Student artists will fill the main hallway of the Student Union Building with unique pottery creations for sale on Friday, Dec. 4 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The semi-annual sale allows ceramics students of the Union University Potter’s Guild the opportunity to showcase their craft and open their work to the public for sale.
Candace Gooch, academic secretary of the art department, said the sale is unique because lots of students have their own specialized style.
“They all have a voice in their work, so you can expect to find a lot of different things,” she said. “It’s not like going to pick from the same kind of stock. There is a lot of variety within the work, so you can find a pretty unique gift. There’s just a good, diverse group of potters here, and the work is even more so.”
Gooch said mugs are typically a bestseller each year, but there are also bowls, plates, serving dishes, pouring vessels and other sculptural objects that can be found at the sale.
This pottery sale is a vital experience to the ceramics students, and participating in this sale is not a lesson that can be taught within the walls of a classroom, Gooch said. The opportunity gives ceramics students a chance to showcase their craft, which they have devoted lots of time and money to, in pursuit of their career. The sale means more than students trying to make money around the holidays, Gooch said.
“Through the sale, students are learning about marketing—what sells and what doesn’t and about how to interact with customers,” Gooch said. “It’s kind of disappointing sometimes to see someone pick up your pot and then pick up one of your classmate’s pots. The sale teaches students a lot of real world experience and knowledge that can only be gained through that experience outside of the classroom. Everyone is here at Union to learn how to succeed in the real world, and this is how we do that.”
