Things are heating up for Central Oregon ceramic artist Janet Matson, who usually works on her clay pieces, or attempts to, every afternoon.

But it was an hour or so shy of noon last week when GO! Magazine caught up with Matson by phone, and she was already in her home studio, painting her ceramic pots with wildflowers and other natural vegetation native to Central Oregon.

“That’s what I’ve been focusing on lately; I’m doing it right now,” she said. “Now that our show’s coming up, I’m working in the morning, too.”

Matson was referring to the Wildfire Pottery Showcase, the 10th annual show and sale that will be held Saturday and Sunday at Highland Elementary School in Bend (see “If you go”).

Wildfire is the brainchild of the Clay Guild of the Cascades, a nonprofit organization formed in 2004. Meeting bimonthly, its members work toward increasing appreciation of handmade pottery and ceramics, according to the guild’s website, www.clayguildofthecascades.com.

Matson joined the guild about a year or two after it began hosting Wildfire events, she said.

“It’s our biggest show of the year, and it’s a very professional show,” she said, explaining that members based Wildfire on the Oregon Potters Association’s yearly Ceramic Showcase, held in May.

“It’s just a fabulous opportunity for our community to have this kind of show right here,” Matson said. “You don’t have to travel to the valley to see really good pottery, and it’s big. Our community has a lot of potters and ceramic artists, and so this is our chance to educate the community, and also to show our work and sell it.

The event gathers together the work of more than 25 ceramic artists, along with clay demonstrations throughout the day and a children’s area with clay activities for kids.

Every other hour during the two-day event, guild members will hold free raffles for $25 to go toward pottery purchases at the Wildfire showcase.

One of the event’s highlights is the Gallery Showcase, in which artists display their finest pieces. Guild members select two of their own as Best in Show winners.

Winners of the 2013 Best in Show were Chad Fox for the functional art category — bowls, vases, platters and other clay works with utilitarian purpose — and Nancy Dasen in the sculptural category.

Matson hasn’t won the honor herself — yet — but her work qualifies for the functional category.

“I mainly do functional work,” she said. “I like to do things people can use, because I’m not real fond of things just sitting around the house. I like to be able to use them.”

— Reporter: 541-383-0349, djasper@bendbulletin.com