Artist Bio

Raised in Washington State, Kelly McLaughlin earned her BFA in Ceramics and Printmaking from Pacific Lutheran University in 2014. Initially pursuing a degree in medicine, she pivoted to fine arts after taking time off to explore life—including a stint with an Alaskan circus. Post-graduation, McLaughlin expanded her interdisciplinary practice by apprenticing at a Tacoma tattoo shop while simultaneously managing print and ceramic studios across Tacoma and Seattle.

She completed a Post-Baccalaureate program at the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2017, where her discovery of rock climbing and mountaineering began to deeply influence the physical intensity of her sculptural work. Following a cross-country mountaineering expedition, she earned her MFA in Ceramics from Ohio University in 2020.

McLaughlin’s career includes prestigious residencies at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (deferred due to COVID-19), the Archie Bray Foundation, and a three-year long-term residency at Studio 740 alongside Beth Cavener (2020–2023). In addition to her art practice, she serves as a W-EMT, ski patroller, and backcountry trail runner. Following a 2024 short-term residency, McLaughlin currently lives and works in Montana as a long-term resident artist at the Red Lodge Clay Center. Her work is exhibited nationally and internationally, and is held in numerous public and private collections.