Daniel Rhodes

Daniel Rhodes was the first student to receive his MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Following his graduation, he remained in the Alfred area and worked as a designer for Glidden Pottery.

He and his family lived in California from 1943-1947. During that time, Daniel and his wife, Lilyan, opened a ceramic studio that crafted thrown and cast ware for a San Franciscan department store. He also served on the faculty of Stanford University and the San Francisco Art Institute. In 1947, his family returned to New York; he brought his experience back to Alfred, joining the University’s art department faculty.

He taught for 25 years. While at Alfred, he achieved an international reputation as a sculptor and potter. He was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship as well as a medal of citation from the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). His work is featured in permanent collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (Japan), and the Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC), among others.