Biography | Hadley Wiktor graduated from Kutztown University in 2020, earning both her BFA in Crafts and her BA in Art History. Initially, she planned to pursue a MA in Art History after graduation. However, with the onset of the pandemic, she opted to take on a production pottery role in Vermont. What she thought would be a brief learning experience quickly evolved into four years of personal growth, self-discovery, and a deep exploration of her identity as a potter. Recently, Hadley moved to Edinboro, Pennsylvania where she plans to pursue her MFA in Ceramics for the next three years at Penn West University Edinboro. Statement | Objects we use every day, like a favorite mug or a well-worn platter, quietly shape our routines and relationships. Functional ceramics feel intimate and dependable, and I see those same qualities reflected in the kind of person I hope to be: steady, supportive, and part of the rhythm of daily life. At the same time, I am interested in what happens when an object can no longer fulfill its intended function. When a vessel loses its usability, does it also lose its identity, or does something new emerge? This question sits at the center of my practice. In my recent work, the surface often becomes heavily layered and elaborate, eventually overtaking the form itself and pushing pieces beyond use. In these moments, excess and expression take precedence over function. The work occupies a space between restraint and impulse, inviting viewers to reconsider expectations of usefulness, beauty, and form. I work within the language of pottery while stretching its boundaries through repetition, labor, and experimentation. I am drawn to the space between tradition and invention, where fine art and craft intersect and contradictions are allowed to remain visible. Ultimately, I want each piece to feel honest, to hold mess, curiosity, and uncertainty without apology. Through this tension between function and excess, familiarity and disruption, I continue to define what it means for me to be a ceramic artist today.