Musceania the Legacy of a blue whale Sculpture

I’m Mandy Yun Yun Chen, a Taiwanese Australian ceramic artist living on the beautiful North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah). Surrounded by tides, wind, and long silences, I draw inspiration from nature and solitude. Influenced by the local Indigenous respect for the Earth, I use clay to explore how life quietly blooms between fragility and resilience. My art harmonizes two compelling themes: the fragile ecological state of our planet and a heartfelt desire to channel the masterful craftsmanship of my ancestors. This creative voyage remains a perpetual cycle of observation, expression, learning, and self-discovery. Working primarily with porcelain, I blend experimental forms with traditional ceramic techniques to create delicate handbuilt pieces that embody sensitivity and care. I often incorporate nerikomi, layering coloured clay into intricate patterns that echo natural rhythms and emotional undercurrents. Symbolic imagery—such as whale fall and thought bubbles—forms a visual language through which I converse with the world. I believe that art should be honest, sensory, and quietly powerful—connecting us to both the natural world and to ourselves. Through clay, I seek to create spaces of stillness and resonance, where fragility becomes strength and silence.