Artist: Adam Nelson-Ockenfels Resident Artist

Artist’s Reception Date:  Thursday, July 2nd

Time: 5:30-7:30 pm with Artist Remarks at 6pm

In the Chadima Gallery: July 1st-25th

We are proud to present Functional Deconstruction & Glaze Experimentation, a solo exhibition by Resident Artist Adam Nelson Ockenfels in our Chadima Gallery. This exhibition is the first in our 2026 Resident Artist Exhibition Series, celebrating the accomplishments of the artists who have spent the past year creating, teaching, and growing through our residency program.

Each year, we welcome a select group of Resident Artists into our year-long residency program. During their residency, artists are immersed in our studio community, where they teach classes, develop their personal artistic practice, conduct research, and engage with our students, members, and visitors. As the culmination of their residency, each artist presents a solo exhibition in the Chadima Gallery. Adam’s exhibition celebrates a year of artistic growth, experimentation, and discovery while offering our community an opportunity to experience the research and creativity that defines our residency program.

In Functional Deconstruction & Glaze Experimentation, Adam explores the relationship between function, form, and critical thinking through the familiar language of ceramic vessels. By altering traditional functional objects, he challenges viewers to reconsider how we define them. If a cup is transformed into a vase, is it still a cup? While the question may seem simple, the process of answering it mirrors the way we evaluate more complex issues—through observation, evidence, and thoughtful reasoning.

The exhibition also features an extensive collection of glaze experimentation developed throughout Adam’s residency. With access to our facilities, materials, and collaborative studio environment, Adam pursued an intensive study of cone 6 oxidation glaze chemistry, developing a rich glaze palette while expanding his technical understanding of ceramic surfaces. His finished works offer a glimpse into the research, testing, and experimentation that underpin a ceramic artist’s practice.

As Adam concludes his residency with us, he begins an exciting new chapter, having been accepted into the MFA Ceramics program at Western Michigan University. There, he will continue refining his technical skills and deepening his exploration of glaze chemistry. We are grateful for the creativity, dedication, and enthusiasm he has shared with our community over the past year, and we look forward to seeing where his artistic journey takes him next.

We invite you to join us in celebrating Adam’s work and the opening of our 2026 Resident Artist Exhibition Series. Experience an exhibition that celebrates inquiry, experimentation, and the transformative possibilities of clay while honoring Adam’s contributions to the Iowa Ceramics Center & Glass Studio.

The Resident Artist 2026 exhibitions are made possible by a sponsorship from Bank Iowa.

Admission is free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome.