From Narnia to Detroit: Bultman’s ceramic art earns national spotlight
What happens when you mix a passion for Dutch Delftware with a deep dive into children's literature? For Anna Bultman ‘25, it resulted in national recognition. Her ceramic work, “Jadis,” was selected for the prestigious NCECA Juried Student Exhibition.
After attending the conference last year, Bultman and several of her classmates decided to enter works in the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) 2026 Juried Student Exhibition, held March 25-28 in Detroit.
The exhibition was highly competitive, with nearly 800 entries. Bultman’s ceramic vessel was one of just 44 pieces selected for the show.
“The conference provides an opportunity to develop professional contacts and improve practices in the ceramic arts,” said Hastings College ceramics instructor Jerome Dubas ’83, adding that the undergraduate juried student exhibition is at the core of what makes NCECA so special.
Bultman, who lives in Hastings, created the piece as one of eight pieces designed for her senior capstone.
“‘Jadis’ is the name of the White Witch from The Chronicles of Narnia,” Bultman said, as she found herself examining intersections between her Dutch heritage and her interest in children’s literature.
The piece is created in the style of Dutch Delftware, as a tribute to Bultman’s grandmother and their family, who originated from Holland.
“I’ve always been attracted to the blue and white glazing style and thought that might be something interesting for me to explore,” she said. “My grandma is one of the strongest women I know and I wanted to explore Girl Power, femininity and gender studies.”
Majoring in both studio art with an emphasis in ceramics and English with an emphasis in writing, Bultman searched for a way to tie both of her capstones together.
In studying children’s literature and looking at different themes and structures, Bultman noticed that lots of female characters are cast as villainous or as evil, which she found to be an interesting power dynamic.
“Jadis is cast as the villain, and I think it’s because people are scared of women in power,” she said.
The design on the vase contains several hidden gems, including references to Jadis turning people and animals into stone as she invokes fear in her subjects to maintain her authority.
Bultman designed eight vessels, featuring eight women from different stories and folklore.
“Besides displaying technical skill, Anna‘s work shows the influence of a liberal arts education,” Dubas said. “The surface design of her work reflects her cultural heritage, as well as her studies in the literary arts.”
Dubas will accompany 13 students to Detroit this year, where the show’s jury includes both ceramic artist Eva Kwong and Gary Garrido Schneider, who is the executive director of Grounds for Sculpture.
More than 5,000 students, artists and lovers of ceramics are expected to attend the conference and exhibition, which will feature artworks from undergraduate, post-baccalaureate and graduate students in Mexico, Canada and the United States.
The student exhibition will run concurrently with “Volumes,” the 60th annual conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts.
Being accepted into NCECA’s Juried Student Exhibition is a major accomplishment, Dubas said.
“Anna having a piece in the show is a tribute to her, the ceramics program at Hastings College, the Hastings College Art Department and Hastings College at large,” he said.