the Artist
Sculptural figures, collage, and ancestral photography — a studio practice rooted in protection, memory, and care.
Working in Clay, Fiber, and Archive
Artist Statement
Michaela Ayers is an interdisciplinary social practice artist who works across clay, collage, and place-based storytelling. Her work activates the rituals and various forms of nourishment that enrich our lives.
In the context of clay, she creates functional objects, ranging from incense burners to altars, that reference African diasporic traditions, Black culture, and her own family history. Using thrown slabs of clay, these pieces are hand-built, include intimate surface design details, and are intended for daily use.
Mixing methods from collage and fiber arts, Michaela layers, assembles, and weaves together ceramic vessels that spark memories and invite storytelling. These sensory objects are sites of meditation that utilize light, scent, touch, and taste to bring participants into the present moment.
Through this work, Michaela reflects her interest in ancestry, spirituality, and a deep reverence for nature.
Special Projects
Collaborations that carry the studio practice into shared, public space.
Community & Public Art
Sounds from the Park is a creative storytelling project that highlights Detroit's green spaces and the people who make them meaningful. In collaboration with Sidewalk Detroit, Detroit Parks Coalition, and renowned jazz musician Marcus Elliot, the project is an important reminder of why public parks are worth celebrating, supporting, and protecting.
Sounds from the Park
With Sidewalk Detroit
The Encounter Map Project gathers true stories of sacred experiences where people encounter God in nature. Rooted in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park, the project shares micro-stories that take listeners on a journey to explore how we see ourselves, each other, and our relationship to the land.
Encounter Map Project
With Faith in Detroit — Coming Soon
Get in Touch
Let’s Make Something Special
Inquire about a custom ceramic, collage, or fiber commission
Commission a Piece
Admirers
For curators and institutions interested in exhibiting the work or hosting a residency.
Exhibitions & Residencies
Organizations
For dreams with public art, place-based, or community storytelling project in mind.
Propose a Special Project
Collaborators
