NW Missouri Times

Veronica Watkins, associate professor of art at Northwest Missouri State University, is currently showcasing her ceramic works at two juried exhibitions. Her pieces are on display at the Lancaster Museum of Art in Pennsylvania until December 3 and at Belger Crane Yard Studios in Kansas City, Missouri, through November 8.

At the Belger Crane Yard Studios exhibition titled “Put a Lid on It,” Watkins contributed two covered trays and a flower brick. The event features lidded pottery from over 100 artists who were selected by invitation or through a jury process. Watkins commented on the recognition: “It means that within our region, they recognize my work. That recognition amongst your peers and the caliber of the arts center, makes it feel like an accomplishment.”

The Strictly Functional Pottery exhibition at the Lancaster Museum of Art has been a prominent venue for functional ceramics since its founding in 1993. Watkins’s participation includes two tea bowls. She noted the competitive nature of this national show: “It’s pretty competitive as far as people applying. 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.”

Watkins says that participating in these exhibitions helps her connect with students beyond classroom instruction. “They see me working because I really do work amongst them in a classroom setting,” she 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.’”

Recently, Watkins accompanied art students to the opening of “Put a Lid on It” at Belger Crane Yard Studios and visited other local galleries and art centers in Kansas City. She believes these experiences help students understand future opportunities: “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 holds both Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees with emphases in ceramics.