Chandra was first introduced to pottery at a community studio in Lincoln, NE. As her passion grew she pursued Post-baccalaureate studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In 2010 she received her MFA in Ceramics from the University of Florida and has completed residencies at the Armory Art Center and at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. In 2012, DeBuse was recognized as an Emerging Artist by both Ceramics Monthly magazine and the National Council on the Education of Ceramic Arts (NCECA).

Chandra has exhibited extensively and presented workshops on her techniques at universities and art centers around the country. Her work has been featured in several books and articles, including Pottery Making Illustrated, Ceramics Art and Perception and Ceramics Monthly. She is one of the founding members of Kansas City Urban Potters. In addition to her own studio practice, Chandra is half of the F&DB collaborative project with Tommy Frank.

Chandra highlights the celebratory nature of how ceramics are used in enhancing the moment that food is served and enjoyed. This focus on the positive reward of slowing down and enjoying the daily act of taking in nourishment is important to her.

DeBuse’s work is a tribute to delight and resilience, her forms have an expressive quality especially represented in her salt and pepper shakers and serving pieces. In these forms she is able to take a more playful sculptural approach combining both drawings and small representative figures. Many of her pieces have illustrations of animals that are often seen as nuisance animals; the opossum, the bat and her favorite reoccurring creature, the squirrel. The squirrel can represent many things in the eyes of the viewer, but most often they are a stand-in for each of us, alternating between working to horde away nuts or enjoying the fruits of their labor. The use of bright, bold colors together with her whimsical drawings invite and encourage the viewer to engage with her work. Each piece is vibrant and alive calling to the viewer to “play”, to enjoy the moment, to live life with exuberance. Chandra’s recent work includes imagery of plants and flowers, as well as elaborate checkerboard and other geometric shapes.

Join us in welcoming Chandra to this year’s Southern Crossings Pottery Festival. To see more of her work visit chandradebuse.com