Fall Exhibition

With a doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology, Brad Worden has spent his career researching everything from bees in the mountains of Arizona to albatross in the Galapagos Islands. “Research,” says Worden, “is a part of me and the way I understand the world around me.” It’s through this lens that Worden approaches clay — an outlet he began pursuing in earnest 18 years ago when he and his husband moved to Asheville. “I’m an experimenter and skeptic by nature,” says Worden, “so I often use the principles of testing a scientific hypothesis while testing techniques in ceramics.” Take majolica, for example. Traditionally, this glazing technique calls for low-temperature firing. But after some trial and error, Worden discovered how to combine higher-temperature glazes with majolica brush decoration, giving his nature-inspired noodle bowls, soap dispensers, and other vessels a distinctive look. “I’m always trying new things, which is like play to me,” says Worden, who will exhibit new works this fall at Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts in the River Arts District. Vessels by other members of the clay collective will also be on display through early December.