What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm

Clay AKAR

AKAR Art, Architecture & Design. Building blocks for a richer life. ClayAKAR is located in downtown Iowa City and focuses on all things Clay.

08/31/2026

Sandra Torres | Yunomi

From the 2026 Teapot + Yunomi Invitational

Slip-cast porcelain, soluble salts, and a little magic from the light. Sandra’s surfaces shift and come alive when held up to it.

Explore available work and learn more about Sandra Torres at clayakar.com.

08/26/2026

Ending the day with a view that pretty much says it all. 📦📦📦

The Teapot + Yunomi Invitational may be online, but behind the scenes it looks a little more like this.

So many boxes. So many pots. So many orders headed to new homes.

We’re packing carefully and working through everything as efficiently as we can. Thank you for your patience — and especially for supporting the incredible artists in this year’s Invitational.

Calling it a day… and back at it tomorrow. ❤️

BehindTheScenes

08/24/2026

Still so much to discover. 🧡

The 20th Annual Teapot + Yunomi Invitational is still full of remarkable work waiting to be found, from quiet functional forms to bold, playful, and highly individual interpretations.

This teapot by Sam Briegel is one example. Working in porcelain, Sam brings together pattern, texture, and references to clothing and fabric in a way that makes functional pottery feel both familiar and unexpected.

If you haven’t had a chance to explore the show yet, or want to take another look, there is still so much to see.

Explore available work at ClayAKAR.

08/22/2026

Alea is wearing a few different hats this week. 🧡

She’s a participating artist in the Invitational, has been helping keep things organized behind the scenes, answering your calls and questions, checking work and paperwork, and now helping us get your orders packed and on their way.

There are a lot of moving parts after a show like this, and Alea has been right there helping with all of it, always with a smile and a happy face.

Artist. Organizer. Packer. Shipper.
Our very own Alea, helping us keep it all moving. 🧡

Thank you, Alea!

08/21/2026

TWO WAYS TO EXPLORE THE SHOW ONLINE 🧡

The 20th Annual Teapot + Yunomi Invitational opens tomorrow! Here are two ways to explore 1,128 works by 193 artists.

VIEW SHOW BY ARTIST
Have particular artists in mind? Browse our participating artist list and select the artist you’d like to see. Their Invitational work will appear first, followed by other available work by that artist.

VIEW THE ENTIRE SHOW
Want to see everything? Browse all 1,128 works in one place. Works are arranged alphabetically by the artist’s last name, with several pages to explore.

TOMORROW, FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
10:00 AM CST • ONLINE ONLY

See you tomorrow! 🧡

08/19/2026

It’s almost time.

From studios across the country and beyond, 193 artists have been making, glazing, firing, packing, and sending work our way.

The result: 1,055 yunomi + 73 teapots, coming together for our 20th Annual Teapot + Yunomi Invitational.

And this year, participating artists have generously made 150 donations to The Studio Potter through the Invitational. We’re proud to help support this effort and the broader ceramics community.

Here’s a little glimpse of what our artists have been sharing from their studios.

Friday, August 21 • 10:00 am CST • Online Only

# Clayakaryunomi2026

08/14/2026

NEW WORK: MARGARET BOHLS

New work by Margaret Bohls is now available.

From Margaret’s Modernist Series, these handbuilt pots grew from her study of objects designed and manufactured in the early to mid-20th century. While inspired by the clean forms of modernist design, Bohls uses dark, rich, textured, and variable clay surfaces to emphasize the materiality and handmade qualities of each piece.

Each pot is built by hand using pinch pots and coils, creating subtle variations that reveal the process of making.

HandbuiltCeramics ModernistDesign CLAYAKAR

08/13/2026

The wait is almost over!

We’re thrilled to announce the 20th Annual Teapot + Yunomi Invitational, opening Friday, August 21 at 10:00 am CST, online only.

This year, 193 artists come together for an incredible collection of 1,055 yunomi and 73 teapots. Once again, we’re excited to feature teapots alongside the yunomi, bringing together two forms made for the ritual of tea.

Mark your calendars!

Pictured here:
Teapots by Marc Digeros, Jeremy Randall, and Keok Lim
Yunomi by Andrew Boswell, Lane Chapman, Keok Lim, and Kensuke Yamada

07/30/2026

A little peek behind the scenes before tomorrow’s release.

Jen Allen’s work begins in a studio tucked beside her home in the hills of West Virginia, where changing seasons, quiet mornings, and a love of making shape every piece. Her newest collection draws from two lifelong passions: sewing and ceramics, with carved textures and thoughtful patterns that invite you to slow down and look a little closer.

Swipe through for a glimpse inside Jen’s studio, the antique copper vessel that recently inspired her, and a look at her in the process of making.

New work releases tomorrow at 10:00 AM CST.

Portrait by Jessica MacDonald

StudioPottery

07/23/2026

✨ Show Opens Tomorrow | Nick DeVries

For his upcoming solo show, Nick DeVries returned to porcelain after months of glaze testing, firing experiments, and refining surfaces. Inspired by architecture and the patterns created by natural forces, this new body of work reflects both careful craftsmanship and a willingness to keep exploring.

Nick discovered clay during his final semester of high school and immediately found what had been missing from his artistic practice—the physical connection of the potter’s wheel. Today, he works from his home studio in rural Minnesota, where making, testing, glazing, and firing happen in a continuous cycle of learning and refinement.

When he’s not in the studio, you’ll find Nick outdoors—gardening, hiking, fishing, canoeing, camping, or simply enjoying time with his wife, two daughters, and their two fluffy rescue dogs.

“I just try to make my best work at all times and improve or explore with each new making cycle.”

Swipe for a look inside Nick’s studio and a glimpse of the process behind tomorrow’s collection.

Nick DeVries Solo Show
Opens Friday, July 24 • 10:00 AM CST
Online & in the gallery.

Address

Iowa City, IA

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+13193511227

Website

http://www.clayakar.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Clay AKAR posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Establishment

Send a message to Clay AKAR:

Want your establishment to be the top-listed Arts & Entertainment in Iowa City?