Approximately 50 Alfred University faculty, students and alumni are set to participate at the 2025 National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Conference, which opens Wednesday, March 26, in Salt Lake City, UT, and concludes Saturday, March 29. The four-day event invites participants to dig deep into the historical and cultural significance of ceramics worldwide.
NCECA is an organization serving the interests of ceramics as an art form and in creative education. The 59th NCECA Annual Conference, “Formation,” is being held at various venues in Salt Lake City, and features a large number of exhibitions, panel discussions, presentations, and more.
“True and Real” is the title of the NCECA Annual 2025 exhibition. An opening reception is set for Thursday, March 27; it will remain on view through May 31, 2025. Artists affiliated with Alfred University chosen to participate in the exhibition are Eugene Ofori Agyei (Current Turner Teaching Fellow), Du Chau (BFA ‘ 01, MFA ’03), Chris Gustin (MFA ’77), Steven Young Lee (BFA ’98, MFA ’04), Linda Swanson (MFA ’05), Lydia C. Thompson (MFA ’85), and Kirstin Willders (MFA ’20)
Two Alfred University alumni—Rose Schreiber (MFA ’23) and Peter Voulkos (Honorary Doctorate ’98)—have works included in an exhibition titled “Formation Under the Big Sky: Wild Clay and Material Research at Montana State University.” The exhibition is organized by Josh DeWeese (MFA ’91) and Jeremy Hatch (MFA ’03). The exhibition, “Treading Lightly: Walking the Talk” features work by John Neely ’92, Julia Galloway (BFA ’98), and Kate Roberts (BFA ’10, MFA ’15).
“For the Love of Clay: Artists Who’ve Shaped the Carbondale Clay Center,” has work by Allegany Meadows (MFA ’99), Janice Jakelski (BFA 2000), Doug Casebeer (MFA ’82), Sam Harvey (MFA ’01), Josh DeWeese (MFA ’91), Albion Stafford (BFA ’99, MFA ’07), and Steven Colby (BFA ’99), while work by Kim Dickey (MFA ’88), Stephanie Hanes (faculty division of ceramic art), Sana Musasama (MFA ’87), Lydia C Thompson (MFA ’85), Adero Willard (BFA ’95, visiting professor 2020-23), and Stefani Threet (BFA ’06) is featured in the exhibition “Rebel Girl: You Are Queen of My World.”
Other exhibitions include: “Beacon,” with work by Kristen Kieffer (BFA ’95, former Summer Ceramics Faculty), Julie Moon (MFA ’10), Adero Willard (BFA ’95, visiting professor 2020-23); “Holding Space: Highlights From the Nehma Ceramics Collection,” featuring John Neely ’92, Tony Marsh (MFA ’88), Ann Currier (retired faculty 1985-2016) , Dirk Staschke (MFA ’98); “Toy Dispenser Gallery: Community is Everything,” with work by Emily Woo, BFA senior, and Joann Schnabel (BFA ’81); and “Permanence of Earth: Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture,” featuring Eugene Agyei (Turner Teaching Fellow), Lydia C. Thompson (MFA ’85).
Notable programs at the NCECA Conference include:
- Past Masters, which honors and celebrates the lives of NCECA members and significant figures who have passed away after making notable impacts on the field. Chris Gustin ( MFA ’77) will give a presentation on Barry Bartlett (MFA ’77), while Denise Pelletier (MFA ’94) will be presenting about Andrew Martin (MFA ’85)
- Celebrating 30 Years of the Train Kiln podcast. Matt Kelleher, head of the Division of Ceramic Art at Alfred University, John Neely (BFA ’75), and Lindsay Oesterritter (Summer Ceramics faculty, 2024) will participate in the podcast.
- Understanding Your Self Through Making Art podcast will feature Nicki Green, faculty in the Alfred University Division of Ceramic Art.
- Volcanic Pumics and Clay Body Formulation Lecture, presented by James Tingey, Ceramics Grinding Room technician in the Alfred University School of Art and Design.
- Closing Lecture: “The Chapters in My Journey” presented by Sana Musasama (MFA ’87).
Alfred University will host an event at the NCECA for alumni and friends. Register here.