BIOGRAPHY

Nina Kawar is a sculptor and jeweler whose practice weaves together clay, copper electroforming, gemstones, fossils, and elements found in nature, creating a dialogue between materials and her intrique in evolutionary growth. Her work explores the interplay of fragility and resilience, interiority, and cycles of change, transforming vulnerability into both material form and lived experience.

In porcelain, she carves delicate structures that reflect themes of healing, consciousness, and the human condition. While in her copper electroformed work she is creating intimate objects of resonance and containment. Together, these bodies of work investigate the tension between strength and delicacy, permanence and ephemerality, and the movement of energy through the body.

Born into a Palestinian American home in Wisconsin, Nina began her artistic journey in 2009 in San Diego and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh in 2011. She later discovered her passion for porcelain at Clemson University, where she received a Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics in 2014. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, including at Blue Spiral 1 in Asheville, NC, Mint Museum Randolph in Charlotte, NC, the 10th International Ceramics Competition in Mino, Japan, and has received honors such as “Best in Show” at the Baltimore Fine Craft Show. 

She currently shares her creations through her business, Pure Ritual, based in Asheville, North Carolina. After the recent loss of her ceramic studio in Hurricane Helene, she is navigating the next phase of rebuilding her sculptural practice. Her ever-evolving work reflects a personal journey of transformation and the ongoing process of coming home.

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Play the video above to hear more about my creative journey post Hurricane Helene!
Recorded: March 2025