Trackside Studio Ceramic Art Gallery

09/01/2026

"HandBuilt" Beyond the Wheel, Invitational Ceramics Exhibit - https://mailchi.mp/a93aa8a72fa5/handbuilt-beyond-the-wheel

08/30/2026

Coming up in September, First Friday, September 4th, Saturday September 5th continuing through the month with regular gallery hours. Trackside Studio's annual Ceramic Invitational; this year featuring a group of artists that work on and beyond the ceramic's wheel: Heather Lepp - Missoula, Montana, Amy Sanders - Lincoln, Nebraska, Deb Schwartzkopf - Seattle, WA, Zach Tate - Jonesboro, Arkansas and local artist Collista Krebs.

Today we feature Amy Sanders - Lincoln, Nebraska

Amy Sanders is a Chinese-American ceramic artist, born in Hunan, China and raised in Allentown, PA. Currently, Sanders is a third year Master's of Fine Arts candidate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Sanders has attended residencies at the Morean Center for Clay in St Petersburg, FL, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts: Pentaculum in Gatlinburg, TN, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Shiga, Japan, Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, ME, and the Archie Bray Foundation: Summer Residency in Helena, MT. She has a published article in the September 2025 issue of Ceramic Monthly.

“My work strives to challenge the balance of form and function, thus establishing moments of engagement. The fundamental functions of a pot—such as pouring, containing, serving, or storing—serve merely as a starting point for an ongoing, engaging experience. The visual precarity of my work is intentional. When constructing I am guided by improvisations and intuitions that fluctuate between traditional ceramics, abstraction, and function.”

08/27/2026

Coming up in September, First Friday, September 4th, Saturday September 5th continuing through the month with regular gallery hours. Trackside Studio's annual Ceramic Invitational; this year featuring a group of artists that work on and beyond the ceramic's wheel: Heather Lepp - Missoula, Montana, Amy Sanders - Lincoln, Nebraska, Deb Schwartzkopf - Seattle, WA, Zach Tate - Jonesboro, Arkansas and local artist Collista Krebs.

Today we feature Heather Lepp - Missoula, Montana

Heather’s journey in ceramics began with a BFA from the University of Manitoba, followed by years of hands-on apprenticeships with master potters. She has exhibited her work across Canada and the United States completed her MFA at West Virginia University in 2024. Beyond her own studio practice, she is passionate about teaching, guiding students through the tactile and transformative process of working with clay.

She currently lives in beautiful Missoula, MT with her partner, and two dogs. I am inspired to create pottery that fits a need in my daily life with an emphasis equally placed on beauty and practicality.

08/26/2026

September issue of National publication Ceramics Monthly. Exposure page featuring Trackside Studio Ceramic Art Gallery September exhibit “HandBuilt” with Collista Bejjani Krebs, Heather Lepp, Amy Sanders, Zach Tate and Deb Schwartzkopf. Opens First Friday, September 4th at 5 pm continuing through month of September.

08/23/2026

Coming up in September, First Friday, September 4th, Saturday September 5th continuing through the month with regular gallery hours. Trackside Studio's annual Ceramic Invitational; this year featuring a group of artists that work on and beyond the ceramic's wheel: Heather Lepp - Missoula, Montana, Amy Sanders - Lincoln, Nebraska, Deb Schwartzkopf - Seattle, WA, Zach Tate - Jonesboro, Arkansas and local artist Collista Krebs.

Featured today Zach Tate - Jonesboro, Arkansas

Originally from the Ozarks in southern Missouri, Zach Tate is a ceramic artist living and working in Jonesboro, AR. He received his M.F.A. from Texas Tech University in 2013.

Zach’s work has been exhibited internationally, nationally, and regionally since 2007. Along with exhibiting his work, Zach has been a visiting artist at several universities and art centers around the world and works as an author for several ceramic publications. His writings cover experiences he has had organizing events, traveling experiences, and exhibition reviews. From 2018-2021 Zach served as a Director at Large for NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts).

Since 2022 Zach has been an Assistant Professor of Ceramics at Arkansas State University.
“I am deeply drawn to ceramics’ unparalleled history as a material that is at once art and artifact. The idea of function and utility, which are generally associated with craft materials such as ceramics, is compelling.”

Zach uses a variety of clays, firing processes, and finishes to make work that deals with complex issues. Compelled by the maker’s hand, he carefully and intentionally creates each piece to document his own culture, while giving reverence to the lineage that this work sits within.

08/21/2026

See Heather’s work in our September exhibit “HandBuilt” opening First Friday 5 to 8.

"North Country" is artist Heather Lepp's final exhibit as an artist-in-residence at the Clay Studio of Missoula. ⤵️ Find a link to the story in the comments.

08/20/2026

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08/18/2026

Coming up in September, First Friday, September 4th, Trackside Studio's annual Ceramic Invitational; this year featuring a group of artists that work on and beyond the ceramic's wheel: Heather Lepp - Missoula, Montana, Amy Sanders - Lincoln, Nebraska, Deb Schwartzkopf - Seattle, WA, Zach Tate - Jonesboro, Arkansas and local artist Collista Krebs.

Featured today is artist Deb Schwartzkopf, a Seattle-based ceramic artist, educator, and community builder. She is the founder of Rat City Studios and Rain City Clay, with a mission to "Build Community Through Clay". Her work explores the balance between utility and sculpture, with an ongoing interest in gesture, surface, proportion, and the quiet beauty of objects made to be held and used. Deb holds an MFA in Ceramics from Penn State University and is the author of Creative Pottery.

"My work begins with a love of making pots and a curiosity about what happens when a familiar form is pushed, altered, or reimagined. I move between wheel throwing, altering thrown forms, and handbuilding with slabs, choosing the process that best suits the idea. I enjoy the tension between a form that feels functional and one that begins to move toward sculpture.

Ultimately, I want my pots to be engaging objects—to invite you to pick them up, turn them around, notice the details, and imagine using them. I love the combination of utility, beauty, and play that clay makes possible."

08/13/2026