Casey Engel on Tactile Art, Curation, and Upcoming Solo Show

Casey Engel, an artist based in Asheville, North Carolina, works across ceramics, fiber, and paper, creating whimsical, organic pieces that blend craft traditions with avant-garde irreverence. After curating over sixty shows at Asheville's Blue Spiral 1, she now dedicates herself full-time to her studio practice. Engel's work emphasizes touch, with heavily pinched clay surfaces and hand-stitched quilts that deny functionality despite referencing functional forms. She cites inspiration from a visit to The Met's antiquities section and Ruth Asawa's biography, which discussed Josef Albers' view that art should surprise. Engel participates in residencies like VCCA and Hambidge, valuing short-term immersion and interdisciplinary groups. Her upcoming solo exhibition "Keep Close" opens in December at the Appalachian Center for Craft in Cookeville, Tennessee, featuring ceramic sculptures, quilted paintings, woodcuts, and a drawing. In 2026, she will also be included in "America 250: Craft Today" at the Touchstone Center for Crafts in Farmington, Pennsylvania.