Whimsical Forms and Thoughtful Surfaces: Nikki Kwong
Our monthly artist windows continue to spotlight the incredible range of creativity within the Brick & Mortar community. Each month, one of our artists transforms the front window shelf space into a small, ever-changing exhibition as an invitation to pause, look closer, and experience their work up close.
This month, we’re excited to feature Nikki Kwong — a familiar face in the studio and one of our beloved instructors.
artist window: nikki kwong
San Francisco–based ceramic artist and glaze technician Nikki Kwong brings a sense of curiosity, play, and experimentation to everything she creates. Her work often blurs the line between functional object and character-driven sculpture, resulting in pieces that feel both thoughtful and delightfully unexpected.
If you’ve spent time in the studio, you may already recognize Nikki’s whimsical creatures: playful forms full of personality and charm. In her “Duck Mug” series, sculpted bills and wings become handles, transforming everyday objects into expressive, almost animated companions. It’s a perfect example of how Nikki challenges traditional ideas of utility while still honoring function.
Nikki’s path in ceramics began at City College of San Francisco, where she studied ceramics and glaze chemistry under Don Santos from 2017 to 2019. That foundation continues to shape her practice today, particularly in her deep commitment to testing, refining, and understanding materials at a technical level.
A pivotal moment in Nikki’s work came with her transition from Cone 10 reduction to Cone 5 oxidation firing. This shift expanded her creative toolkit and opened the door to brighter colors, new materials like inclusion stains, and a different approach to surface design, while also reinforcing her appreciation for the techniques and community found in studio spaces like Ruby’s Clay Studio and Brick & Mortar.
At the heart of Nikki’s practice is experimentation. Whether she’s developing new glaze surfaces, prototyping forms, or refining small details, there’s a constant sense of exploration that keeps the work evolving.
That same spirit carries into her teaching. At Brick & Mortar, Nikki leads classes in glaze chemistry and other creative, boundary-pushing topics, including workshops where students can build their own Bluetooth speakers from clay. Their approach invites students to get curious, take risks, and think differently about what’s possible in ceramics.
Be sure to stop by the studio to see Nikki’s artist window in person, where her playful forms, thoughtful surfaces, and technical expertise come together in a way that’s uniquely her own.
