After school every Monday in room 543, the art room, the sound of faint chatter with LoFi music in the background can be heard. Most people have their hands covered with clay, making their hard work evident as they sculpt their next project. Others are a little more ahead, either waiting for their new creation to be fired in the kiln (making it hardened and durable) or glazing their sculpture (adding color and making it waterproof).
As a growing club, Ceramics aims to spread its love for its art form throughout Townsend Harris High School to both the experienced and inexperienced alike.
Ceramics Club, although founded near the end of the 2023-2024 school year, took off this year especially. The club went from five members to around twenty on average. The club also held four different collaborations, including ones with the Pre-Vet Club and the Art Club. Senior Puja Biswas, current co-president and previous public relations, said, “It was very rewarding to see people who always show up, contribute, and are passionate about what they do.”
“We always encourage people to make what they want. We are never going to tell you not to make something,” she said.
Sophomore Valeria Escamilla, the other co-president of Ceramics, said that the members “are able to take creative liberty which not a lot of clubs do.”
Members who spoke to The Classic described an environment that’s relaxing and calm. Freshman Sarah Yan said, “Ceramics is always a stress reliever for me if I’m having a bad day or if a test is coming up.”
“Between school, work, and academic clubs, I wanted a place where I could relax. Ceramics helps me to unwind after a long and tiring day,” said sophomore Livia Zhao, a recent member.
Art teacher Antonio Montalvo, club advisor of Ceramics, wants to bring more attention to the art form and the club. In an article published earlier this year on the Winter Art Gallery, Mr. Montalvo discussed his passion for 3D art and his desire to publicize it at THHS. ““I started a new 3D Design class and I’m the advisor of the Ceramics Club, so I want to display more sculptures and 3D artworks in the shows,” Mr. Montalvo said.
While many students at THHS engage in various art forms whether through music, digital art, photography, or painting, there aren’t a lot that know of or have experience with using clay to create items. This is where Ceramics Club steps in. “I know a lot of people coming in are new to ceramics,” said Valeria. “If the students already know the process, then great. If they want to learn more, then that’s also perfect. We are there to guide and teach them every step of the way.”
Some members shared how their lack of experience influenced their time in the club. Sophomore Meiko Liu said, “As a beginner, I often found myself struggling with applying my imagination to my creation. It didn’t always turn out how I wanted it to.”
Similarly, Sarah Yan said, “I joined Ceramics because I’ve only had some experience and I wanted to improve my skills. If you are a beginner, the instructions can sometimes be vague and it can be difficult to understand the exact steps.”
However, both of them said that as they progressed throughout the year, they began rapidly improving after creating project after project.
“I’m a very art-oriented person […] [but] I haven’t had any past experiences with ceramics. I started getting into it by joining this club and I’m finding it really fun,” said Freshman Chatani Edwards.
Livia said that even though her main focus was on digital media, she already had made several ceramics before joining the club. She explained how her love for making her own creations had grown increasingly more during her time in Ceramics. “I think it’s intriguing how we can make almost anything with just clay. All we need is our imagination and our hands,” she said. “I remember creating something as simple as a bowl and being able to be extremely proud of the final product and the process that went behind it.”
The Ceramics Club is determined to spread their mission beyond the school and to make each year better than the last. “A large part of what makes our club special is our ability to reach communities beyond our school and connect with them through art,” said sophomore Ethmi Uyanwatte, secretary of Ceramics. “Next year, we are hoping to have more outreach and donation events.”
