Marina Van Raay is a Canadian-Japanese ceramic artist based in Hamilton, Ontario. She is a graduate of the Craft and Design Bachelor’s program at Sheridan College and is currently a full time artist in residence at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. Her passion for clay and deep appreciation for craftsmanship were sparked by her father, who introduced her to pottery in 2016. Born in Japan, Van Raay moved to Canada at the age of five. Through her work, she explores the cultural experiences that have shaped her life.
BIO
Artist Statement
Through design, process, and decoration, I explore my relationship with nostalgia, evoking childhood feelings of optimism and innocence. Embracing play as a design method, I aim to capture its essence throughout the making process. I build, embellish, and decorate intuitively, adding elements before and after firing to create layered, evolving surfaces. Influenced by Japanese pop culture and the maximalism of 2000s Harajuku culture, I push the boundaries of conventional style by exploring the potentials of excessive decoration, collaging, embellishing, and the fusing of styles. Rooted in my cultural experiences, my work draws inspiration from personal memories and the complex emotions nostalgia evokes- joy, longing, and comfort all at once. Summer vacations in Japan with my family created cherished memories, fostering a deep connection to the language and culture that continue to shape my identity. Revisiting these memories from an adult perspective allows me to explore the nostalgic essence of my upbringing and translate those feelings and memories into my ceramic work.
CV
Education and Residencies
2024, Bachelor of Craft and Design, Sheridan College
2025- present, Full time Artist-in-residence at Harbourfront Centre, Toronto
Awards and Grants
2025, Craft Project Grant, Ontario Arts Council
2024, Helen Copeland Memorial Award in Ceramics, Craft Ontario
2024, William and Mary Corcoran Award, Sheridan College
2024, Honourable Mention, NEXT Biennial 2024, Carnegie Gallery, Dundas Ontario
2023, Skydiver Award
2022, Pottery Supply House Award
2021, Tucker’s Pottery Supplies Award
Exhibitions
2025, Between then and always, Dundas Valley School of Art, Dundas
2025, Craft Ontario, Featured Artist Window Feature, Toronto
Group Exhibitions
2025, Meet Your Maker, Harboufront Centre, Toronto
2025, Ceramique Joyeuse, Bref, Montreal
2025, Artist Project 2025, Better Living Centre, Toronto
2025, Coast to Coast to Coast: Celebrating Canadian Craft, Salon des Metiers d'‘art, Montreal Quebec
2024, NCECA Juried Student Exhibition, Richmond Virginia
2024, Craft Award Recipient Exhibition, Craft Ontario, Toronto
2024, NEXT Biennial 2024, Carnegie Gallery, Dundas Ontario
2024, Method, Matter, Moment, Gardiner Museum, Toronto Ontario
2024, Ideas and Objects 24, Sheridan College
Online Exhibitions
2024, Emerging Young Artists Online Exhibition, Carnegie Gallery
Professional Experience
2022-2023, Sheridan College- Ceramics Teacher’s Assistant
2023- Present, Dundas Valley School of Arts
