Drahanchuk was oriented to an honest expression of the natural world. He used glazes as ‘accents to good design only where function demands.” Whether making a studio piece or a commissioned mural, Drahanchuk imbued his work with a distinctive surface energy and muscularity, hallmarks that make it instantly recognizable. He worked in stoneware and experimented with relief decoration and wax emulsion, which provided a fine sensitive line in his work. Ed Drahanchuk ran a successful independent studio practice (Design Associates, est. 1963) in cooperation with his wife, Ethel, and architectural sculptor Bob Oldrich. They began the studio in Calgary, moved to Bragg Creek and then in 1975 moved to British Columbia. The studio is still in operation. Over the years the Studio benefited from involvement with Government sponsored trade shows in various parts of the world, which led to purchases from Canadian embassies and government buildings as well as ceramic orders from Europe and Japan. In 1974 Drahanchuk received the “Canadian Design of Merit Citation, Craft Award” from the National Design Council. Drahanchuk and Drohan collaborated for an exhibition in 1965-6 under the auspices of the Western Canadian Art Circuit, and both participated in Canadian Fine Crafts, an exhibition juries by Daniel Rhodes and assembled and toured by the National Gallery for Canada’s Centennial Year. He received the top ceramic prize for work in a second Canadian Fine Crafts exhibition in the Canadian Pavilion at Expo ’67 Montreal.