what is take time studio?
take time studio was formed in 2020 by huong/harmony nguyen. take time studio is a small studio and art practice committed to destroying perfectionism + urgency by nurturing joy + imagination. this is my commitment to working at my own pace, prioritizing rest, and to stop when I don’t want to work anymore. in my studio i create handmade ceramics, 2D art, and body art. much of my work explores themes around queerness, identity, resistance, and love.
picture of huong by allie culver
about huong
my name is harmony or huong nguyen and i created take time studio. (you can use either first name and they/them pronouns btw! )
i am a 28 year old queer vietnamese/chinese/white settler on Anishinabek land (so-called GR, MI) and my studio is based here too! i am trans interdicisplinary artist, my goal is to use art as a tool explore my identity and break cultural norms. outside of take time studio: I work as a full time studio manager for GAAH, volunteer for the DAAC, practice as an amateur art historian, and produced/hosted the guest list on 88.1 WYCE with my partner, quinn.
even MORE: after high school i worked in the restaurant industry and did light freelance selling ceramics, showing in local galleries, + working on whatever I could while still going to college. in 2015, i began teaching with the Grand Rapids Public Museum School's lyceum program and Heartside Gallery's clay studio as a volunteer.
eight years later and i still teach ceramics! i feel empowered to make clay a more accessible medium to all. i do this by offering low cost or free art workshops when i can. i have taught at Cook Arts Center, WMCAT, DAAC, Fredrick Meijer Gardens, and various one time workshops. I have an Associate of Arts from GRCC (2015) and Bachelors of Science in Art History from KCAD (2020).
things i like: cooking, sharing resources, teaching + learning, abolishing prisons + time, finding smooth rocks, and queer love
things i don’t like: baby corn, cops, landlords, and small talk