Fair 48° F

Home > Archive > Apr 3, 2008

DSC Art Professor Honored by Education Council
By Sharon May
Glen Blakley, an art professor at Dixie State College for more than 30 years, received the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts “Fellow of the Council Award” on March 19. The award was given at the organization's international conference in Pittsburgh, Pa., recognizing Blakley's ongoing support and contributions to the NCECA.
“This is quite a tribute and honor that NCECA is presenting to me. I’m very humbled by it,” Blakely stated in a press release from DSC. “There have been a number of great people that have been honored, a lot of them internationally known, and to be joining those people on that list is quite an honor for me.
“NCECA is a tremendous organization with a lot of wonderful people involved with it,” he went on to say.
More than 6,000 people were in attendance at the conference at which Blakley received the award.
One “Fellow of the Council” award is given each year by the NCECA, and only 42 have been given in total. For being distinguished as this year's recipient, Blakley was privileged to attend several VIP parties as a special guest, according to the press release, and he was also invited to display more than 20 of his photographs and five pottery pieces at the Mendelson Gallery in Pittsburgh.
“We are proud to recognize Glen for his contributions to NCECA and its mission to enrich and affect the continuing development of the ceramic arts,” NCECA Nominations Committee Chair Susan Filley said, as quoted in the press release.
Blakley has served as the NCECA's Director at Large and has been the official photographer for the organization for 15 years.
More than 70 articles written by Blakley have been featured in such publications as the NCECA Journal, NCECA News, Clay Times, Ceramic Monthly and Crafts Report, according to the press release. His photography has been featured in prominent publications throughout the country and the world.
In addition to his contributions to the NCECA, Blakley has also contributed much to Dixie State College, the local community and the state since joining DSC's faculty in 1976, according to the press release. In addition to serving on the Dixie Task Force, the Southwest Utah Arts Council, the St. George Arts Commission, the St. George Film Commission and the Utah Arts Council Advisory Board, Blakley also aided in the establishment of the St. George Art Museum. He served as the director of that institution for the first six years of its existence, and Blakley also served as the director of the first St. George Arts Festival in 1979.
Blakley received his master's degree in fine arts from Brigham Young University. In addition to teaching at Dixie State, he has served as a professor of art at Oregon City High School in Oregon and at BYU, according to the press release.
Blakley has taken many students on art-related trips throughout his years at DSC, exposing them to museums and art experiences in both the western United States and Europe. He returned recently from his 13th yearly European trip with students.

---