Tony Borchardt began his career as a production potter and has been creating ceramic work for over thirty years. After earning his MFA, he began sharing his knowledge and skills in the ceramic arts, teaching as a professor and now leading workshops through his home studio and community art centers.

 

With a focus on functionality, his ceramics are influenced by industrial forms and architectural structures, blending utility with a strong, design-driven aesthetic. Borchardt continues to exhibit his work at leading national art fairs, exhibitions and gallerie repesentations across the United States.

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Artist Statement: 

Geometric forms and machine-influenced structures—such as oil cans, camping equipment, and architectural elements—inform my work. I’m drawn to their clarity, efficiency, and purpose, translating these qualities into functional ceramics with a strong, industrial presence.

Surface plays a key role in my practice. Using a high-fired iron clay body, I develop patterned textures that suggest wear and age, giving each piece a sense of history. High-magnesium glazes create cracking and crawling effects that mimic peeling paint and weathered surfaces.

 

By combining precise, utilitarian forms with distressed finishes, my work explores the tension between new and old—creating objects that feel both purposeful and timeworn.

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2026 Events:

• June 26-28 - Des Moines Art Festival

• July 11-12 - Madison Wisconsin MMOCA Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

• September 18-20 - Saint Louis Art Fair 

• September 25-27 - Plaza Art Fair Kansas City MO 

• October 3-4 - Omaha North Hills Pottery Tour