varied use of thread symbolizes the often unseen labor of motherhood, echoed in the meticulous details of knotting, binding, and embroidery. Through vessels, tiles, floral motifs, and intricate patterns, my artwork reflects both individual identity and broader cultural symbols of womanhood, birth, and rebirth.
The use of cochineal, derived from the grinding of insects, yields colors ranging from vibrant reds to soft pinks and purples. The transformation of this organic material echoes the transformative nature of motherhood. This range of color captures an intense emotional spectrum—from the vitality of birth to softer, more intimate moments of care and connection. Indigo, a main ingredient in the historical pigment known as Maya Blue, was said to hold the healing power of water within agricultural communities. In my work, Indigo draws a parallel between the life force of water and the power of maternal nourishment. The use of cochineal and indigo adds a layer of historical and personal resonance, tying my experiences as a woman to the broader legacies of my Mexican heritage. My studio practice intentionally embraces the conceptual nature of the materials employed to create my work.
I engage in the preservation of craft traditions by bringing them into a contemporary space through intentional reinvention. Continuing the conversations woven into the tapestry of Mexican craft. I pick up the threads of those who came before me and add my own voice. As I reflect on my evolving identity, becoming a mother has brought with it the greatest responsibility: fostering a connection that transcends time.