Jolie Ngo
A biography
Jolie Ngo (b. 1996) explores the intersection of craft, technology, and community. Working from her studio in Santa Barbara, she expands the boundaries of ceramic art through a multifaceted and playfully subversive approach, stripping away the seriousness often associated with ceramic traditions and forging a new conceptual and experimental path. Known for blending 3D printing technology with hand-painted kaleidoscopic imagery, Ngo’s objects become a composite of patterns that, from one angle, appear disparate but from another, form familiar landscapes. These hazy gradients reference her interest in digital spaces as places of connection, as well as her Vietnamese American heritage. Faceted forms evoke traditional silk lanterns, while layered textures recall topographic views of rice paddies. Expanding beyond tabletop objects to functional lighting, Ngo continues to shape a new narrative for contemporary ceramics and design.
Born and raised in and outside of Philadelphia, she holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Her work has been featured in T Magazine, Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, and Galerie Magazine, among others, and is held in the collections of the Museum of Arts and Design, Everson Museum of Art, Museum of Rhode Island School of Design, and Carnegie Museum of Art.