Name: Wedged: Formed Earth
Start: 2026-03-06T18:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-03-06T20:00:00-05:00
Location: Tipton-Ashe Gallery @ 401 Ashe St., Downtown Johnson City TN

ETSU Department of Art & Design and Tipton-Ashe Gallery with Bravissima! Women Sponsoring the Arts proudly present Wedged: Formed Earth curated by Mathew Wheeler from March 4 to April 2, 2026. The exhibition explores the transformative vastness of clay, through which new objects emerge. The opening reception and artists speak with guest of honor Kimberly McCorkle, will be held on March 6, First Friday from 6-8 p.m. with concurrent solo exhibit Trilium by Wheeler at the Vault Gallery. Refreshments by Sharock of Diwntown Johnson City.
The exhibition's curatorial locus on wedging, a foundational yet often unseen process in ceramics that transforms raw clay from earth into a material ready for form and meaning. This preparatory act bridges clay’s natural origins with its creative potential, serving as the starting point for artistic exploration. The exhibition examines how ceramic artists engage with this shared material through a wide range of processes, revealing the adaptability and expressive capacity of clay. Featured artists include Sally Brogden, Blair Clemo, Andréa Keys Connell, Will Dickert, Lalana Fedorschak, Brian Harper, Jeanine Marchand, Lindsay Oesritter, Lindsay Rogers and Lydia Thompson.
The works presented highlight the vast possibilities of ceramics, from utilitarian objects to expressive and experimental forms. Using techniques such as wheel throwing, hand-building, molding, and varied firing methods, the artists demonstrate how individual approaches shape both form and concept. Together, these works situate contemporary ceramic practice within a long continuum—honoring tradition while expanding the future of clay as a boundless creative medium.
We invite all to view Wedged: Formed Earth, as it resonates inspiration, awe, beauty and intrigue from and to those who have eye, heart or curiosity for the material of clay and its multiplicity of forms and possibilities.
Supported by the Tennessee Arts Commission. The Tipton-Ashe Gallery is located at 401 Ashe St., former Courthouse in Downtown Johnson City. All events are free and open to the public with gallery hours on Wednesdays & Saturdays from 11:00-3:00 p.m. ,Thursday &Friday from 5-7 p.m. with extended hours on receptions, events and by appointment. To schedule a visit please text 423.483.3179 or email [email protected]