Price, UT—Helper artist, Jessica Reininger, will share her ceramic and textile work at Gallery East in an exhibition entitled “Time will Tell.” The Exhibit runs from September 29 through October 31 in the Central Instruction Building (CIB) on the campus of Utah State University Eastern.

Ideas come to her as organically as the textured objects she fashions in clay. “Spontaneity is a key element in my creative process,” she says. “Many of my ideas that become a finished piece are started by a plant or weed I pick, a fence, pinecone, fabric pattern, shoe tread, cooking utensil, etc. The ideas come fast and, more often than not, complete.”

Her creative process is divergent, with little concern for planning or set deadlines. “I allowed myself the freedom to decide from moment to moment what to make for this show,” she explains. “No advance planning, no quantity goal. My creativity wandered through this past month unchecked. It became this wild and wonderful collection without the burden of logical planning.”

Reininger specializes in creating functional art that can be touched, held, used and enjoyed. She earned her sculpture/ceramics degree in 2002 from Northwest Nazarene University and has made art in multiple mediums ever since.

Reininger’s inspiration comes from her extended travels, nature, and her fellow artists. In Peru she studied Centuries old traditional pottery techniques, and traditional backstrap weaving. Her other artistic mediums include knitting, weaving, yarn dyeing, painting, and clothing design.

She grew up on a homestead in rural Montana, and has also lived in Nevada, Idaho and Oregon. Most recently Jess moved to the historic town of Helper, Utah to become a part of the growing artist community residing there.  

 The exhibit, “Time will Tell,” will continue through October 31. An artist’s reception will be held on Wednesday, October 8, 6-8 PM. Students, faculty, and the public are invited to attend.The gallery is free and open to the public during the academic year. 

Gallery East’s Fall 2025 hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Closed weekends, and holidays.