The much-awaited Moorpark College Student Ceramics/Art Sale has finally arrived. This event showcases a cornucopia of art pieces made by ceramics students and other art students at Moorpark College.
“It is filled with student work for sale such as ceramics and sculptures, paintings and prints, even tie-dye,” said Art and Ceramics professor Gerry Zucca.
“This is a really great thing for students,” explained Zucca, who has organized this end-of-semester event for the last thirteen years. “They get to price their own work and let go of their own work. But it’s wonderful for the community as well.”
Students in a ceramics class or other art classes can enter their pieces in the sale.
Fine Arts major Ben Gottlieb, 20, is one of many art students who will be featuring their own creations in the art sale.
“I do painting, printing, [still] life, ceramics, and tie-dye,” said Gottlieb. “I like everything; I like making things.”
In addition to the potential of selling their artwork, students also learn from this event.
“Students get to make money off what they make, which is really empowering,” said Zucca. “They get 80 percent of the sale price of their items, but it’s also a learning experience for them.
“For beginning students who [don’t] sell anything, this inspires them how to glaze and make better pieces. It’s a win-win for everybody,” said Zucca.
This event in years past has drawn a huge crowd; not just those at Moorpark College, but also people from far and wide. This two-day sale showcases what the art department and its students do, and people can take home or give as gifts to friends and family their purchases of student artwork.
“Members of the community can see what we do here. It’s not just students and faculty who come,” said Zucca. “People come from Moorpark, Ventura, Camarillo, Conejo Valley, Simi, Thousand Oaks, Agoura, and San Fernando Valley,” he said. [This event] is beneficial for everyone, the community and our students.”
The ceramics and art sale is a multi-purpose event. As well as student artwork for sale, an art show in the new Student Gallery will have an opening reception party in AA 141. Fundraising also takes place.
“We typically raise funds for a natural disaster,” said Zucca. “This semester there will be a donations box set up for Hurricane Harvey disaster, which will get donated to the Red Cross to help out victims of this disaster.”
Twenty percent of artwork sales from the event also helps fund three annual scholarships, designed to help art students finance their continuing education as they transfer to four-year colleges. Students can compete for the Ceramics Scholarship, The Phyllis Arnold Memorial Scholarship, and the Frank Sardisco Memorial Scholarship.
“I want a lot of variety in the show and the ceramics sale,” said Zucca. “Each semester the artwork is different, and has a different focus. Some like to make vases, and others decide to put their paintings in. It depends on the students and what they want to do.”
The Student Ceramics Art Sale will be held Nov. 29-30, 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Ceramics Studio, in AA 124. Admission is free, and snacks and refreshments are provided. Art scholarship details are available on the Moorpark College website. For more information on the Ceramics Art Sale, contact Professor Zucca at [email protected].
