Yilin Wu
- Anna Lilli Garai
- Jan 27
- 4 min read
Yilin Wu is an illustrator and ceramic artist based between London and Jingdezhen. She goes outside with a sketchbook, watches the sky, and draws the clouds she sees in that moment. Back in the studio, she turns those drawings into small ceramic forms. Each piece is titled with the exact place and time it appeared, like a note from a specific day. Some of the clouds have simple eyes, which gives them a soft, almost playful presence.
Q: What made you want to turn your cloud sketches into ceramic forms in the first place?
A: When looking up at the sky, I often have the thought that a cloud looks like “something.” Every cloud is different, constantly shifting and changing. I wanted to capture those lively moments, because in the next second they are no longer the same. Through quick sketches, I summarize what I see in that instant and what the cloud “resembles.” I don’t like using photography as a form of recording, because I feel photographs are too literal and leave little room for imagination. I chose clay as my medium because it shares the same softness and malleability as clouds. I combine the imagination of sketching with the malleability of clay, allowing my clouds to become more distinctly “my” clouds.
Q: You only sculpt clouds you’ve personally seen. What makes a moment in the sky feel important enough to keep?
A: When I see a cloud in the sky that sparks my imagination, I record it. During the process, I don’t think too much and rely on first instinct to draw it. Some clouds exist on their own, while others interact with their surroundings. Some are purely white, while others are tinted pink by the evening light. As long as I find them interesting, I record them. The clouds I record may not be particularly unique, but they allow me to recall the day when I was watching them. The weather, the temperature, and my mood or worries all return through these clouds. They act as reminders of precious past experiences, making the clouds already important enough to keep.
Q: Weather and time play a role in how you work outdoors. How do these changes influence the way you start a piece?
A: Actually, weather and time don’t greatly affect my outdoor sketching. They create the forms of clouds, and it is through different weather and times that I can capture a wider variety of clouds. I place myself within nature, experiencing what the clouds experience, and this physical sensation is deeper than a simple visual one. I then combine these sensations with my sketches, bringing memory and imagination into the studio for sculpting. As a result, my ceramic works are stable, yet retain the vitality that comes from observing outdoors.
Q: Clay and color can behave their own way during the process. How do you respond when the material surprises you?
A: Before starting a piece, I always test the clay and glazes, and only begin working once I’ve chosen materials that feel right. While I enjoy the unpredictability of ceramics, I prefer the changes to happen within a controllable range. Without testing, relying only on a glaze’s description can easily turn a cloud I envisioned as pale blue into a muddy brown-green after firing. Such unexpected results are not what I aim for. Once the clay and glazes are roughly chosen, the outcomes after firing are usually as expected. Occasionally, surprises do occur, but they are often even better than anticipated, bringing me delight.
Q: You title each work with its exact time and location. What does giving a piece that kind of record mean to you?
A: Clouds are fluid and ever-changing. I discovered one at that particular moment and place, and so I recorded it. I travel to different locations, cities, and even countries to sketch, hoping to experience diverse landscapes and to find clouds unique to each environment. It’s like a botanist discovering new plants, numbering and cataloguing them, a process full of curiosity and challenge. I want to record clouds that truly existed and seem almost forgotten, leaving evidence of their presence. At the same time, I also record where I was on those days. I believe life and the past are like clouds, and can easily be forgotten if not recorded.
Q: Some clouds include small details like eyes or openings. When do you know a form needs those additions?
A: When I observe clouds, I often feel they resemble unknown creatures. They move, change, and each has its own character. Adding eyes gives a cloud a kind of soul, and can also help indicate its orientation. However, I don’t want the eyes to overpower the cloud, so I use only the simplest two dots. During the process of observing clouds, I discovered something interesting: the placement of the eyes can change the entire character of a cloud. I carefully consider the most suitable position for the eyes, and I also adjust them according to the cloud’s personality, for example, whether the weather that day has made it calm or lively.
