Emmanuelle Wambach

Emmanuelle Maryse Wambach received her BA in art from Swarthmore College in 2008, a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2009, and her Master of Fine Arts in ceramics and sculpture from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2012. As a woman of mixed cultural and racial decent, Wambach uses her culture and everyday experiences as inspiration for her work. Through the creation of both ceramic and mixed media sculpture, she hopes to call attention to everyday connections which most people experience, but normally overlook. Wambach has shown work at The Art Association of Harrisburg, The Goldfish Gallery in Philadelphia, as well as in Pittsburgh as part of the Three Rivers Juried Visual Art Exhibition.

Wambach believes that the arts can bring people together and give them experiences that can change their lives and open their ways of thinking. In her classes, she teaches her students to use their own experiences to create pieces that express their sense of self and their love for their community. Art is an effective way to show people from different backgrounds, cultures, and generations that they have many things in common. Through fun and creative projects art can help build the strength of communities, bring out creativity, and give students new ideas about the world.

Wambach also feels that to create meaningful work, artists should learn from their surroundings and the wider world. In the fall of 2016, Wambach took part in the artist residency program at the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. There, she expanded her knowledge of the history and influence of Japanese ceramics on the world ceramics stage.

Wambach currently lives and teaches at various art centers around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is a member of the Union Project Ceramics Co-Op.