"Bottles" by John Reinking; stoneware; 6" x 4" x 4" each; 2019
(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- Raritan Valley Community College's Arts & Design department will present Material Matters, an exhibition showcasing the work of Arts & Design Adjunct Faculty member John Reinking and New York artist Ned Snider, October 9-30,2026, in the Art Gallery at the College's Branchburg campus.
The show is being curated by Associate Professor and RVCC Art Gallery Director Darren McManus. The reception and artists' talk will be held Friday, October 9, from 5:00pm-7:00pm. The event is free of charge and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
Although working in distinct disciplines and media – Reinking producing ceramic vessels and objects and Snider creating mixed-media paintings – the two artists have a studio practice focused on form and materiality pursued through both organic and controlled processes.
John Reinking is a wood-fire potter and educator who lives in Pittstown. He earned his BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, and his MFA from Marywood University. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at RVCC and the Ceramics Program Director for the Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster.
Reinking's work featured in Material Matters spans several years and explores the atmospheres and micro-climates that occur within the wood kiln, specifically how placement within the kiln changes the work's finish, and how the finish interacts with each vessel's form. As such, this body of work explores the science and chemistry of clay and glaze as they go through incredibly intense conditions. For example, Reinking's vessels require seven days of firing, with most pieces being partially buried under the ember-bed for the duration of the process. Upon completion, the works survive bearing beautiful marks in the form of glass drips and color shifts, courtesy of flames and ash interacting with glaze chemistry.
"Small Batch Whiskey Bottle" by John Reinking; woodfired stoneware; 9" x 6" x 6"; 2019
Reinking has led numerous workshops and presented at the annual National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference in 2011. His work has been published in international ceramic journals and can be found in many private and public collections. He is represented by the Peter's Valley Craft Center in Layton and Connexions Gallery in Easton, PA.
Edwin "Ned" Snider produces work that pulls from several disciplines including design, craft, and painting. He attended the University of Denver and then received a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He also earn his master's degree in 2D Design from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, MI.
Snider's work highlighted in Material Matters features wall-hung, mixed media pieces. His work references a range of subject matter, from design history and logos (semiotics), to craft practices and personal narratives. He employs many tools beyond the brush to create his paintings. Focusing on the materiality of the work, he incorporates manipulated, found-wood pieces to break the traditional two-dimensional plane of the painting and allows thread to serve as line-work, hovering above the surface of the canvas. These techniques, in addition to the flat areas of acrylic, challenge the conventional notion of the painting as a two-dimensional object.
"S/T.093" by Ned Snider; acrylic, iridescent acrylic, various wood species on canvas in custom artist's frame; 19" x 15"; 2025
Snider's work has been exhibited in numerous venues, including Feature, Inc. (NY), Larrisa Goldston Gallery (NY), East Tennessee State University (TN), 57W57 ARTS (NY), Thompson Giroux Gallery (NY), and The Cranbrook Art Museum (MI). Additionally, his work has been published in Creative Review and ID Magazine. Snider is a recent Hopper Prize Finalist and his newer work was selected for the 2025 Northeast edition of New American Paintings. He lives and works in Katonah, NY.
Gallery hours for the exhibition are Mondays, 3:00pm-8:00pm; Tuesdays, 10:00am-3:00pm; Wednesdays, 3:00pm-8:00pm; Thursdays, 10:00am-6:00pm; and Fridays, 1:00pm-4:00pm. On Friday, October 9, the Art Gallery will not be open until 5:00pm. For further information, contact the Arts & Design department, 908-218-8876.
Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, New Jersey.
"S/T.058" by Ned Snider; acrylic, pine wood on canvas mounted on board; 32" x 24"; 2024
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