The “Out of the Fire” student ceramics show, an annual feature at the Sedona Arts Center, will return with an opening reception from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26, followed by the regular show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28.

“Out of the Fire [is] a show we started about 13 years ago to showcase some of the work our ceramic students create,” SAC ceramics department head Dennis Ott said. “It takes some courage for artists to display their work to the public. My thoughts in creating this show was, it was a good venue for students to display their work in a gallery setting without having to be juried and possibly not be accepted into the show. All our students are invited to participate and enter three to five pieces of their best work.”

Following the reception, the gallery will be open on Saturday and Sunday, staffed by the students, who will make the sales and talk to visitors about SAC and their work. Proceeds from will go toward SAC ceramics programing.

“I’m going to have some bowls in it,” student artist Sheena Sovich, who has been taking classes at SAC since 2017, said. “It’s very Southwestern, it’s three little round pots and I have them stacked on top of each other. Then I just got one back that I’m going to put in it, and it is a lidded vessel that I [made] … and it’s very classy and Delicate-looking.” Sovich added that the ability to work with her hands and the socialization that SAC offers has kept her engaged with ceramics over time.

“[People should attend the show] because they’re going to get a variety of unique pieces that are done by individuals at a varying level of artistry,” Sovich said. “There’s 35 students in the show. So you’re going to have such a good variety to choose from. Plus they get to meet the artists and just be a part of the art community here in Sedona. It’s a wonderful thing to have here.”

Ott said that while the show is “Out of the Fire,” for the students, it involves a bit of jumping into the fire by opening themselves up to criticism.

“Think about it yourself. If you were a painter, a sculptor or a ceramicist, it takes some guts to put your work out there for people to look at and hopefully appreciate,” Ott said. “But as we are all human beings, we certainly criticize … People usually tell you how much they appreciate what you’ve done or how beautiful the work is that you’re creating, too. And that’s the plus, but it takes it takes a little bit of courage to put your work out there for everybody to see.”

SAC has also scheduled a celebration of its artists’ work in ceramics over the last 65 years for the month of April, with the date for an invitational showing of notable ceramicists from across Arizona, accompanied by demonstrations and artist talks, to be announced later.

“SAC’s year-round courses include Ceramics for All Levels, Hand-Building Ceramics and Pottery Wheel for Beginners and are taught by internationally-renowned instructors Dennis Ott, Neil Kennedy and Laura Howe,” the center stated in a press release. “Weekend workshops and multi-week classes teach beginning to advanced students handbuilding, throwing, firing and clay and glaze formulation in addition to traditional and contemporary techniques.”

“It’s a good place to be if you’re looking for something to do in Sedona that’s fun,” Sovich said. “We have all the hiking, but if you enjoy doing anything with working with your hands, then I would just hope people would at least give it a try.”