06/17/2026
PAST RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT
Leah T. Sydney
Red Lodge Clay Center - Short-Term ASPN Resident 2025
ᒪeah Sydney
Leah Sydney is a ceramic sculptor from Youngstown, OH. She attended Youngstown State University, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Art with a focus in ceramics. Deeply inspired by African and Black American culture, she explores the physicality of her work, using three-dimensional forms to create immersive environments that evoke narratives and elicit deeper connections.
Currently, Sydney works as a ceramics educator at the YMCA and maintains her artistic practice by actively participating in solo and juried exhibitions. Most recently, her solo show “If I could” was hosted by Westminster College at the Foster Art Gallery in January of 2026.
Sydney’s work delves into personal and universal themes of race and identity, often expressed through large-scale figures and hand-built vessels that serve as proxies for the human body. She uses the medium to personify hidden emotions and prompt discussions around difficult but necessary topics. Sydney aims to continue developing her artistic practice by experimenting with new mediums, exploring diverse cultural influences, and engaging with contemporary themes that resonate with her personal experiences and societal observations
To learn more about Sydney, and to see more of her work, click on the “past Resident Spotlight” link in our linktree 🌲!
