Reynolds College Blog

Chris Rodgers joins art and design faculty

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The Department of Art and Design has a new face in the ceramics studio, and he’s already making waves with his thoughtful teaching and grounded artistic practice.

Originally from Charleston, West Virginia, Chris Rodgers comes to Missouri State University with a passion for clay, community and creative risk-taking.

Rodgers’ work spans clay, steel and cast concrete, often shaped by self-imposed project parameters. “The problem-solving of working with ceramics is a huge part of what continues to draw me to this material,” he said.

Roundabout path leads to passion for ceramics

Rodgers didn’t always know he’d end up working with ceramics. Like many students, he shifted majors a few times during college before discovering a spark in an unexpected place — a hand-building class.

“I was completely fascinated by the material possibilities and uncertainties of working with glaze,” he said. That curiosity stuck. Since then, ceramics has become both his medium and his way of thinking. A turning point for him came during graduate school with a series of six sculptures titled “Leaning from the Steep Slope.”

“That was also the first time I made something and thought, ‘I’d be excited to see this if it wasn’t mine,’” he recalled.

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Department of Art and Design offers special topics ceramics class

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During the Fall 2024 semester, Missouri State University’s Department of Art and Design offered a specialized course in Kiln Building through its ART 314: Special Topics in Ceramics course.

Led by Associate Professor Kevin Hughes, the course is designed for students interested in ceramics, providing a hands-on, immersive experience in kiln construction. It provides students with practical skills and a deeper appreciation for kiln building and firing techniques.

“This isn’t just about using kilns,” Hughes explained. “It’s about understanding and building them from scratch, which is a rare skill that opens creative and practical avenues for emerging artists.”

Course uses variety of materials to teach multiple skills

During the course, students worked with a variety of materials, including kiln bricks, recycled parts from decommissioned kilns and bricks made specifically for high heat. Working in the Brick City outdoor kiln yard, the class constructed their own mini-gama kilns — small, personal kilns made of a specific clay body — then fired them at 1800°F to stabilize them for future use.

Beyond these personal kilns, students also worked in teams to build four unique, experimental kilns: above ground pit kilns, a double cross-draft kiln, a “rocket kiln” and a gas kiln repurposed from an old electric model.

Each type has its own characteristics and construction techniques, Hughes explained. They use fuel sources like wood or gas that can reach varied temperature thresholds, all tailored to different firing needs.

Students working with small ceramic kilns.
Ceramics students fire their newly constructed mini-gama kilns.

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Wood firing event creates learning community for ceramics students

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Man preparing wood firing kiln
Professor Kevin Hughes loads the kiln prior to firing (Photo credit: Vonda Yarberry)

Nine Missouri State University ceramics students and ten Kickapoo High School art students recently collaborated in a wood kiln firing ceramics event coordinated by Department of Art and Design professor Kevin Hughes and Kickapoo High School art instructor Joel Blackburn. This innovative program offered a unique opportunity for the students to observe and practice the wood firing process for the first time.

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