Tony Young graduated from Bowling Green State University and works from his home studio in Ohio. His underglaze work is graffiti inspired with symbolic imagery plastered on every surface. He is a High School art teacher currently in his 19th year. He loves teaching art and especially has a passion for ceramics. Tony’s work has been accepted into more than 25 exhibitions including a feature at Charlie Cummings Gallery and published in Ceramics Monthly.

Artist Statement

My finishes are inspired by graffiti and travels to Europe.  I took a street art tour in Shoreditch of London and that has had a profound influence on my work.  Experiencing the work of Ben Eine, Banksy, Sheperd Fairey, and more sent me down an entirely new path. 

I try to recreate those gritty surfaces by layering bold imagery and text while mixing in elements of my own design work. I am pushing the idea of taking functional contemporary forms and slathering them with so much information it captivates people to explore every inch of the surface.  My work centers around one word: RIOT.  Other common imagery I use often are cats, turtles, hedgehogs, birds and butterflies which all hold their own symbolism.  Some of my designs are hand done, while others I have generated using Ai.  I’m constantly looking for ways to connect to people and I love to hear why people enjoy different pieces of my work.

I’m attempting to create vessels that are not only functional but serve as a memento mori or carpe diem type object to their owners.  Ideally, I want people to feel special and ready to conquer the day when they use my work in their daily rituals!