Nikki Blair

Nikki Blair serves as Associate Professor in Ceramics & Sculpture at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro's School of Art, where she teaches hand building, wheel throwing, and advanced ceramics techniques while mentoring graduate students.

Education

• MFA, Ohio University (2000)
• BFA, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (1996)

Her research manifests through ceramic sculpture exploring functional and non-functional forms, with emphasis on material innovation and contemporary artistic expression. International residencies across Denmark, Spain, Tunisia, and Hungary inform her practice, bridging cultural perspectives in ceramic arts. Exhibition venues span major institutions including Red Lodge Clay Center, Baltimore Clay Works, and the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Exhibition trends over the past five years reveal consistent national and international presence, with 15 documented shows featuring solo and group presentations. Work appears in prestigious venues like the Wichita National Ceramics Invitational and Shape Theory Collective, demonstrating versatility across functional pottery, sculptural installations, and socially engaged projects such as criminal justice reform initiatives.

Scientific Awards
No awards, prizes, or fellowships are documented in the provided materials.

Advising & Professional Activities
Blair directs graduate mentorship and teaches foundational through advanced ceramics courses. Her professional network extends through residencies at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts (Maine), Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center (Denmark), Galeria Estudio (Barcelona), Bardo Museum (Tunisia), and International Ceramics Studio (Hungary), though specific grant funding details are not provided.

Studio Practice
Her creative output operates through both university-affiliated studios and international residency programs, with recent work exploring chromatic properties in ceramics (Chromatherapy, 2020) and thematic group exhibitions focused on color theory and contemporary ceramic aesthetics.