CERAMICS ALUMNA WILLERS IS
NCECA president-elect
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Orrin Wilson (left) and Anthony Barfield in the studio as the production duo “velocitymadeit.”
and gold in Australia and in the U.K. That led to working with more artists, including Young M.A., Toni Romiti, Melii, Trippie Reed, Lil Wayne, and getting music into commercials and video games, too. “Knowing that we’re the person who made the music is always a very humbling experience because it’s like I created something that could change how people feel,” he said. “I think it’s an amazing, amazing thing, to say the least.” Read more about Wilson at go.unl.edu/ owilson. ■
Top: Rhonda Willers decorates a doublejoined vessel with terra sigillata layers. Photo by April Bodenburg. Right: Rhonda Willers’ book, Terra Sigillata: Contemporary Techniques. Photo courtesy of The American Ceramic Society.
chool of Art, Art History & Design alumna Rhonda Willers (M.F.A. 2007) is the president-elect of the board of directors for NCECA (National Council on the Education for the Ceramic Arts). NCECA is the largest ceramics organization in the world and one of the largest visual arts organizations in the U.S. with around 6,000 members attending the national conference each year. Willers became president-elect in March 2021 and will begin serving a two-year term as president in March 2022. She will succeed Professor of Art Peter Pinnell, who is currently serving as president. Willers previously served as a special advisor from 2020– 2021 and steward of the board from 2018–2020. From 2009–2012, she served as director at large on the NCECA board. “After much thought and discussion with my family, I was more than happy to say yes to
this opportunity,” Willers said. Pinnell said Willers is an excellent choice for this leadership post at NCECA. “Rhonda is one of the most wise, competent and hard-working people I’ve known,” he said. “That’s why boards have asked her to serve. This year has been difficult for NCECA as we had to cancel our national conference last March and have spent the year transitioning from holding a large, in-person conference to holding a large virtual conference. Rhonda has played a key role in this enormous task, and the current board was unanimous in asking Rhonda to become the president to follow me.” Willers is a full-time studio artist and writer at her home in rural Wisconsin. She recently authored the book, Terra Sigillata: Contemporary Techniques, which was published by The American Ceramics Society in February 2019. “It’s still hard to believe a book about this topic hadn’t been published until 2019 with its deep roots in ceramics history and contemporary practice,” she said. “I have particularly enjoyed connecting with readers and users of the book on social media. The responses are coming from around the globe, and it truly is a joy to know this resource is serving our global ceramics community.” ■
FALL 2021 | HIXSON-LIED COLLEGE of FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS
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