RCCC collaborates with Pottery 101 and celebrates at ribbon cutting
Published 11:05 pm Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Pottery 101 and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College representatives cut the ribbon. Jon C. Lakey/Salisbury Post
People arrive for the ceremony. Jon C. Lakey/Salisbury Post
Pottery 101 owner Cheryl Goins joins the crowd in a toast. Jon C. Lakey/Salisbury Post
People gather for a toast. Jon C. Lakey/Salisbury Post
Taylor Pfaff and John Williams demonstrate making pottery at Pottery 101. Jon C. Lakey/Salisbury Post
John Williams works at the pottery wheel Wednesday during a ribbon-cutting at Pottery 101 to kick off a partnership with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to share studio space. Jon C. Lakey/Salisbury Post
SALISBURY – Rowan-Cabarrus Community College held a ribbon-cutting Wednesday to celebrate the beginning of ceramics classes now offered in collaboration with Pottery 101.
The classes are held in Pottery 101’s downtown studio and retail shop at 101 S. Main St.
Through the partnership, students in RCCC’s associate of fine arts in visual arts and associate of applied science in graphic design degree programs will get the chance to study and work with professional artists.
Classes are aimed at providing students with hands-on experience from professionals while learning about the business component of visual arts and graphic design.
The ribbon-cutting included a tour of the facility, pottery demonstrations by students and faculty, a toast to celebrate the collaboration and an opportunity to learn more about the art of ceramics.
“By having our ceramics program here, students enrolled in Ceramics I and II will be able to learn from entrepreneurs,” said RCCC President Carol Spalding. “The community college system is all about putting their degrees to work. This is very exciting for Salisbury.”
Cheryl Goins, owner of Pottery 101, also had words of praise.
“I’m so happy to have you all here,” Goins said. “It brings a special energy.”
Jonathan Hoffman, the lead instructor of fine and applied arts, noted how students first learn to sculpt pottery by hand before transitioning and learning to “throw” on the pottery wheel. He said most students have transitioned to the pottery wheel by the end of one semester.
According to Jenn Selby, director of philanthropy, transfer and the arts, the ribbon-cutting was held Wednesday to align with the start of the semester.
Taylor Pfaff, a former RCCC ceramics student, and full-time faculty member John Williams gave demonstrations during the ribbon-cutting.
Pfaff shared her love of ceramics in an interview with the Post.
“So out of all of the things I do in my life, ceramics is the one tactical thing I can do to, like, de-stress,” Pfaff said. “And at the end of the day, it’s like, ‘Look, here’s the thing that I made.’ So it’s really nice to have something at the end of the day.”
Pfaff is a system infrastructure analyst at RCCC. She has taken a ceramics class taught by Williams.
“I took Ceramics I in the spring and plan on taking the studio course this coming spring,” she said.
Pfaff said the process of creating pottery is “very fun” and “very soothing.” She has made plates, mugs, bowls and more and has given them as gifts to family and friends.
“The program definitely needs more recognition,” Pfaff said. “The more attention that it can get, the better.”
The Pottery 101 gallery features pottery by artists from across the Carolinas. The space includes a private studio and a teaching studio.
