Drop in to try your hand building technique with Nickie Gunning (CAA Ceramics, ‘21) and create a bowl for charity! In the ArtLab, participants will learn how to shape, texture, and decorate clay bowls with slab building techniques to create functional vessels from easily accessible, ready-made, household and found objects. Ideal for participants over 8 years old, children must be accompanied by an adult to participate.
Presented in conjunction with the National Council of Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) 60th conference, all bowls created in this workshop will be donated to Empty Bowl Detroit 2026 for the food exchange event taking place in late March at Eastern Market, all proceeds will benefit Gleaners Community Food Bank. Clay for the workshop will be recycled, and is provided by Cranbrook Academy of Art, Ceramics Department.
Empty Bowls, a charity organization with a mission to feed the hungry. Originating in Metro-Detroit, Empty Bowls has become a globally recognized community for art and food initiatives that brings people together to raise funds and awareness around food insecurity. They host powerful events where guests receive a handmade ceramic bowl and a meal in exchange for a donation. The empty ceramic bowl each donor takes home serves as a lasting reminder that while we share a meal together, thousands of people still face empty bowls every day.
Nickie Gunning (b.1991 Long Island, NY) is an interdisciplinary artist currently based in Metro Detroit, Michigan whose work explores gender identity through ceramic sculpture and found-object assemblage. Their work has been exhibited nationally, at venues including the Cranbrook Art Museum, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Springfield Art Museum, and in large scale exhibitions such as Mighty Real Queer Detroit. Gunning is the recipient of awards including the Frank Swaim Award of Honor and multiple artist residencies, with features in publications such as The Washington Post and Trans Mag. They hold an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art and a BFA from the Corcoran School of Art + Design.
This event is free with gallery admission. No RSVP is required.
Image: Nickie Gunning
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