BIO
Mila Vovk is a ceramic sculptor who lives and works in Los Angeles / Irvine, CA, USA. She was born in Germany, Dresden, and grew up in Kazakhstan.
She has a Master of Fine Arts degree from the State University in Veliky Novgorod, Russia, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the College of Art in Pskov, Russia. Mila Vovk immediately opened her ceramics studio after emigrating to the United States in 2014.
Mila Vovk participates in many exhibitions and international competitions. She is a finalist in the Cheongju International Craft Biennale, Cheongju, South Korea. Her works are in private collections in the USA and Europe.
Her current work explores the interplay between order, mathematical precision, and the chaotic beauty of nature. Her works delve into the ephemeral nature of existence and the relentless pace of our ever-evolving world. Through ceramics, Vovk crystallizes the timeless essence of emotion, transmitting inner feelings, anxieties, and unease.
CV
Education
2006
Master of Fine Arts, The State University, Veliky Novgorod, Russia
2000
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Art College, Pskov, Russia
Collections
Collection of The Aveiro Biennial Museum, Aveiro, Portugal
Awards
2023
The 2023 Cheongju International Craft Competition, Cheongju, South Korea. Finalist
2023
The Triennial Juried Exhibition of Ceramics Claybash, The Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton, NJ, USA. Finalist
Solo Exhibitions
2022
Mila Vovk, Botanical Bas Reliefs, and sculptures, The Mission Viejo Public Library, CA, USA
International Competitions
2023
16th International Biennial of Artistic Ceramics, Aveiro Museum, Aveiro, Portugal
2023
XVIII International Contemporary Ceramics Award, Museum of Teruel, Spain
2023
Cheongju International Craft Biennale, Cheongju, South Korea
Group Exhibitions
2023
VARIADO, H Gallery, Ventura, CA, USA
2023
The Triennial Juried Exhibition of Ceramics Claybash, The Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton, NJ, USA
Upcoming exhibitions
2024
39th Annual Made in California Exhibition
Professional Experience
2014 - 2022
Founder and a tutor at the Botanical Casting and Visual Art online school. www.neotype.online Instagram.com/floral_ceramist
ARTIST STATEMENT
In my current works, I am focusing on exploring the interplay between the balance of order and mathematical precision and the chaotic beauty of nature. I aim to capture this dynamic tension in my sculptures by contrasting geometric shapes with chaotic textures.
I invite contemplatives to reflect on the irreversibility of destructive processes and experience a variety of emotional states, ranging from the struggle against change and attempts to rebuild new forms from old fragments, to a sense of helplessness when confronted with the inability to restore the entity to its former state. Every day, we ask ourselves questions and make choices. Today, will you choose the path of destruction or the path of creation?