Did you know that one of the largest ceramic art studios in the country is right here in Cincinnati? Tucked behind the Hyde Park Kroger, Funke Fired Arts is a spacious facility with broad capabilities that appeal to professional artists and amateurs alike. The building houses extensive studio space and equipment for ceramic work, and also a sculpture gallery, retail boutique, and clay supply shop. So, whether, you're a professional artist, a curious newbie, an exhibition-goer, or a shopper looking for a unique gift, Funke Fired Arts has something for you!
Funke Fired Arts opened its doors in 1996 as Annie's Mud Pie Shop. In 2004, Tom Funke started taking classes at the facility and, eventually, bought it from Annie and began expanding educational opportunities and outreach programs to better serve the community, as well as to expand the community it serves. Tom concentrated on making the classes more exciting in addition to updating many aspects of the studio.
Today, at 25,000 square feet, Funke Fired Arts is one of the largest public studios in the country, with over 150 students rotating through rental space and classes every six weeks throughout the year. Students include adults at all levels of experience, as well as youth and
teens. The facility has the space and equipment to place 50 people on a wheel or 86 people at a handbuilding station at one time during a hands-on workshop.
teens. The facility has the space and equipment to place 50 people on a wheel or 86 people at a handbuilding station at one time during a hands-on workshop.
Let's face it - in recent months, many of us have curtailed our spending, opting to buy locally and to get creative with our gift-giving. We still shop, but we're trying to spend less, and to do so in more careful and creative ways. Some of us opt to give the gift of quality time to a loved one, or to purchase a locally hand-crafted item instead of buying something at the local megastore. Luckily for us, Funke Fired Arts offers several tempting solutions to some of our economic woes.
Funke Functionals is a two-hour workshop for parents and kids, offered every Saturday, 10am-noon. Create usable pottery with flair, such as mugs, soap dishes, waste baskets, picture frames, toothbrush holders, and much more. Every Saturday is different and no reservations are required. You and your kids will love using your own creations everyday.
Perfect for?
Anyone looking for a creative outlet.
Where to get it?
3130 Wasson Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209
(513) 871-CLAY
Funke Fired Arts
How Much?
Hand-crafted items in the boutique start at $20
$30 per person for the Monthly Open Wheel-Throwing session
Get Behind the Wheel
Two of the more accessible offerings in Funke's broad range of programming are the Monthly Open Wheel-Throwing session and Funke Functionals. The Monthly Open Wheel-Throwing session is offered on the second and fourth Friday night of each month. Doors open at 6pm for wine and h'orderves, and each session runs 6:30-8:30, providing a fun opportunity to create a ceramic piece from start to finish. Basic instruction, clay, tools, firing, and refreshments are all included. The sessions are open to all levels; reservations are recommended.
The session is a perfect opportunity if you've got a hankering to socialize while getting your hands dirty (and relieve some of your stress as well). If you're looking for a gift that's truly different, you can make your own at one of these sessions, or give the gift of a fun activity to someone you like! In our opinion, the sessions are a great date idea as well.
Funke Functionals is a two-hour workshop for parents and kids, offered every Saturday, 10am-noon. Create usable pottery with flair, such as mugs, soap dishes, waste baskets, picture frames, toothbrush holders, and much more. Every Saturday is different and no reservations are required. You and your kids will love using your own creations everyday.
At $30 for the Open Wheel-Throwing and $20 for the Funke Functionals workshop, it is a great way to have fun and give gifts to people you care about (or make something just for yourself!) without breaking the bank.
An activity that's just getting off the ground is Funke Painters, the studio's own take on the familiar "paint-a-pot" idea. It allows for drop-in customers to choose a ceramic piece and glaze it to their liking, with Funke staff providing instruction, advice, and firing services.
Events at Funke
An activity that's just getting off the ground is Funke Painters, the studio's own take on the familiar "paint-a-pot" idea. It allows for drop-in customers to choose a ceramic piece and glaze it to their liking, with Funke staff providing instruction, advice, and firing services.
Events at Funke
Upcoming classes at Funke include Introduction to Wheel, Handbuilding, Finding a Finish: Alternative Surface Treatments, Large-Scale Coil Pots, and Forget Function. Additionally, specialized workshops are offered, including Molds, Modeling and the Narrative Figure, a two-day intensive workshop in life-size clay figures with nationally renowned artist Nan Smith, which is coming up in May.
Another upcoming special event is Focus on Function: Traditions and Innovations, a high-profile conference and series of workshops sponsored by the Potters Council, and hosted
by Funke Fired Arts and the Clay Alliance. The conference draws speakers and attendees from across the US, and includes an opening reception at the Funke Fired Arts gallery, demonstrations, hands-on learning opportunities, and presentations, including one by Cincinnati's own Rookwood Pottery, entitled Rookwood Reborn.
A Resource for Cincinnati Artists
Another upcoming special event is Focus on Function: Traditions and Innovations, a high-profile conference and series of workshops sponsored by the Potters Council, and hosted
by Funke Fired Arts and the Clay Alliance. The conference draws speakers and attendees from across the US, and includes an opening reception at the Funke Fired Arts gallery, demonstrations, hands-on learning opportunities, and presentations, including one by Cincinnati's own Rookwood Pottery, entitled Rookwood Reborn.
A Resource for Cincinnati Artists
Funke Fired Arts offers studio rental space for artists of all levels, many of whom have taken courses at the facility. It's a great opportunity to create art in a supportive community atmosphere of like-minded artists. Some of the works created in their studio space can be found at Funke's retail store, which carries a variety of functional and nonfunctional
[mostly] ceramic pieces by area artists. The inventory includes plates, vases, teapots, as well as small sculptural pieces at all price points. The non-clay selections include glass, bronze work, hand-made jewelry, paintings, mixed media pieces, and other two-dimensional works of art. It is a great area resource for unique, hand-crafted gifts.
A 1550-square foot exhibition gallery provides a venue for ambitious sculpture and installation artists. The gallery showcases emerging and established artists whose innovative mixed-media works emphasize the use of clay and illustrate clay's enormous range as an artistic
medium.
medium.
Additionally, Funke Fired Arts sells a wide selection of clay materials and supplies, making it one of the largest distributors of its kind in the Midwest. The supply store provides an unparalleled technical resource for its customers, serving as a source of hard-to-find glazes, tools, and books, with a discount for educators. Funke even offers kiln repair for artists and educators.
Perfect for?
Anyone looking for a creative outlet.
Where to get it?
3130 Wasson Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209
(513) 871-CLAY
Funke Fired Arts
How Much?
Hand-crafted items in the boutique start at $20
$30 per person for the Monthly Open Wheel-Throwing session
wonderful information. i have not thrown a pot in years.