Levin has been throwing pottery since she was 9-years-old. Whether in a self-built studio at her family farmhouse or at Hamilton’s studio, her love for ceramics is innate. Levin views ceramics as an intimate art; one that harnesses the beauty of individuals and nature.
Carolyn Levin ’26
Majors: Art and biochemistry /microbiology
Hometown: New York, New York
High school: Trevor Day School
“When we interact with pottery, we feel the artist’s intentions and presence in the clay,” she explained. “Recently I’ve been studying this in an academic setting. It’s become important to me to examine the traditional origins of the craft, too.”
So, Levin set out to immerse herself in a traditional ceramic apprenticeship. After a period of research and correspondence, she struck gold in Spain. Ceramicist Ana Illeuca runs a studio in Valencia and was eager to take Levin under her wing. “She was very personable and light-hearted, and she wanted to learn from me in the same way I wanted to learn from her. I think that’s a very important piece of the master-apprentice relationship,” said Levin, who picked up crucial technical skills while working in the studio.
“I hadn’t been trained in advanced techniques so initially the work was challenging,” she said, “but I really studied Anna’s techniques and how her fingers moved; I took her instruction very seriously.” As Levin refined her technical skills, she also refined her artistic eye. Learning how to unite pieces through theme and design, her creativity flourished.
In fact, Levin has pursued her own project while apprenticing. She is creating a series of vessels which, in her words, “are meant to represent and symbolize the human form; the varying natural shapes of the human body.” Whether bottlenecked, bulbous, or upright, each vessel pays close attention to aesthetic detail and variety.
For Levin, whose career goal is to become a reconstructive surgeon, this attention to the human form transcends ceramics. Reconstructive surgeons need to have excellent dexterity and a keen aesthetic eye, something that Levin has assuredly strengthened through intensive technical training and her project. Although she spent long hours in the studio, she also took time to explore her new home in Spain.
Levin knew she wanted to pursue an apprenticeship overseas, and although she had some experience with Spanish, she saw an opportunity to improve her fluency. “It was important to me to try to learn how to be independent in a city, and I don’t think there’s another way to achieve that besides setting out on your own in someplace new. At first I felt very alien, but toward the end I noticed that I didn’t feel intimidated to hear Spanish being spoken,” she said. “I was meeting a lot of new people who were excited to welcome me in a new culture.”
In the end, Levin found the experience transformative: “I gained a deep cultural awareness that I couldn’t have without this immersion and the serious independence that I gained is something that I’m very proud of.”
After nearly a month in Spain, Levin is back at home in New York City applying her new experience as she continues work on her project. She is also cultivating her artistic voice. Levin and her mentor, Professor of Art Rebecca Murtaugh, have been exploring exhibits in NYC together.
“It’s an investigation and a conversation — how can I learn from other artists and utilize their ideas as inspiration for my pieces while also highlighting my interest in the human form,” she said.
As she wraps up her project, Levin hopes that her aesthetic eye will continue to develop as both an aspiring artist and surgeon. Her series of vessels will be on display on campus this fall.
Student Research
Through independent projects, the Senior Program, research with faculty members, and summer internships, Hamilton provides an increasing number of opportunities for students to engage in significant — often publishable — research at the undergraduate level.
