Biography

Josh Cloud creates playful, emotive sculptures centered around cartoonish self-portraits that investigate identity, queerness, and intimacy. Emerging from his sketchbook, his forms are inflated into soft, exaggerated sculptures that challenge traditional notions of masculinity by celebrating openness as strength. His sculptures process historical, generational, and personal hardships while simultaneously embracing the absurdity of life. Many of his works include found materials and possess an aged aesthetic quality, existing somewhere between art object and artifact.

Josh Cloud lives and works in Los Angeles and holds a BFA from CalArts. He is currently director of the ceramics program at CalArts. He has had solo exhibitions at Megan Mulrooney, Los Angeles, CA, South Willard, Los Angeles, and Schlomer Haus Gallery, San Francisco, CA, and has been included in group exhibitions at Guerrero Gallery, Los Angeles; Good Mother Gallery, Los Angeles; and Gordon Robichaux, New York; among others.

Works
  • Totem
    Josh Cloud
    Totem, 2026
    Ceramic, black walnut, mahogany, oak, bronze metal coating, cotton and acrylic cord
    57 x 20 x 19 in
    144.8 x 50.8 x 48.3 cm
  • Bearing
    Josh Cloud
    Bearing, 2024
    Ceramic, mahogany, teak, granite, plaster, cotton chord, wire, bronze resin coating
    21 x 25 x 14 1/2 in
    53.3 x 63.5 x 36.8 cm
  • Halo
    Josh Cloud
    Halo, 2026
    Ceramic, cotton and acrylic cord, aluminum rod, nichrome wire, and string
    39 x 18 x 11 in
    99.1 x 45.7 x 27.9 cm
  • Moon
    Josh Cloud
    Moon, 2026
    Ceramic, black walnut, cotton and acrylic cord, aluminum rod
    26 x 19 x 12 in
    66 x 48.3 x 30.5 cm
  • Mourning jug
    Josh Cloud
    Mourning jug, 2026
    Ceramic, redwood, nichrome wire, aluminum rod, cotton and acrylic cord
    26 x 18 x 19 in
    66 x 45.7 x 48.3 cm
  • Oracle
    Josh Cloud
    Oracle, 2025
    Ceramic, mahogany, cotton chord, and wire
    39 x 17 x 14 in
    99.1 x 43.2 x 35.6 cm
  • Silt and Stone
    Josh Cloud
    Silt and Stone, 2026
    Ceramic, redwood, cotton and acrylic cord, nichrome wire, and string
    40 x 20 x 14 in
    101.6 x 50.8 x 35.6 cm
  • Stars
    Josh Cloud
    Stars, 2026
    Ceramic, chestnut, cotton and acrylic cord, aluminum rod
    31 x 16 1/2 x 13 1/2 in
    78.7 x 41.9 x 34.3 cm
  • Stone Sentry
    Josh Cloud
    Stone Sentry, 2026
    Ceramic and granite
    25 x 21 x 19 in
    63.5 x 53.3 x 48.3 cm
  • Teared Sentry
    Josh Cloud
    Teared Sentry, 2026
    Ceramic, redwood, oak, and Apoxie sculpt
    25 x 20 x 19 in
    63.5 x 50.8 x 48.3 cm
  • Wishing Well
    Josh Cloud
    Wishing Well, 2026
    Ceramic, aluminum rod, string, and nichrome wire
    14 1/2 x 11 x 11 in
    36.8 x 27.9 x 27.9 cm
  • Interlocking Boquete
    Josh Cloud
    Interlocking Boquete , 2026
    Ceramic, pewter metal coating, and string
    33 x 8 x 1 in
    83.8 x 20.3 x 2.5 cm
Exhibitions
Art Fairs
News