Functional Ceramics 2026 exhibition opens in Wooster

Ohio Designer Craftsmen will present Functional Ceramics 2026 at the Wayne Center for the Arts in Wooster through April 17. Held in conjunction with the long-running Functional Ceramics Workshop, the exhibition features work by 17 artists and celebrates the tradition of functional pottery.

The companion Functional Ceramics Workshop, taking place April 17-18, will feature demonstrations by two nationally recognized artists whose work also is included in the exhibition.

“Phyllis Blair Clark started the Functional Ceramics Workshop in Wooster nearly 50 years ago, and we’re so pleased to continue the tradition at the Wayne Center for the Arts," said Kim Nagorski, executive director of Ohio Designer Craftsmen. "The workshop is always a great opportunity to learn from nationally known artists and to connect with fellow potters. It’s one of my favorite events every year, and I appreciate our partnership with the Wayne Center."

The first presenter is Matt Long, known for his soda-fired porcelain forms. He received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and his MFA from Ohio University. After teaching at the University of Florida, he joined the University of Mississippi in 2005, where he is now an associate professor of art and graduate coordinator. He also was the first visiting artist at the Red Lodge Clay Center and oversaw the construction of its first kiln designed specifically for soda firing.

The second presenter is Chandra DeBuse, who maintains a studio in Kansas City, Kansas. She discovered clay through a community throwing class before earning her MFA from the University of Florida in 2010. Her porcelain forms incorporate incising, inlay, brushwork and sgraffito techniques inspired by imagery from the natural world. She applies translucent glazes for color and fires her work multiple times in an electric kiln.

“I look forward to the functional ceramics workshop every year," said Adam McVicker, clay coordinator at Wayne Center for the Arts. "It is a great opportunity to host the wide world of pottery in our hometown. The attendees bring so much enthusiasm and infuse the center with such artistic camaraderie."

Workshop registration is $175 ($75 for full-time students) and includes box lunches Friday and Saturday. Students must provide confirmation of full-time enrollment from a professor or instructor to qualify for the reduced rate. Scholarships for students are available by emailing knagorski@ohiocraft.org.

To register, visit www.functionalworkshop.com or call 614-486-4402. Space is limited.

The exhibition is open to the public during regular gallery hours at the Wayne Center for the Arts from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.