The Im-ple-ment Archive is an evolving collaborative exploration of tools, utensils and other pieces of equipment used for a particular purpose between visual artists Ellen Kleckner and Linda Tien. Applying an intuitive consideration to the familiar visual vocabulary established by a lineage of makers, through process and material, the archive calls question to the commonplace or recognizable through the investigation of form, textures, composition and materials. Through altering familiar materials and forms, the archive acts as a documentation to share the evolution of utility, form, function and maker through the employment of cooperative play and exploration paired with traditional practice and material.

Linda Tien is a visual artist, curator and exhibition producer of Vietnamese heritage. Linda has a studio background in metalsmithing & jewelry design but has always worked across media and formats including sculpture, performance, installation and video. She received her BFA in 2011 at Texas Tech University and her MFA in 2016 from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. In addition to her studio practice, Linda has many years’ experience in curation and gallery work.

Ellen Kleckner’s work explores connection through the convergence of materials—ceramics, wood, steel, and reed—each carrying its own history and tension. Using systems of joinery, she investigates relationships between structure and flexibility, function and meaning. These assembled forms reflect interdependence, reciprocity, and care, shifting subtly to emphasize containment and comfort. At the heart of her practice is a commitment to collaboration and community. Whether through The Implement Archive or shared studio spaces, she seeks to honor the places where people gather, create, and engage—crafting not just objects, but meaningful connections.

Ellen Kleckner is an artist, educator, and arts administrator committed to fostering creative communities and advancing the fields of ceramics and glass. Since 2016, she has served as Executive Director of the Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio (ICCGS), where she leads strategic planning, community engagement, and program development to support artists, students, and educators. Kleckner holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Ceramics from Ohio University. She has participated in residencies at leading craft centers and foundations, deepening her expertise in collaborative, community-driven art practices.