The talent and dedication of art students at Moorpark College is on display at the highly anticipated ceramics sale from May 2 to 3.
Students who are enrolled in studio art, painting, life drawing, ceramics, and sculpting were all encouraged to participate and donate the creations they have made throughout the semester. The art program at Moorpark College is small but productive. The students involved range from those who are taking an art class as an elective, those who are considering art as their major, and those who are getting ready to transfer with art as their chosen major. The items that are being sold are completely student crafted and all sales are between a customer and the student artist.
Gerry Zucca, the primary art instructor on campus, holds this event to benefit and keep the art program at Moorpark alive.
“We will take the money earned to fund the whole endeavor, get invites out and print things,” Zucca said. “Basically students are making money from the work they made by pricing it and having to let go of their homemade treasures.”
Zucca holds this event twice a year, but each time is different to him because it contains new students, new art, and new opportunities for his students to gain experience and make money to keep doing what they love.
The Moorpark art program offers several different routes when a student first decides to choose art as their major. Art has become less and less of a priority in public schools and funding will soon begin to cut all extracurriculars associated with the arts. Programs include but are not limited to art, theater, and dance.
The money earned from the ceramics sale will help to ensure that the Moorpark art club, ceramics club, sculpting club, and the other several art classes available will still be offered for years to come.
Stephanie Skorupka, a previous teacher’s assistant for Zucca and Moorpark alumna has successfully transferred to California State University, Long Beach for art but specifically ceramics.
“I think the event is great, I think it’s such a nice variety and the fact that you can get really beautiful pieces for relatively inexpensive prices is incredible,” Skorupka said. “ It’s mostly students work, and it’s really cool that we can show the work produced to everyone on campus.”
Skorupka took all 4 ceramics classes at Moorpark and helped Zucca load kilns, clean the studio and helped set up all of the fundraising events for the art program.
The Sale is being held in the AA room 124, which is also the ceramics studio. Items such as bowls, plates, cups, vases, and other creations are available for purchase. Prices are clearly stated on each item as well as contact information for the artist. Along with ceramics, there are several art pieces and paintings being sold with the same information attached to them.
Malia Rogers, a student at Moorpark, attended the art show last year and was able to find and purchase a few items for the upcoming Mother’s day. Last year, the sale was held the weekend before the holiday.
“I was looking for something unique and cool to give my mom and this just seemed like the perfect thing,” Rogers said. “It was also kind of cool how I got something I needed and I was able to support the arts all at the same time.”
For more information on the ceramics sale or the art program, visit https://www.moorparkcollege.edu/departments/academic/art-department.