Reynolds College Blog

Emeritus art professor Keith Ekstam’s “Makeshift Ruminations” exhibit now on view

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The Department of Art and Design launches its 2026 exhibition schedule with “Makeshift Ruminations: Work from Forty Years in Ceramic Art by Keith Ekstam” at the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center.

“Makeshift Ruminations” runs from Jan. 20-Feb. 20, with a First Friday Art Walk viewing scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Feb. 6.

The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Work highlights specialization in clay

Close up of ceramic artwork on display
Some of Keith Ekstam’s artwork on display at the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center.

Keith Ekstam, who specializes in clay and ceramics, is an emeritus professor in the art and design department. He stated that he remains committed to clay as his “primary art making material” for several reasons.

“It is simultaneously one of the most fragile art media, yet also one of the most permanent and enduring,” he explained. “The simple, direct act of working with clay in one’s hands is the polar opposite of the complex, transformative nature of the kiln firing.”

For Ekstam, clay’s contradictory characteristics led him to choose it as his preferred medium.

“You get your money’s worth when working in clay,” he said.

Exhibit features work of former students

In addition to his own work, Ekstam invited several former Missouri State students to contribute their creative efforts. These alums studied ceramics with Ekstam as well as Associate Professor Kevin Hughes and Jim Hill.

“I had the privilege of teaching and working with many talented students throughout my 37 years at Missouri State,” he said. “My creative research experiences, knowledge and processes were constantly being presented to the students at all levels within the curriculum.”

The alumni artists are Steve Hilton, Keaton Wynn, Dryden Wells, Bekka Bliss, Nate Falter, Jen Falter, Tybre Newcomer, Patsy Cox, Zach Tate, Kendle Durden, Bari Precious, Teddy Osei, Craig Hartenberger and Cortney Yellowhorse-Metzger.

“These are some of the many individuals who have maintained serious careers in the ceramic arts in one form or another,” Ekstam noted. “I hope the viewers will enjoy the strength and diversity of the work made and chosen for exhibition by these alumni artists.”

For more information about Ekstam’s exhibit or about the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center, contact Jodi McCoy, director of exhibitions.

 

Photos courtesy of the Department of Art and Design.

Art and Design’s Chris Rodgers named to Teaching Artist Cohort

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Artist-in-Residence Chris Rodgers, ceramics instructor in the Department of Art and Design, has been named to the Center for Craft’s Teaching Artist Cohort.

The cohort is a six-month program that offers professional and financial support to artists who are both educators and practitioners. The honor includes a grant that provides unrestricted funding of $10,000.

Rodgers was one of only 30 artists selected for the cohort.

As a member of the cohort, Rodgers also participates in mentorship and peer-to-peer learning activities. These activities help sustain studio practices while strengthening community engagement.

Rodgers’ recognition by the Center for Craft highlights the department’s faculty who merge creative research with hands-on teaching, said Interim Department Head Dr. Mitzi Kirkland-Ives. His participation in the Teaching Artist Cohort grant program, she added, reflects the ongoing dialogue between making and mentoring that defines the department’s studio culture.

Various ceramic artwork items displayed on floor
One of the preliminary stages of Rodgers’ “Illuminated by the Moon” installation in Longquan, China. Rodgers created these 26 ceramic sculptures while in residency at Longquan Wangou.

Grant impact felt immediately

According to Rodgers, the grant’s impact began with space itself. “The first thing I did after receiving the grant was to design and build proper studio furniture,” he explained. “I now have three large tables and a shelving unit that are exactly what I need. This change has completely transformed how I work.”

The redesigned studio has made it possible for Rodgers to focus on a new series of ceramic paintings, a body of work that blurs the boundaries between sculpture and painting. He plans to continue expanding this process by using colored clay and hand-made grog. This process reveals color from within the material rather than applying it to the surface.

“The result is a tactile exchange between form and color that invites viewers to see ceramics and painting in a new way,” he said.

Busy upcoming exhibition schedule

Rodgers will present his evolving ceramic paintings in a solo exhibition in Fayetteville, Arkansas in the spring of 2026. Two larger solo shows will follow in 2027 at the Lux Center for the Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Missouri State’s Brick City Gallery. “These projects would not be possible without the generosity of the Center for Craft’s Teaching Artist Cohort ,” he said. “The experience has helped me build not only better tables but a stronger foundation for my future as an artist and educator.” [Read more…] about Art and Design’s Chris Rodgers named to Teaching Artist Cohort

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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Ceramics student Christina Hanula participates in Taiwan student exchange program

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Ceramics student Christina Hanula, from the Department of Art and Design at Missouri State University, participated in an exchange program at Tainan National University of the Arts (TNUA) during the spring 2024 semester.

The program provides students from TNUA’s Graduate Institute of Applied Arts and MSU’s art and design program opportunities to learn about each other’s cultures and educational processes.

MSU and TNUA established the exchange program nearly 20 years ago.

Excited to learn about Taiwanese culture

Hanula learned about the program from her ceramics instructor, associate professor Kevin Hughes.

“I was excited,” Hanula said. “I had never left the United States before coming to Taiwan, so the first thing I did was to gather the documents I needed to apply for a passport.”

While in Taiwan, Hanula hoped to learn more about Taiwanese culture while gaining personal and professional relationships with fellow artists.

Group of people in classroom
TNUA students and faculty with visiting artist Jung Min Park.

Despite the language barrier, Hanula met her goals and then some, explaining that she learned more about a culture full of good food and good friends.

“The friends I have made here have all been extremely helpful, friendly and welcoming,” Hanula said. “Taiwan is full of great food, unique experiences and welcoming people.”

“There is a language barrier, mostly outside of the school,” she continued. “A lot of the students at TNUA know a lot of English, and they have been extremely helpful in translating when we go out into the city together because I only know a handful of words in Chinese.”

“Google Translate has become my best friend,” she added.

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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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