The Lawrence Arts Center has selected printmaker Hibiki Miyazaki and ceramic artist Reece Henderson as its 2026-27 artists-in-residence, bringing two creators focused on experimentation, teaching and community connections to Lawrence.
During their residencies, both artists will teach classes, develop new work and engage with Lawrence residents. Their work will be featured in solo exhibitions at the arts center in summer 2027.
Miyazaki, a drawing-based visual artist who has lived in Portland, Oregon, for nearly three decades, said the yearlong format appealed to her because it offers time to meet the community while pursuing an ambitious project.
“I would really like to become part of the community here and spread my love of printmaking,” she said via email.
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Her work will focus on the process of making art, rather than only its finished form. Miyazaki plans to return to large-scale printmaking and document the proofs at each step in the process. She’ll then assemble them into a film and collaborate with Portland experimental musician Nik Viola on a score.
“I wanted the journey to be the piece,” she said.
She imagines displaying the sequential proofs alongside a projected film and music, and is considering a connected vinyl album.
Miyazaki’s work often combines figurative scenes, humor and mystery. She said she prefers not to prescribe a single meaning for the work, instead allowing viewers to interpret it themselves.
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“The humor and mystery are ways of pulling people into my world,” she said.
Miyazaki said she hopes her LAC students will embrace experimentation rather than worry about making mistakes.
She will teach “Intro to Color Printmaking” and “Intro to Linoleum Printmaking” this fall to explore medium’s texture, layers and unexpected possibilities. Both classes cost $280 and start in September.
“Mistakes are really opportunities,” she said. “If anyone thinks something is a mistake, let’s investigate it together.”
Henderson, a Little Rock, Arkansas native who recently completed his MFA in Ceramics at Ohio University, said LAC’s community focus drew him to the residency.
“Something I’m really interested in is trying to learn how to take my practice outside of my isolated studio and branch out into broader communities,” Henderson said.
His ceramic practice considers anxiety, mortality, hope and optimism through figures and symbols of comfort, including ghosts, flowers, wishbones and rabbits’ feet. He uses bright colors and approachable, cartoon-like forms to make those difficult subjects more accessible.
“I’ve always had art as a way to help ease that crushing burden of anxiety,” Henderson said.
For his summer 2027 exhibition, Henderson hopes to create a walkthrough installation that combines ceramic figures, good-luck symbols and painted wooden elements. The work may resemble a stage set, allowing visitors to move among and interact with the art.
“Making work that feels immersive is kind of a way to almost escape the world of anxiety and land into a different world,” he said.
Henderson will teach “Two Legs to Stand On,” a hand-building course focused on creating freestanding ceramic figures, and “Hanging Around with Wall Hangings,” which will explore wall-mounted ceramic work that blends drawing and sculpture. Both classes cost $280 and start in September.
A successful residency, he said, would mean students leave his classes with knowledge and artwork they are proud of.
Artists-in-residence of 2025-26 move on to new experiences
Printmaking artist-in-residence Wabwila Mugala will begin a papermaking residency at the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale, New York.
During her time in Lawrence, Mugala created her exhibit “Quilted Existence,” exploring resilience, creativity and knowledge across the African diaspora.
As for ceramics artist-in-residence Jason Wang, he will begin a residency at Guldagergaard for the Wood Fire Symposium in Denmark.
During his time in Lawrence, he invited community members to leave their handprints on hundreds of clay cups for an interactive project exploring human connection and the value of being seen.
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Courtney Lane (she/her), staff reporter, has worked with The Lawrence Times since April 2026. She can be reached at [email protected].
Read her complete bio here. Read her work for the Times at this link, and see her photography for the Times at this link.
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Contributed photoTwo artists follow their creative paths to the Lawrence Arts Center
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