The Morehead State University Department of Art and Design is preparing to open its doors to host community-oriented classes, open to students and non-students alike.
Registration is open for an Introduction to Ceramics community education course on Mondays and Wednesdays, July 8 through August 7 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The five-week class will start students on the pottery wheel and move on to hand-building and other techniques to make functional pottery and sculpture work.
Quinn Maher is an Instructor of Arts and Ceramics at MSU. He said the community courses aim to build a stronger connection between the university and the city.
“I want Morehead on MSU’s campus. I mean, I haven’t been here that long, but I have felt a bit of a disconnect from the overall engagement between the two entities. And the community is a huge part of MSU, and I wish there were more things for the community to feel welcome to do on campus,” said Maher.
Maher said art in all its forms is special for its ability to promote not only community engagement but self-expression as well.
“My goal is that this class is an opportunity for people to have just an outlet into creativity. Ceramics is such an easy and inviting and non-threatening way to kind of just make a thing, whether it’s sculpture or functional or whatever the intentions are,” said Maher. “So, for an MSU studio to get to offer that to the community, I think is going to be really special.”
People of all experience levels are welcome, and the course fee includes all supplies, including several bags of clay. The studio will also be open Monday through Friday after 5 p.m. for people to practice in.
Maher said the department opened this second session due to an overwhelmingly positive response from the city community after announcing the course’s first session, set for June. Space in the July session is limited, and people are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. More information is available by emailing Quinn Maher at q.maher@moreheadstate.edu.