NWDC PRESENTS HANDWORK 2026: WOOD AND CLAY IN THE NORTHWEST AT KIRKLAND ARTS CENTER
Juried exhibition showcases contemporary craft by members of Northwest Designer Craftartists
KIRKLAND, Wash. — Northwest Designer Craftartists (NWDC), in partnership with Kirkland Arts Center, presents Handwork 2026: Wood and Clay in the Northwest, a juried exhibition of contemporary craft on view October 15 through November 20, 2026.
The exhibition is the third presentation in NWDC’s Handwork 2026 series and brings together recent work by NWDC members working in ceramics and wood. Juried by David Lynx, Executive Director of Kirkland Arts Center, the exhibition highlights the range of scale, material, and approach within these two foundational craft traditions—from finely detailed vessels and objects to furniture, sculpture, wall-based work, and larger freestanding forms.
Together, the works demonstrate how Northwest artists continue to expand the possibilities of clay and wood through skilled making, experimentation, and a deep engagement with material.
David Lynx is a Puget Sound native and holds degrees from the University of Washington and the University of Oklahoma in Museum Studies. He has led the Sheehan Gallery at Whitman College, served as Associate Director of the Yakima Valley Museum, and directed the Larson Gallery at Yakima Valley College. For more than twenty-five years, he taught art history and wrote the arts column for the Yakima Herald-Republic.
An opening reception will be held Friday, October 16, from 6–8 p.m. at Kirkland Arts Center. Selected artwork will be available for purchase during the exhibition.
Artists
Karen Abel, Rob Beishline, Laura Brodax, Jyoti Duwadi, Gina Freuen, Anthony Gaudino, Tom Gormally, Larry Halvorsen, Liza Halvorsen, Lois Harbaugh, Lin Holley, Steve Jensen, Cara Jung, Jan Lipetz, Nancy Loorem Adams, Gale Lurie, Anna Macrae, Barbara Matthews, Deb McCunn, Naoko Morisawa / Morisawa Studio, Meg Murch, James Nelson, Brian O’Neill, Jack Osier, Sue Roberts, Seth Rolland, Bergen Rose, Denise Snyder, Rebecca Stansbury, Kapka Stoyanova, John Taylor, Susan Cohen Thompson, Clovy Tsuchiya, Mark Wedekind, Stuart Welch, Maria Wickwire, and Suze Woolf.
Images by Seth Rolland and Jan Lipetz
Exhibition Information
Handwork 2026: Wood and Clay in the Northwest
October 15–November 20, 2026
Opening Reception
Friday, October 16
6–8 p.m.
Kirkland Arts Center
620 Market Street
Kirkland, WA 98033
Gallery hours:
Tuesday–Friday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Saturday, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Sunday–Monday, closed
About Northwest Designer Craftartists
Founded in 1954, Northwest Designer Craftartists is a nonprofit member organization dedicated to advancing excellence in design and craftsmanship and increasing public appreciation of contemporary craft. NWDC represents artists working in clay, wood, glass, metal, fiber, mixed media, and related disciplines throughout the Northwest.
Learn more at nwdesignercraftartists.org.
About Kirkland Arts Center
Founded in 1962, Kirkland Arts Center cultivates quality arts experiences, connects communities, and increases creative engagement through exhibitions, classes, workshops, and public programs. KAC is located in Kirkland’s historic Peter Kirk Building.
Learn more at kirklandartscenter.org.