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Olivia Eshe Holt (b. 1998) is a visual artist and designer from Detroit, Michigan. Her artistry spans from traditional crafting techniques in ceramics and art furniture to 3D modeling and spatial design. She earned a BFA in Product Design with a minor in Craft & Material Studies from the College for Creative Studies and currently works in Art Education and as a Freelance Designer. 

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Selected Work
Crafted ObjectDigitally DesignedSpatial Installation

Making Our Way To Midnight, 2026
ceramic and wood
8in W x 11.5in H

“Making Our Way To Midnight” reflects Black migration within the United States through handbuilt tiles that piece together a historical narrative spanning decades, centering Detroit giving cryptonym “Midnight”. From Detroit's role as a sanctuary for those escaping enslavements to the city’s status as a destination for opportunity during the Great Migration, this work explores themes of spiritual and celestial guidance, water memory, and Black ingenuity tracing back to the contributions of enslaved labor. Each piece retelling black history and personal narrative in simple parts, depicting interpretative icons and African symbols like faded memories from a fever dream writing in the sky. 



    Hidden Star: 2nd Iteration, 2026
    glazed stoneware 
    (wall sconce prototype)

    I am interested in blurring the lines between the purely aesthetic and the functional, exploring how the same symbolic language can inhabit both artwork and art object. Through my art practice I investigate how meaning shifts when a form is meant for contemplation versus when it is meant for use. This approach allows me to explore the versatility of clay as a medium that can carry both visual narrative and functional utility.

      Hidden Star, 2026
      glazed stoneware 

      Throughout African American culture there are historical instances of code names, secret symbols and patterns hidden in plain sight for the purpose of survival. “Follow the Drinking Gourd” is a famously known coded reference which was utilized within the Underground Railroad as a guide north to free states and Canada. The North Star remains to be a cultural symbol of freedom, hope, dreams and possibility. Hidden Star serves as a tangible reminder honoring the knowledge of our ancestors' secrets and collective resilience. A reminder to continue the journey towards a better tomorrow and better life. 


        Star Seeds, 2025
        glazed stoneware

        During the Appalachian Forest Stewardship Residency, I took on the mission of preserving nature trails and farmlands while learning about the hidden histories of the Midwest. Ohio's landscape played a key role in the operation and effectiveness of the Underground Railroad's safe houses and secret travel routes. There are records of free Black communities, white abolitionists, and Native American settlements along the Ohio River that aided freedom seekers prior to the Emancipation Proclamation. 

        Star Seeds commemorates this geography of historical resistance, memorializing foraged finds from my time spent hiking Ohio's Appalachian Front. This installation places interpretations of seeds as symbols of resilience and possibility in a guiding constellation of iron-like stars and charms referencing the usage of celestial navigation within the Underground Railroad.

        Dairy Barn Art Center Exhibition Statement 

          Urban Development Corporation Detroit, 2025

          Residential design concepts that highlight the area’s potential to help attract local partners, creative investment, and long-term community engagement.

          My impact: concept development, 3D visualization and renders

          Black Bottom: Triptych, 2025 
          glazed speckled buff clay

            Dust and Water, 2025
            Earthern Cement Scuplture

            Vessels built by my human hand, made of material from the earth, placed in the ecosystem of Eliza Howell Park. A quiet companions to the land serving as conduits for reconnection to nature and ourselves.

            Turquoise Gallery, 2024
            glazed speckled buff clay

              Marina, 2024 
              glazed speckled buff clay

              My sweet blue Marina
              She reflects the light and shadow.

                Block Forms, 2024
                Fired Brown Terra Cotta