TORONTO, CANADA

ZSUZSA MONOSTORY

Caretakers

$2,107.00
Exhibition Submission Statement

In “Caretakers“ the lidded vessel reimagines the ceramic box as a profound metaphor, no longer merely functional, but a symbolic foundation that cradles not just figures, but ideas, memories, and responsibilities. In this piece the humans gently embrace animals, expressing empathy, protection, and a longing to understand other lives. One figure reads quietly, suggesting that knowledge deepens connection and responsibility. 

As we learn more about animals, plants, and the intricate web of life, we come to see ourselves within it, not above it. Knowledge, then, becomes a bridge between awareness and ethical action, calling us to care with humility and good intention. I believe deeply in evolution, and from that view, humans (at the current peak of evolutionary arc ) inherit a profound duty: to protect and preserve all that has come before. It is not a matter of superiority, but stewardships.In the piece “Empathy” distills this belief into a personal encounter. The desire to understand a single being grows into a recognition of our role as stewards.

Dimensions: 16”H x 17"W x 11.5"D

Material: Raku fired clay

Artwork ships: beginning october 22nd

Caretakers

Zsuzsa Monostory, 2025
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Artist Statement

My work is inspired by the natural world, by all living things, and by the structures we build around and within it. With a background in biology, I’ve always been fascinated by the human form, behaviour, and the subtle ways we express emotion. These gestures and feelings are what I try to capture and reflect in my ceramic figures. Animals hold a similar fascination for me. While I care deeply about anatomical accuracy, what truly brings a sculpture to life is an understanding of the animal’s behaviour, social structure, and way of being. These elements shape the stories I aim to tell through each piece. Environmental issues and the conservation of species have long been close to my heart. As a biologist turned artist, I’ve found a new way to give voice to those concerns. Working in clay allows me to express them through a narrative lens—sometimes playful, always rooted in a deep respect for the living world.

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About the Artist

I was born and raised in Hungary and received my diploma in biology at ELTE University in Budapest. I came to Canada with my family in 1989, and worked in Toronto at Mount Sinai Hospital’s Research Institute until my passion for ceramics surfaced and took over biology. I am a self taught full-time ceramic artist since 1995.

Artist cv

ZSUZSA MONOSTORY

Education
2000 Studio Pottery Design, Artsperience Summer Course, Canador College, Northbay, Ontario.

1999 Mold making, Artsperience Summer Course, Canador College, Northbay, Ontario.
1996 Life study for sculpture, OCA, Toronto
1995 Life modeling with clay, OCA, Toronto
1995 Figure drawing, OCA, Toronto
1994 Clay sculpting, Koffler Gallery, Toronto
1993 Clay sculpting, Koffler Gallery, Toronto
1992 Hand-building with clay, Sheridan College, Oakville
1991 Pottery, Central Tech., Toronto
1989-1994 Postdoctoral fellow, Mount Sinai Hospital. Research Inst. Toronto
1983 Ph.D. in Genetics, Lorand Eotvos University, Budapest, Hungary
1977 Master of Science in Biology and Chemistry, Lorand Eotvos University, Budapest,Hungary

Instructor:
2023- 2025 Pottery fundamentals, Parkdale Pottery Studio, Toronto
2005 Raku Workshop, Deep River Summer Arts Workshop Series
2004 Raku Workshop, Organized by Fusion
2004 Throwing and hand-building, adult class, Cedar Ridge Creative Art Center
2003-2022 Throwing and hand-building, adult class, Riverdale Farm, Toronto
2002 Raku Workshop, Cedar Ridge Creative Art Center
2002/2006 Raku Course, Canadore College, Artsperiance, North Bay, Ontario
2000 Raku Workshop organized by Fusion
1997, 98, 99, 2ooo Throwing and hand-building, Night Class, Mississauga Potter’s Guild
1997 Throwing and hand-building, Summer Class, Mississauga Potter’s Guild

Exhibitions
2025 Matter of clay, Jonathon’s Gallery, London ON
2024 Gardiner Shop Pop Up, Ingram Gallery, Toronto
2023 Collaborations, Gardiner museum showcases
2023 The Axis of Art , Women In Clay, Jonathon’s Gallery, London , ON
2021 Duo, Jonathon’s gallery, London, ON
2020. Bon Feu, Shane Norrie Gallery, Stratford ON
2018 Pillow Talk, Jonathon’s Gallery, London,ON
2014 Summer Fun and Game, Jonathon’s gallery, London ON
2012 Yesterday and Today, Jonathon’s Gallery, London, ON
2013 Canadian Import , Jonathon’s Gallery, London, ON
2006, 11, 15 Matter of Clay , Jonathon’s Gallery, London, and 2020
2012 8x10,Ontario Crafts Council, Guild Shop, Toronto, Ontario
2012 Yesterday and Today, Jonathon’s Gallery, London, Ontario
2011 Matter of Clay III., Jonathon’s Gallery, London, Ontario
2011 Hamilton potters Guild biannual Show
2009 Beaux-arts Brampton Juried Art Show, Brampton, Ontario
2009 John Summer Juried Art Exhibition, Georgetown, Ontario
2008 John Summer Juried Art Show, Halton Hills, Ontario
2008 Clay Exchange, Harbinger Gallery, Waterloo, Ontario
2008 Orton Cone Box Show
2008 Group show at Scratch Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2007 Echoes and Ripples, Toronto Potters Exhibition at Burlington Art Centre,Burlington, Ontario

2007 Woman who Wood, A special showing of wood-fired ceramic work,Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre, Glen Williams, Ontario

2006 Orton Cone Box Show
2006 Ceramic Invitational, The Guild Shop. Toronto, Ontario
2006 Hamilton Potters Biannual Juried Exhibition, Carnegie Gallery, Dundas, Ontario
2005 Meant Two Be, Special Feature Exhibition, Petroff Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2005 Neilson Park Art Exhibition by the Hungarian Visual Artists of Canada, Toronto,Ontario

2005 Expressions, The Gallery, Collingwood, Ontario
2004 Toronto Potters 12th Biannual Juried Exhibition, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Ontario

2004 Window of opportunity, A Show of Hands, Petroff Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2004 Assemblage, the Potters guild of Hamilton and region’s biannual juried exhibition, the Carnegie gallery, Dundas, Ontario

2003 Romance of Raku and Smoke Fired Pieces, The Guild Shop, Toronto, Ontario
2003 The Art of the Casserole, Jonathan Bancroft – Snell Interiors, London, Ontario
2003 Beyond Ground Zero, Jonathon’s Gallery, London
2002 Swarm, Insects and Contemporary Art, Tom Thomson Memorial Art

Gallery, Owen Sound, Ontario

2002 Toronto Potters Biannual Show, The Gardiner Shop Gallery, G.R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Toronto, Ontario

2002 Black & White, Juried Art Exhibit, Petroff Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2002 Fireball Raku Collective Group exhibition, Gallery 611, Toronto, Ontario.
2001 Figures of Commedia del Arte, The Gardiner show Gallery, G. R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Toronto, Ontario

2001 “Out of the box” Juried group show, Show of Hands Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2001 The Bowl Show 2001, The Gardiner Shop Gallery, George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Toronto, Ontario

2000 13th Annual Miniature Exhibition, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2000 Looking Forward, New Views of the craft object, – Ontario Crafts Council, Toronto, Ontario

2000 Toronto Potters Tenth Biannual Exhibition, Toronto, Ontario
2000 10th Biennial Juried “Fireworks” Exhibition, Toronto, Ontario
2000 Fireball Raku Collective Group exhibition, Gallery 611, Toronto, Ontario.
1999 12th Annual Juries Miniature Exhibition Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario.
1999 Fireballs: A Raku Collective group exhibition, Bird Mill Gallery, Bracebridge, Ontario

1999 Fireballs: A Raku Collective, The Gardiner Shop Gallery, The George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Toronto

1998 11th Annual Juried Miniature Exhibition, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
1998 Fireballs-International Academy of Ceramics, Art Gallery of Mississauga
1997 Juried miniature Show, Micahel Gibson Gallery. London Ontario
1997 Juried exhibition Living Art Centre, Mississauga, group exhibition
1997 Fireballs, Raku exhibition, The Gallery at Fairways, Mississauga, group exhibition
1997 Fireballs, Raku exhibition, Etobicoke City Hall Art Gallery, Etobicoke, group exhibition

1996 Fireballs, Raku exhibition, The Gallery at Fairways, Mississauga, group exhibition
1996 Fireballs, Raku exhibition, Springbank Visual Arts Centre, Mississauga, group exhibition

1996 Juried Craft Exhibition, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Mississauga, group exhibition
1995 Fireballs, a special showing of Raku-fired works, Art Gallery Of Mississauga, group exhibition

1995 Fireballs, Raku exhibition, Springbank Visual Arts Centre, Mississauga, group exhibition

Solo Exhibitions
2014 Elephant show , Jonathon’s Gallery, London , ON.
2006 Dialogues in Clay, Blyth Festival Art Gallery, Blyth, Ontario
2005 Raku Clayworks, Clay Design Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2005 Raku Clayworks, Carnegie Gallery, Dundas, Ontario
2003 Contemporary Art Exhibit, Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2002 Contemporary Art Exhibit, Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2001 Contemporary Art Show, Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2000 Contemporary Art Show, Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery, Scarborough Ontario
1999 “Saving Myself“ solo Raku exhibition, Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery, Toronto, Ontario

Awards
2009 Best in Ceramics, John Sommer Juried Art Exhibition
2009 Asensio Heritage Award, Beaux-arts Brampton Juried Art Show
2008 Best in Clay, Pottery Supply House Award, John Summer Juried Art Show
2006 Purchase Award, Orton Cone Box Show
2004 Honourable Mention, Director’s Guild of Canada, Cabbage Town Arts and Crafts Show

2004 Fusion award, Toronto Potters 12th Biannual Juried Exhibition
2003 Honourable Mention, Kaleidoscope 2003, Arts Burlingtion
2002 Best Non-Functional Award, Celebrations, In Clay, Burlington Art Centre, Burlington

2001 Best in Show Award, Juried miniature Show, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario

2001 Judge’s Choice, Kaleidoscope 2001, Burlington Art Center
2000 The Henry Goodman Best in Show Award. at 10th Biennial Juried “Fireworks” Exhibition

2000 Fusion Purchase Award. at 10th Biennial Juried “Fireworks” Exhibition
Bibliography
2009 Women Who Wood, By: Patsy Beeson, Watershed Vol. 9
2009 Bringing balance to life and ceramics: the work of Zsuzsa Monostory, By: Lynn Fraser, Fusion Magazine Vol. 33

2008 Image of a Raku platter, 500 platters and chargers, Lark Ceramics Books
2005 Fiery Relationship by Regina Haggo, The Hamilton Spectator
2005 Articles about the Carnegie Exhibition by Helen Beswick, Dundas Star News, Lifestyle News Section

2005 New Ceramics, Toronto Potter’s, Issue #1
2004 Lifestyle, Indulging a passion, Collecting Canadian Ceramics, Issue Sept/Oct
2004 Umbrella, On Living Creativity, Issue July/August
2004 Ceramic Review, Group Spirit, Issue 208
2004 Ceramics Art and Perception, Toronto Potter’s Uncommon Objects, Issue 56
2001 Fusion Magazine, The Work of Zsuzsa Monostory

Other works from the WHAT HOLDS Exhibition