About

Ellen Kleckner is a Visiting Professor of Art at Indiana University Bloomington. An artist and community organizer, she maintains a research-driven studio practice that integrates community engagement, material investigation, and collaborative making. Her work explores the convergence of ceramics with wood, steel, and reed through joinery systems—emphasizing tension, interdependence, and utility. From 2016–2025 she served as Executive Director of the Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio, leading significant program growth and facility initiatives. Kleckner holds a B.F.A. from the Appalachian Center for Craft and an M.F.A. from Ohio University. She has exhibited nationally and internationally at KVALITRA Gallery, Arrowmont School of Craft, the Baltimore Jewelry Center, Northern Clay Center, Mezinarodni Muzeum Keramiky, and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. Recent support includes the McKnight Foundation, the Iowa Arts Council, and the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts, as well as a visiting artist residency at the Archie Bray Foundation.