Watkins’s ceramic art on display at juried exhibitions

Veronica Watkins creates a piece of pottery during a ceramics demonstration with students in Northwest's Fire Arts Building. (Photo by Lauren Adams/Northwest Missouri State University)

The work of a Northwest Missouri State art faculty member is being featured at two respected exhibitions continuing through Nov. 8 and Dec. 3.

Veronica Watkins, an associate professor of art in the School of Fine and Performing Arts, is featured into the Strictly Functional Pottery National exhibition at the Lancaster Museum of Art in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She also has three pieces at the Belger Crane Yard Studios in Kansas City, Missouri, in an exhibition titled “Put a Lid on It.”

A covered tray by Veronica Watkins

Green & Tan Flower Brick by Veronica Watkins

The exhibition at Belger Crane Yard Studios features works by over 100 artists contributing lidded pottery, by invitation and through jury process. Watkins’ pieces featured are two covered trays and a flower brick.

“It means that within our region, they recognize my work,” Watkins said. “That recognition amongst your peers and the caliber of the arts center, makes it feel like an accomplishment.”

Strictly Functional Pottery at the Lancaster Museum of Art has served as the standard for functional ceramic exhibits since its founding in 1993, and features some of the most talented artists from around the country. Watkins has two tea bowls on display.

“It’s pretty competitive as far as people applying,” Watkins said. “That exhibition is specifically for utilitarian pottery, which is the genre my work falls within. To get recognized in a larger national community, it feels like something.”

Having her work featured in exhibitions helps Watkins inspire her students as they pursue careers after graduation.

“They see me working because I really do work amongst them in a classroom setting,” Watkins said. “They see me as a practicing artist not just someone that’s talking about it, but I’m literally doing it. Then, when I take them on a field trip and they see my works in an exhibition, they put together the pieces, like ‘oh, she has a life outside of just being my teacher.’”

Watkins recently traveled with a group of art students to Belger Crane Yard Studios for the opening of “Put a Lid on It.” The group also visited gallery receptions at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City Clay Guild and Studios Inc.

“By going to galleries, community arts centers and visiting grad schools, they get to see what next steps there are,” Watkins said. “A lot of the community art centers have artist residencies and teaching opportunities, so it gives them a vision. It is also face to face networking that opens doors for them.”

Watkins received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in art with a ceramics and jewelry emphasis from Northwest and a Master of Fine Arts degree in art with a ceramics emphasis from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She joined the Northwest faculty in 2002, leads the ceramics program and has taught courses related to ceramics, drawing, design and art appreciation.