Biography
Rhonda Willers is an author, educator, and multidisciplinary artist whose practice incorporates ceramics, facial tissues, sound, mixed media, social practice, and time-based installations. Her work lingers in the quiet moments where memory, ritual, and transformation meet. She is the author of Terra Sigillata: Contemporary Techniques and host of the podcast The Artist in Me Is Dead.
Recent and upcoming exhibitions include: Practices in Transformation: grief, gratitude, love, and time (Pablo Center at the Confluence), clayAND (Saratoga Clay Arts Center), Untitled 18 at SooVAC (Soo Visual Art Center) juror Danielle Krysa aka The Jealous Curator, Persistence of Mingei: Influence Through Four Generations of Ceramic Artists (The Weisman Art Museum) and Crowns: Crossing into Motherhood (Canton Museum of Art).
Willers earned her BFA in ceramics and photography from the University of Wisconsin - River Falls and continued with post-baccalaureate studies at the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth. She completed her MFA at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln with an emphasis in ceramics and minor studies in drawing and sculpture. Her work and writing has appeared in The Isolation Journals, Ceramics Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, and Ceramics Technical. She is a contributing author to Low-Fire Soda by Justin Rothshank (2020), Low-Fire Glazes for Potters and Sculptors by Ben Carter (2024), and The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad (2025).
From 2007-2018, Willers was a Senior Lecturer in the Art Department at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls teaching: beginning and advanced level ceramics, creative arts entrepreneurship, design foundations, and general art appreciation. Her projects included student participation in the American Craft Council St. Paul Show, producing the Wyman Visiting Professor in Art by securing and supporting several prominent artists and scholars, as well as co-coordinating/coordinating gallery exhibitions and the annual outdoor art exhibition.
Willers teaches workshops centered on terra sigillatas and creativity for art centers including: Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Peter’s Valley School of Craft, Saratoga Clay Arts, and others. She is a mentor in the Cohorts.Art program for 2026.
As a national arts leader, Willers has served the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) for 12 years in many capacities. She began her service as a member elected Direct at Large (2009-2012). In 2017, she served on the Minneapolis Regional Planning Committee in preparation for the 2019 conference. After this she was appointed to executive leadership positions: Steward of the Board (2018-2020), Special Advisor to the Board (2020-2021), President-Elect (2021-2022), President (2022-2024), and Past-President (2024-2025). Currently, Willers is a presidential appointee serving as co-chair of the 60th Anniversary Ad Hoc Committee (2025-2027).
From her home and studio in rural Elk Mound, Wisconsin, Rhonda Willers creates, writes, and tends to the rhythms of family life shared with her husband, three children, and two cats.
Exhibition Feature Volume One by Evelyn Nelson, 2025 (read)
Interview on Tales of a Red Clay Rambler with Ben Carter, 2024 (listen)
Interview on The Potters Cast podcast with Paul Blais, 2019 (listen)