Bio
Kyla Strid was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She started college following in the footsteps of many family members by studying engineering. With encouragement from her grandmother and support from her parents, she changed course (and schools) to study art. Eventually she landed in a ceramics class where she fell in love with making pots because they bring together design, science, and art.
After completing her BFA in Ceramics at the University of Alaska Anchorage she looked outside Alaska to build on her education and professional experiences. She studied at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln and received her MFA from Ohio University. She has been awarded residencies at the Clay Studio of Missoula, Red Lodge Clay Center, Guldagergaard (Denmark), the Lawrence Arts Center, Haystack, Penland School of Crafts, and the Skopelos Foundation for the Arts (Greece). Kyla gained extensive professional experience working as a studio technician, studio manager, gallery manager, and curator at various institutions across the country.
Kyla lives in Lawrence, Kansas and is the Director of Residencies and Adult Education at the Lawrence Arts Center. Outside of her ceramic studio, she is an avid gardener, foodie, adventurer, and part time printmaker. And of her many adventures, consulting on the archeological dig of a Minoan Pottery Workshop on the island of Crete has been one of the most meaningful and rewarding experiences. Currently, she is learning about sustainable building practices as she works on renovating a building that will be her studio.